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Xavier is 3-0 after winning against Jackson State

Vaseline November 13, 2024

There were first-game jitters, a free-throw shooting clinic and a leak in Xavier’s roof after the Musketeers’ 17th consecutive 2-0 start to the season.

Although Xavier posted back-to-back wins to open the season, the Musketeers were still looking for a more well-rounded 40-minute effort Tuesday night as their homestand continued.

The Musketeers found just that when Jackson State visited Cintas Center en route to a 94-57 victory.

Takeaways from Xavier Musketeers’ win over Jackson State:

Sean Miller’s Musketeers are off to a 3-0 start

By the end of the season, Xavier’s first three games will likely be classified as Quadrant 4 wins, which won’t bolster any NCAA Tournament resume. But you can only play the teams that play on your schedule, and it’s just as important not to suffer the kind of non-conference hiccups that Xavier experienced twice last season in home losses to Oakland and Delaware.

Starting your season with a trio of wins can help boost your team’s confidence. Finding ways to win while struggling in one area of the game can serve as a building block for stronger opponents on the horizon. The 3-0 history under Miller is also a good sign.

Miller’s Muskies have now started 3-0 five times during his tenure. Xavier reached the NCAA Tournament on each of the previous four occasions with two Sweet 16 trips (2009, 2023).

Xavier, big men dominate

While Xavier’s wire-to-wire win started with a pair of set plays that led to wide-open triples from Ryan Conwell, the Musketeers set the tone with their frontcourt. Zach Freemantle was efficient inside the arc and beyond, making for a long night for Jackson State 6-foot-4 center Shannon Grant.

Freemantle was 3-of-4 on treys and had a game-high 15 points in the first half, giving Xavier a 40-25 lead at intermission. Off the bench, Oklahoma transfer John Hugley had his best night, scoring seven points in 10 first-half minutes. Hugley also delivered the hammer of the first half with a thunderous block of a Jackson State transition layup at the buzzer.

Freemantle led the Musketeers with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Hugley added 11 and 7 rebounds.

Xavier lights it from the center

Through 36 games, Dayvion McKnight has become the ideal point guard to execute Xavier’s up-tempo plan. One of the only negatives for Xavier on Tuesday night was McKnight getting into foul trouble early. McKnight sat down with 13:26 left in the first half after picking up his second foul, then was tagged with his third at the 4:45 mark.

Off the bench, Xavier’s production has been a mixed bag. Members of Xavier’s bench rotation combined for seven of Xavier’s nine turnovers. Outside of Hugley’s best performance as a Musketeer, sophomore guard Trey Green showcased his elite shooting ability by knocking down a trio of 3-pointers and was in double figures (13).

Xavier finished 16 of 31 from beyond the arc, with five different players hitting triples. Conwell, 4-of-6 from deep, finished with 15 and Toledo transfer Dante Maddox connected four times from distance in the second half to finish with 16.

Sophomore Dailyn Swain helped Xavier’s transition game. The Columbus native was active on the defensive end, converting those boards into opportunities on the other end as Xavier collected 31 fast-break points to pull away.

Swain was one of six Musketeers in double figures and finished with a loaded stat line that included a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double, two assists and two blocks.

Fixing Xavier’s ‘leak in the roof’

Miller called Xavier’s three-point defense through two games a “concern” and a “leak in the roof” after the Musketeers allowed Texas Southern and IU Indy to combine for 24 triples. Facing a Jackson State offense that went 11-of-43 from deep in the first two games combined, the Musketeers were much better at controlling the perimeter.

Jackson State went 2-for-8 from deep in the first half, while Xavier’s defense held the Tigers to just 32.4% from the field.

Jackson State finished just 5 of 20 from distance and shot 28.8%.

This weekend the road becomes more difficult

Xavier will get by far its biggest test of the young season on Saturday when Wake Forest visits Cintas Center for the Skip Prosser Classic. Xavier is 6-3 in the event honoring his former coach, but just 4-3 against the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest is also 3-0 after beating Michigan on Sunday and ranked No. 28 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll. Xavier was number 29.