Xavier takes on a 4-0 Wake Forest squad in the Cintas Center for what should be an
entertaining battle between two teams ranked just outside the top 25 in the last AP Poll.
First Half
Veteran guards Ryan Conwell and Marcus Foster set the tone for Xavier on the offensive end,
with Conwell starting the game off with a three from the right wing and Foster hitting
back-to-back threes from the left corner to give Xavier a 9-5 lead at the first media timeout.
Wake Forest Guard Davin Cosby Jr. hit a layup and shot from long-range to get the scoring
going for the Demon Deacons. Xavier relied on its physical man-to-man defense to build their
lead, with steals by Dailyn Swain and Ryan Conwwell leading to transition opportunities. Swain's layup with 9:58 minutes left in the first half gave Xavier a 19-7 lead, forcing a Wake Forest timeout. Xavier's perimeter defenders made life hard on Wake Forest's guards, forcing turnovers and playing disciplined on-ball defense to cut off lanes to the rim as the first half progressed. First Team All-ACC guard Hunter Sallis got going offensively midway through the first half, hitting a contested mid-range jumper from the left elbow and drilling a step-back three from the top of the key to cut Xavier's lead to 5 (23-18) with 6:12 left in the first half. Senior forward Jermome Hunter played well for the Musketeers off the bench, hitting two spot-up threes and grabbing two rebounds as well. Xavier had a balanced scoring attack in the 1st half, with 8 different players scoring and no one logging more than 6 points. Xavier's defense was the story of the first half, holding Wake Forest to 24 points on 37.5% (9/24) from the field, while also forcing 9 turnovers.
Second Half
Xavier struggled to create offense to start the half, logging their first points on a three by Ryan
Conwell with 16:04 on the clock. Despite ugly offense, Xavier's defensive intensity helped them keep their lead early in the half, with Wake Forest failing to get within any more than 6 points. After scoring 9 points in the first half, Hunter Sallis continued to carry the load on offense for Wake Forest in the second, with a made three and a pair of free throws to lead all scorers with 14 points with 12:54 remaining. Dayvion McKnight stepped up in a big way for Xavier, hitting a three and scoring an and-one layup to make the score 50-40 with 11:54 remaining.
Zach Freemantle and Ryan Conwell have been Xavier's two best offensive players this season, and they showed why down the stretch of this game. Freemantle made a steal and highlight reel behind the back move that swung the momentum in Xavier's favor, as they held a 56-44 lead with 7:50 left in the contest. He then scored an and-1 layup after a loose ball, converting at the free-throw line to make it a 15 point game with 6:40 left. Ryan Conwell made 3 threes and went 6/6 from the free throw line in the 2nd half, providing a steady scoring presence. His second three of the half gave Xavier its biggest lead of the afternoon, making the score 64-48. Offensive contributions by Wake Forest forward Tre’Von Spillers, center Efton Reid, and guard Davin Cosby Jr. helped keep the game close down the stretch, with Wake Forest getting within 11 points on a three by Cosby Jr. with 5:27 remaining.
The comeback attempt fell short for Wake Forest, as the game ended with a 75-60 final score.
Ryan Conwell was the best player on the floor, scoring 16 of his 21 points in the 2nd half. He
played hard-nosed defense throughout the contest, grabbing 3 steals and making life difficult for Wake Forest's guards. Dayvion McKnight chipped in 13 points and Zach Freemantle had 11
points. Hunter Sallis (16 points) and Davin Cosby Jr. (14 points) were Wake Forest's two double-digit scorers. Xavier's three-point shooting (8/19) and active defense helped them win the game by 15 points, while only shooting 41.5% from the field.
Written by: Adam Simmons
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