UPDATE 12:54 p.m.: Virginia Tech just defeated Fairfield 74-57 and will play at 2:00 p.m. (AST) tomorrow against the winner of the Xavier/Missouri game. As a point of reference, the times on the updates will be in Eastern Standard Time, for two reasons: 1) That's where all you loyal fans are getting these updates and 2) Because that's the time my computer is set on and I don't want to mess up the math. Xavier's game will start in about half an hour.
UPDATE 1:07 p.m.: The Musketeers have
taken the court and are warming up for their game with the Missouri Tigers. The picture to the right shows the team huddle.UPDATE 1:15 p.m.: The starters for each team:
Xavier
Brown
Raymond
Anderson
Jackson
Love
Missouri
Carroll
Tiller
Lyons
Taylor
Lawrence
The teams have returned to the locker rooms and should return just before tip-off, which is just about nine minutes away.
UPDATE 1:21 p.m.: The Musketeers just returned the court with just over three and a half minutes before introductions to a standing ovation from a solid group of Xavier supporters. It's possible they made more noise for the Musketeers just now than either teams' fans did during the Virginia Tech/Fairfield game.
UPDATE 1:28 p.m.: Ladies and gentleman, we have tip-off. The Musketeers won it but were stopped on the first possession. Game on.
UPDATE 1:31 p.m.: Derrick Brown opens the scoring with a three-pointer, showing an improved stroke from long range this season.
UPDATE 1:34 p.m.: Early foul tally is Xavier 4 - Missouri 0, much to the disappointment of the Xavier faithful.
UPDATE 1:35 p.m.: Heading into the first media timeout, the game is tied at 5-5. Missouri scored 103 points in its last game against Chattanooga and 86 points in its opener against Prarie View A&M, but it's safe to say the Tigers haven't faced a defense at the level of XU's.
UPDATE 1:39 p.m.: First foul on Missouri comes on a turn to the inside from the post by freshman Kenny Frease. His size is unmistakable, but it's Frease's skill level that has been most impressive so far.
UPDATE 1:42 p.m.: Frease just picked up his second foul with 13:51 to play in the first half. He'll be replaced by Jason Love as the Musketeers go big with Love, Brown and sophomore Jamel McLean all on the floor.
UPDATE 1:45 p.m.: After showing he can hit the three earlier, Brown fakes the trey and takes it to the basket, drawing a foul to take us into the second media timeout with the Tigers in front, 14-12.
UPDATE 1:48 p.m.: Freshman Brad Redford just nailed a three-pointer with a hand in his face. For anyone who has seen Redford shoot, the sight of nothing but net is quite familiar.
UPDATE 1:53 p.m.: Stop me if you've heard this one before...McLean just grabbed a rebound and slammed home a put-back dunk in the same motion. It's like deja-vu all over again.
UPDATE 1:57 p.m.: Nice hustle play by B.J. Raymond takes us to the under-eight minute media timeout. After a defensive rebound, the Tigers turned their transition offense into high gear, but Raymond got back and planted his feet to draw a charge call. The team foul tally is now at Xavier 8 - Missouri 7.
UPDATE 2:03 p.m.: Drive and dish by Raymond give McLean an easy dunk to pull the Musketeers within one, 25-24, but the Tigers scored on their next possession to push the lead back to three.
UPDATE 2:11 p.m.: Jackson ties the game up at 29 with a three-pointer after the Musketeers show tremendous ball movement against the half-court trap of the Tigers.
UPDATE 2:13 p.m.: After trailing by as many as five, XU is back in front by two after a pair of free throws from Raymond. Rebounding has been the key for the Musketeers, who have kept the Tigers off the offensive glass for the most part.
UPDATE 2:17 p.m.: Another three-pointer for Brown puts the Musketeers up three, 35-32, with under 15 seconds to play, and Missouri calls a timeout to set up the assumed last play of the half. Brown has shown he can stretch the defense in this game and that should help him get to the basket in the second half.
UPDATE 2:19 p.m.: Head coach Sean Miller is showing why he belongs among the NCAA elite coaches. Coming out of the timeout, Xavier played a zone for the first time in the game and forced a missed shot by the Tigers to end the half. Musketeers take a 35-32 lead into the break. The pace of the game is benefiting Xavier right now, with stingy half-court and good transition defense keeping the score low. We'll be back with some half time stats.
UPDATE 2:25 p.m.: Although XU is holding onto a three-point lead, it doesn't take much imagination to assume Coach Miller is discussing the Musketeers' 12 first-half turnovers in the locker room right now. As he talked about during yesterday's interview (which can be seen on the men's basketball team page), the Missouri pressure defense has caused turnovers on the other side of the 10-second line. But, also as Coach Miller predicted, the front court is leading the way for XU. Brown leads all scorers with nine points and McLean has added six off the bench.
UPDATE 2:28 p.m.: While there's still a half to play, Xavier has done a good job of containing the Tigers' front court duo of Demarre Carroll and Leo Lyons, who came into the game averaging 43 points per game combined. Carroll has two points while Lyons is tied for the team lead with eight points thus far. The Musketeers have held the Tigers to 31.3 percent shooting and have dominated the boards, 24-15.
UPDATE 2:35 p.m.: Same starters for both teams as we get ready to begin the second half. Missouri starts with the ball and draws a foul underneath to get things back underway.
UPDATE 2:36 p.m.: Critical third foul called on Lyons of the Tigers puts him on the bench early in the second half after the Musketeers draw a charge.
UPDATE 2:38 p.m.: Jackson draws a foul while trying to break the press, also drawing a sarcastic cheer from the crowd who apparently felt the call was long overdue.
UPDATE 2:40 p.m.: For the first minute and a half of the second stanza it looked like the pace would pick up, but some fouls have slowed things down a bit....As I type that there is a frantic exchange on both ends that results in the Tigers tying the game at 41-41. It would be so much easier if you could all read my thoughts.
UPDATE 2:47 p.m.: Even though he may not record the block each time, Frease has shown a tremendous ability to alter shots on defense. Not many players are used to driving and seeing someone of his stature waiting for them. I'd be scared, too.
UPDATE 2:51 p.m.: A three-pointer by Missouri's Kim English has given the Tigers a four-point lead, 47-44. After the bucket, the full-court pressure forced a Musketeers timeout with 29 seconds on the shot clock and the ball still in the backcourt. The timeout should help XU reset its offense and break the momentum Missouri has started to grab.
UPDATE 2:56 p.m.: Raymond was just rewarded for being fundamentally sound. After closing in on a driver, Raymond intercepted a skip pass almost on accident as it hit his outstretched arm and fell into is lap, as it were. He was then fouled in transition, giving him a one-and-one coming out of the media timeout trailing, 49-45.
UPDATE 3:01 p.m.: The Xavier rebounding advantage once again pays dividends as Brown pulls down an offensive board and finds Redford open for his second three-pointer of the night, giving the Musketeers a 50-49 lead.
UPDATE 3:06 p.m.: In the last minute of action, Raymond has gone 2-of-4 at the charity stripe, something Coach Miller would not approve of, but he has made up for it by grabbing two key rebounds, including one off his own miss. That may same him a lap or two when the Musketeers make it back to Cincinnati.
UPDATE 3:08 p.m.: Sloppy play has turned a Xavier advantage into a five-point Missouri lead. Turnovers on three straight possessions and an offensive rebound by the Tigers forced Coach Miller to call a timeout and regroup his troops.
UPDATE 3:12 p.m.: Raymond put it on the floor again and was able to draw a foul heading into the media timeout. With both teams in the double bonus, he will go to the line to shoot a pair with Xavier trailing by five, 59-54.
UPDATE 3:20 p.m.: Brown's ankle looks to be healing quite nicely. After taking a pass from Terrell Holloway, Brown was looking for the flush but settled for a pair of free throws to pull the Musketeers within three, 63-60, and prompting a timeout by the Tigers.
UPDATE 3:25 p.m.: With the Tigers holding onto a three-point advantage, they have three players with four fouls, including their top two scorers: Lyons and Carroll.
UPDATE 3:27 p.m.: As if on cue, Holloway drives to the basket and draws the foul on J.T. Tiller of the Tigers, their leading scorer in the game with 16 points, who has now fouled out. He's been one of their top threats from outside.
UPDATE 3:30 p.m.: Puerto Rico, we know drama. With 3:34 to play, Missouri is clinging to a three-point lead. For a moment it looked like the Musketeers would pull within one when Holloway drove the lane and tried to dish to an open Frease, but the pass went off his hands and out of bounds for the turnover. If Xavier is going to pull this one out, they are going to need to find a way to stop the Tigers without fouling, a tough task in the last few minutes.
UPDATE 3:35 p.m.: Raymond has fouled out. He went just 1-of-7 from the field but hit 8-of-10 from the charity stripe to finish with 11 points.
UPDATE 3:37 p.m.: Raymond's understudy, Jackson just pulled the Musketeers with a clutch three-pointer from the wing. Time was winding down on the shot clock, but the sophomore guard showed he was not afraid of the big shot.
UPDATE 3:38 p.m.: On the other hand, Jackson picks up his fifth foul on what could have been called a charge on Carroll, which would have been HIS fifth foul. They haven't called many charges yet. He missed both free throws, however, and Holloway drove the basket and drew a foul on the line. Coach Miller calls him and Redford two of the best free throw shooting freshman in the country.
UPDATE 3:41 p.m.: And for good reason. He hits both to give Xavier a one-point lead. The Musketeer defense made the play when it counts, forcing a turnover as they look to wind out the clock...missed shot by Holloway...rebound going the other way for the Tigers...English tries the three...NO GOOD...rebound grabbed by Anderson. He gets the ball to Holloway who is fouled, sending the freshman to the line with a chance to ice the game. Now that is free-thought blogging.
UPDATE 3:43 p.m.: Free throw one...good.
UPDATE 3:44 p.m.: Free throw two...good. And in a tactic that is widely underutilized, Coach Miller calls for the foul with a three-point lead and less than ten seconds to play. It pays off as the Tigers miss the first of two free throws. They hit the second and call a timeout, while Coach Miller subs in Redford, his other freshman free throw specialist.
UPDATE 3:46 p.m.: Xavier get the ball into Holloway, who will step the line for two more free throws. First one is...good. Second free throw is...going to have to wait as Missouri calls a timeout.
FINAL: As Holloway hits his second free throw and the Tigers miss a last-second three, the Musketeers claim a 75-71 victory in their opening game at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. I am not from New York, nor do I claim to know New Yorkers, but I do know that Terrell Holloway is not afraid of the big stage. The freshman finished with 11 points and iced the game with astounding poise under pressure at the free throw line. We will see if he is able to springboard off that to start his freshman season.
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