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Preview: No. 2 UConn at No. 22 Xavier highlights top 25 Big East showdown

adam baum, cincinnati enquirer
·4 min read
3

The objective for Xavier's men's basketball team is to compete for and win Big East Conference championships.

The Musketeers can't accomplish that on Saturday, but the visit from unbeaten UConn will be revelatory in terms of where the Musketeers stand in that pursuit.

Xavier, ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press poll, has won seven games in a row.

UConn, ranked No. 2, is a perfect 14-0, and there are a number of reasons for that.

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The Huskies are a top 10 offensive team and a top 10 defensive team in the country, according to KenPom.com.

UConn has size, athleticism, toughness and talent. The Huskies have depth in the form of a nine-man rotation. They average more than 80 points per game and allow less than 60 points.

"I think the Big East championship, whether it's the tournament or the regular season, is going to go through UConn," Xavier head coach Sean Miller said Friday during his pre-game press conference. "I don't mean any disrespect to anybody else. Certainly, Villanova has every right to believe they're going to win it again based on the last 10 years of their program, but I'm just looking at UConn right now and I'm looking at the teams they've played, the teams they've beaten, how consistently they are, the margin of victory, and they've got what it takes to have a great, great season."

UConn hasn't played many close games this season because they've been beating teams soundly.

That's one potential edge Xavier could have on Saturday ‒ nearly half of the Musketeers' games have come down to the final minutes.

Xavier's offense has to be up for the challenge. The Musketeers can score, it's the one area where Xavier's elite. The defense has to be ready for 40 minutes of intensity.

The Xavier team that just dominated the rebounding battle at St. John's has to show up against UConn.

Xavier's built up a lot of goodwill through 14 games, but Saturday's a statement game that will reveal whether or not the Musketeers can seriously contend for a conference title.

The Game

  • Tipoff: 12 p.m. on Saturday at Cintas Center

  • TV/Radio: Fox National, including Fox19 in Cincinnati, with play-by-play from Brandon Gaudin and analysis from Donny Marshall. Byron Larkin and Joe Sunderman will have the radio call on WLW-AM (700).

  • Series info: UConn leads the series 3-2. They split the season series last season with both home teams winning.

Scouting report

Xavier Musketeers (11-3, 3-0)

Coach: Sean Miller, 18th season (433-159 overall)

Offense: 83.9 ppg

Defense: 74.0 ppg

Projected lineup

Player (Position, Height, Key Stat)

Adam Kunkel (G, 6'4", 10.3 ppg)

Zach Freemantle (F, 6'9", 14.3 ppg)

Colby Jones (G, 6'6", 14.2 ppg)

Souley Boum (G, 6'3", 17.3 ppg)

Jack Nunge (F, 7'0", 15.2 ppg)

Connecticut Huskies (14-0, 3-0)

Coach: Dan Hurley, 13th season (238-152 overall)

Offense: 82.9 ppg

Defense: 59.1 ppgProjected lineup

Player (Position, Height, Key Stat)

Adama Sanogo (F, 6'9", 17.8 ppg)

Andre Jackson Jr. (G, 6'6", 6.0 ppg)

Jordan Hawkins (G, 6'5", 14.9 ppg)

Tristen Newton (G, 6'5", 9.9 ppg)

Alex Karaban (F, 6'8", 9.8 ppg)

Players to watch

Adama Sanogo

Connecticut forward Adama Sanoga, here blocking a shot against Xavier in a 2021 game, is averaging 17.8 points per game.
Connecticut forward Adama Sanoga, here blocking a shot against Xavier in a 2021 game, is averaging 17.8 points per game.

UConn's big man is a game-changer. He rebounds, finishes around the rim at an alarming rate, and has even added a 3-point shot to his arsenal this season. Xavier can't let Sanogo dominate the area around the basket.

Colby Jones

Colby Jones, a 6-foot-6 swingman, is averaging 14.2 points per game.
Colby Jones, a 6-foot-6 swingman, is averaging 14.2 points per game.

UConn's long, athletic and tough. The Huskies can win in a number of ways. Jones is Xavier's most versatile player and the Musketeers need a first-team all-conference-type performance out of him at both ends of the floor on Saturday.

Key to the game

Togetherness

To beat a team like UConn requires a total team effort. All the parts need to be in sync, working together for the same goal. That's the only way Xavier's going to hand the Huskies their first loss.

Rankings

KenPom: Xavier (27), UConn (2)

NET: Xavier (26), UConn (2)

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Big East basketball: No. 2 UConn visits No. 22 Xavier