SXU’s five game-winning streak comes to an end in dramatic fashion
Saint Xavier’s men’s basketball team played some really close games this past week. The Cougars faced off against Saint Ambrose in the midweek game and finished off their week, on the road, against Holy Cross College.
As mentioned, both games were close with razor-thin margins of victory. Saint Xavier hung on to beat Saint Ambrose by one point, 86-85.
Unfortunately for Coach O’Malley’s team; however, they were on the wrong side of the result against Holy Cross.
Against Saint Ambrose, both teams traded baskets early in the first period until senior Quinn Niego put the home team in front after converting both of his free-throw shots.
Both teams would trade baskets back-and-forth until Saint Xavier slowly began to pull away midway through the first period.
The Cougars would have their biggest lead of the period after Niego drilled a three-point shot putting the team up by ten with a score of 39-29. Saint Ambrose would trim the lead a bit but the two teams headed into the half with Saint Xavier leading 41-35.
Coach O’Malley’s team came out a bit sluggish early in the second period as Saint Ambrose managed to tie the game two minutes into the period.
That little wake-up call seemed to be what the Cougars needed as they bounced out in front again. Half-way through the second period, Quinn Niego scored a lay-up giving Saint Xavier a fifteen-point lead, their biggest of the night.
Saint Xavier appeared to have the game under control. They had a double-digit lead and were defending well limiting Saint Ambrose in terms of high-percentage shots. However, with about seven minutes left to go in the period, Saint Ambrose went on a bit of a run.
With a little over three minutes to go, they managed to cut the lead down to just three after a three-pointer by Dylan Kaczmarek. The Cougars tried to give themselves a little breathing room, but just when it looked like they had some, Saint Ambrose would respond.
After a free-throw by Jake Meeske, Saint Xavier were up four with a little over a thirty seconds left to play. Because it was a two possession game, the Cougars tried to run out the clock.
They were able to do that and survived a bit of a scare after Dylan Kaczmarek sunk a three with one second left. The Cougars hang on to win by a point, 86-85.
Quinn Niego led the team in scoring with 29 points. Senior Jared Jones and junior Tyler Diehl also contributed 18 and 10 points, respectively.
Having beaten Saint Ambrose, the Cougars found themselves riding a wave of momentum and a five-game winning streak. Unfortunately, Holy Cross College would see fit to end that winning streak and bring Saint Xavier back down to earth.
Just like with Saint Ambrose, the game would be a back-and-forth affair with both teams trading the lead. Saint Xavier pulled ahead a bit late in the first period with senior Niko Cahue scoring on a jumper and giving his team a six-point lead, their biggest of the period. The first period ended with the Cougars up by three with a score of 46-43.
Saint Xavier would build their lead back up to six in the second period, but Holy Cross would start to go on a run. Holy Cross would score fourteen unanswered points and lead the Cougars, 60-52.
Saint Xavier managed to trim the Saints’ lead down to a single point with 5:02 left to play. The Saints would once again add to their lead and led by five with less than three minutes in the game.
The game remained extremely tight and Quinn Niego pulled the Cougars within two points late in the period. With 1:21 left to play, Tyler Diehl’s jumper tied the game. SXU battled and battled and managed to tie the game.
After turnovers by both teams, the game remained tied with only ten seconds left on the clock.
After an SXU turnover, Saints player Storm Cook threw up a jump shot and scored. Holy Cross now led 72-70.
Jared Jones and Quinn Niego’s three-point shots were no good and Saint Xavier went on to lose a heartbreak, 72-70.
Jared Jones led the Cougars with thirty-one points scored along with five assists and a steal, Saint Xavier fought hard in this game, but came up just short.
Their winning streak ends at five and their record falls to 14-9.
Ernesto Hernandez
Sports Editor
Upcoming Schedule
1/31 @ Calumet College of St. Joseph at 7:00 p.m.
2/3 vs Trinity International University (Ill.) at 3:00 p.m.
2/5 vs Indiana University Northwest at 5:00 p.m.
2/7 @ (RV) Roosevelt University at 7:30 p.m.