Dan Hurley makes his feelings known on Xavier players' "NBA level" skills after Uconn's win
UConn coach Dan Hurley commended Xavier in their opening conference matchup this season, emphasizing the “NBA-level shooting” demonstrated by the Musketeers.
In a contest marked by 11 ties and 22 lead changes, the No. 11 Huskies fought hard for a 94-89 victory over the Musketeers in overtime on Wednesday. UConn outscored Xavier 16-11 in the extra period to clinch its first Big East win before a crowd of 15,684 at the XL Center.
Hurley, coach of the reigning back-to-back national champions, expressed high regard for Xavier’s performance. The visitors shot 50% from the field, 85.7% from the free-throw line and 54.2% from beyond the arc.
“I thought they made some incredibly hard shots,” Hurley said postgame. “I actually didn’t think our three-point defense was that bad. I just thought that was a ridiculous display of 3-point shooting. Off the dribble, sidestep, deep.
“I mean we made some mistakes but sometimes the shot-making was just almost at an NBA-level for (Dante) Maddox, (Ryan) Conwell and (Marcus) Foster. I mean those guys were phenomenal but I’m just really proud of our guys, proud of how we've been the last couple weeks and our refusal, when we got down five, to allow the game to slip away.”
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Both teams took 24 shots from 3-point range, but Xavier connected on 13 of them, five more than UConn. Starters Ryan Conwell and Marcus Foster each hit three triples, while Dante Maddox Jr. made 5-of-9 from deep off the bench.
Xavier held a narrow 30-29 lead at halftime, but UConn gained the upper hand defensively. The Huskies grabbed 35 rebounds to Xavier’s 27, including a 14-7 advantage on offensive boards. They also led in steals (7-3) and blocks (10-2).
Despite Xavier’s efficient shooting, it made four fewer baskets on 11 fewer attempts. UConn also dished out 21 assists compared to the Musketeers’ nine. The Huskies capitalized on turnovers, scoring 16 points off 10 Xavier miscues, and they converted 20-of-21 free throws drawn from 20 Xavier fouls.
Xavier shines in competitive Big East clash with UConn
Despite being double-digit underdogs and returning to the same arena where they suffered a 43-point defeat just eleven months ago, the Xavier Musketeers held their ground against the reigning two-time national champions, ultimately falling by just five points.
The Musketeers defied expectations, even as they faced the challenge of playing without Zach Freemantle, their top scorer and rebounder, who is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.
Xavier opened the season strong, securing six consecutive wins, including decisive victories over Jackson State (94-57) and Wake Forest (75-60).
Although the UConn game was the second of three consecutive matchups against ranked opponents, the Musketeers displayed resilience, having previously lost by only three points to Cincinnati in their last nonconference game.
After facing the No. 22 Bearcats and No. 11 Huskies, Xavier hosts No. 9 Marquette Golden Eagles on Saturday, aiming to end a two-game losing streak. The matchup will air on Fox.
Meanwhile, UConn looks to extend its winning streak to six when it travels to face Butler on Saturday for its final game of the year.