03.27.22

Musketeers take on former Atlantic 10 rival St. Bonaventure

CINCINNATI — The Xavier University Musketeers, 21-13, take on the St. Bonaventure University Bonnies, 23-9, in the National Invitation Tournament Semifinals on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Madison Square Garden in New York. Xavier and St. Bonaventure were rivals in the Atlantic 10 Conference for 18 seasons before XU moved to the BIG EAST in 2013.

Xavier won the 1958 NIT Championship with a win over St. Bonaventure in the semifinals and win over Dayton in the championship game. XU is 19-7 in NIT play and is in the semifinals for the first time since 1999.

THE MATCHUP

XAVIER UNIVERSITY MUSKETEERS (21-13)
ST. BONAVENTURE UNIVERSITY BONNIES (23-9)
2022 NATIONAL INVITATION TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS
TUESDAY, MARCH 29 AT 7 P.M. AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IN NEW YORK

TV, RADIO & LIVE STATS

National Television: ESPN with play-by-play from John Schriffen, analysis from Fran Fraschilla and reporter Myron Medcalf.
Xavier Radio: 700 WLW with play-by-play from XU Hall of Famer Joe Sunderman (’79) and analysis from XU all-time leading scorer and Hall of Famer Byron Larkin (’88).
National Radio: Westwood One with play-by-play from Brandon Gaudin and analysis from Ben Braun.
Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com.

X FACTORS

Xavier is making its 33rd postseason appearance in the last 39 postseasons.
• Xavier won the 1958 NIT Championship with a win over St. Bonaventure in the semifinals and win over then-No. 11 Dayton in overtime in the championship game.
• Xavier is making its ninth all-time appearance in the National Invitation Tournament. XU is 19-7 in NIT play and is in the semifinals for the first time since 1999.
• Xavier, 21-13, clinched a 20-win season. XU has recorded 31 of its 33 all-time 20-win seasons between 1982-83 and the present season.
• Xavier, 21-13 overall, has recorded 26 straight winning seasons.
• Xavier junior Zach Freemantle is leading Xavier in the NIT at 13.0 points,
8.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, while shooting 51.9 percent from the field.
• Xavier junior Jack Nunge, who was named NABC Second Team All-District and All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention, leads the team in scoring at 13.3 ppg. and in blocks at 1.4 bpg. and is second in rebounding at 7.3 rpg. 
• Xavier sophomore Colby Jones leads the team and is 10th in the BIG EAST in rebounding (7.4 rpg.). He is third on the team in scoring at 11.2 ppg., including 13.9 ppg. over the last nine games, and is second on the team in assists at  3.2 apg.
• Xavier senior Nate Johnson is averaging 11.0 ppg. in the NIT, including double-figure scoring vs. Florida (team-high 16) and Vanderbilt (12).

COURTESY XAVIER ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS