Since their loss to No. 1-ranked Cardinal Stritch University, the Saint Xavier University men’s basketball team regained its winning ways.
Last Wednesday, the Cougars cruised to a 90-61 win over Purdue University Calumet.
They followed that win up with a 94-43 victory over Judson University on Saturday.
In the game on Wednseday, senior point guard Michael Simpson led the team with 26 points.
He put up 15 points in the first half alone, helping stake the Cougars to a 45-30 lead over the Peregrines. The second-half lead for Saint Xavier would never shrink below 15 points.
Simpson, who stands at five-seven, also led the team in rebounds with six, grabbing three apiece off the offensive and defensive boards.
Senior guard Brad Karp was breathing down Simpson’s neck for the title of leading scorer against Purdue Calumet with 24. Karp was also just a rebound shy Simpson’s mark with five.
Junior guard Jack Krieger joined Simpson and Karp with double-digit points against Purdue Calumet with 20.
With 70 of the team’s 90 points scored between Simpson, Karp and Krieger on Wednesday, the Cougars were better able to spread the wealth against Judson.
Karp was the leading scorer with 26 points. He also led the team with four steals and was second with six rebounds.
But three other players reached the double-digit scoring mark.
Sophomore center/forward Josh Mawhorr picked up a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes. He led the team from behind the three-point arc with a 5-for-6 shooting afternoon.
Krieger, who went 2-for-5 from three-point range, had 14 points in 21 minutes. He was just a steal behind Karp with three of his own.
Looking Ahead
The Cougars have been able to come away with wins in their last two games without much difficulty. Tonight’s game promises to provide a bigger challenge.
Saint Xavier will host the Robert Morris University Eagles at 7 p.m. at the Shannon Center.
These two teams met earlier this season on Dec. 14, when the Eagles were ranked No. 8. The Cougars came away with a 96-77 win at Robert Morris.
Now ranked No. 21, the Eagles will try to make it an even closer game than the last time the teams played, when Karp was able to put up 42 points on a 15-for-20 shooting afternoon from the field. Karp also had a game-high 13 rebounds.
The Cougars were not able to entirely contain the Eagles in that one, however. 29 points and came down with six rebounds (including four offensive boards) were put up by Six-Six Forward Sean Montgomery.
At Six-Four, forward Kashaune McKinney also gave the Cougars some trouble on their defensive side of the court. McKinney finished the game with 17 points.
Saint Xavier has been better of late at defending post players.
Though he did not play with the same physicality as six-nine center Garrett Borgrud of Cardinal Stritch, the Cougars did a serviceable job keeping Purdue Calumet’s six-seven Kaspars Brencans in check.
The Cougars have also been getting better scoring from their post players. Since the beginning of the Cardinal Stritch game on Feb. 1, Mawhorr has shown the ability to shoot not only the mid-range jumper, but also the three-pointer.
In Mawhorr’s last three games, he is 9-for-13 in three-point attempts. Prior to those games, he was a combined 4-for-8 from three-point range for the season.
He had not attempted a three-pointer since Dec. 14 until the Jan. 29 game against Holy Cross College, and he had not made one since Nov. 22 until the Cardinal Stritch game.
If you cannot make it to tonight’s game against Robert Morris, the radio broadcast will be available on WXAV 88.3 FM beginning with pregame action at 6:50 p.m.
Tim Carroll
Senior Sports Editor