Xavier vs. Charlotte Live Blog

Welcome to another edition of the X-Blog, as the Xavier University men's basketball team gets set to take on the Charlotte 49ers. This is an opportunity for the Musketeers to get back on track away from Cintas Center, having lost two straight on the road.

UPDATE 6:15 - Head coach Sean Miller was visited by an old friend prior to tonight's game: Orlando Magic Stan Van Gundy. In town to play the Charlotte Bobcats tomorrow, Van Gundy paid Miller a visit in the lobby of the team hotel. Miller served as an assistant under Van Gundy at the Univeristy of Wisconsin.

UPDATE 6:57 - As we near tipoff, I notice one distinct difference in the atmosphere at the arena tonight: the student section is in the lower bowl along the sideline. Not tucked in the corner or along the baseline, but taking up three and a half sections along the sideline where the benches are located. The rest of the arena is sparcely populated at the moment, but the student section is out in full force in their prime seats.

UPDATE 7:08 - This is shaping up to be a defensive battle, although there have been a number of stopages. At 4-3 in the first media timeout, Xavier hasn't been able to get out and run much yet, and neither team looks quite in sync on offense.

UPDATE 7:17 - Despite only hitting two of their 11 attempts from the field thus far, the Musketeers are even with 49ers, 9-9. XU is doing with free throw shooting, hitting all four of their attemps from the charity stripe thus far, drawing enthusiastic applause from coach Miller with every make.

UPDATE 7:26 - Jamel McLean is back to his energetic ways. After hustling and fighting for a pair of defensive rebounds, McLean took a nice feed from Holloway to the basket and drew the foul while making the basket to head into a media timeout. His athletic ability continues to amaze.

UPDATE 7:36 - At 24-23 in favor of Charlotte with just over three minutes left in the half, credit has to be given to the intensity of the 49ers defense, led by Charlie Coley. He has two blocks, both coming on what looked like sure buckets for XU. There are no easy baskets in this game.

UPDATE 7:47 - A three-pointer by Javarris Barnett as time expired to end the half has given Charlotte a 29-27 lead at the break. The Xavier defense, which had been less than stellar in the Musketeers' previous two road losses, has been on the mark tonight, but you have to believe coach Miller will tweak the offense at halftime.

UPDATE 8:10 - Xavier won the first four-minute war of the half, outscoring the 49ers 8-7 before the buzzer sounded for the first media timeout. Xavier still trails, 36-35, but the Musketeers have four more chances to win each battle.

UPDATE 8:21 - At Xavier, the best offense is a good defense. After Jason Love blocked a shot on one end, B.J. Raymond hit a three-pointer in transition to give XU the 41-39 advantage. For those keeping track, the Musketeers won that four-minute battle 6-3.

UPDATE 8:31 - The crowd is buzzing as the horn sounds for a media timeout and Charlotte clings to a one-point lead, 47-46. The offense has certainly picked up for XU in the second half, but one of the players reponsible for that uptick in production, C.J. Anderson, just picked up his fourth foul and headed the bench.

UPDATE 8:44 - It all comes down to the final four-minute battle. Charlotte holds a three-point edge, 56-53, with 3:27 to play. Check goxavier.com for a recap and stats from tonight's game after the final buzzer sounds.