This Week In SXU Men’s Basketball

SXU Guard/Forward Chris Soczek (4) handles the ball — SXU Athletics

Last week, the Saint Xavier Men’s Basketball team did not do very well; they lost all three games they played in.

The Cougars looked to turn things around this week when they played Roosevelt University and Indiana University-South Bend. However, things did not go according to plan. On November 28th, the Cougars looked to start their turnaround by playing Roosevelt University in Chicago.

SXU entered the game with a 3-6 record, while Roosevelt entered the game with a 5-3 record. The game started with both teams playing pretty even, until Roosevelt jumped out to an 11 point lead with six minutes left in the half. Roosevelt was able to keep their lead for the rest of half 34-25 going into halftime. The second half held more of the same dominance from Roosevelt, who at one point held a 53-36 lead.

Saint Xavier tried to make a comeback, but was only able to shrink Roosevelt’s lead from 17 to 10 before the comeback fizzled out. Roosevelt ultimately won the game by a score of 72-58. The Cougars fell to 3-7 on the year, while Roosevelt improved to 6-3 on the year.

On December 1st, the Cougars looked to get things back on track by playing Indiana University-South Bend at the Shannon Center. SXU entered the game with a 3-7 record, while IU-South Bend entered the game with a 2-8 record.

The game started with the Cougars jumping out to an early seven point lead. The Titans were able to shrink that lead to three, but SXU jumped back out to an even bigger 10 point lead. The first half eventually ended with Saint Xavier leading IU-South Bend 45-40. The second half started with the Cougars jumping out to a 60-50 lead with 13 minutes left to play.

However, the Titans started storming back, eventually tying the game with around two minutes left to play. The two teams traded leads until SXU guard Jack Brody was fouled with four seconds left to play.

Brody had a chance to give the Cougars the lead with the two free throws, as IU-South Bend was up 81-80 when Brody was fouled. Brody sunk the first free throw to tie the game, but missed the second.

IU-South Bend forward Miguel Mahan rebounded the ball and passed it to guard Dylan Allen, who shot a three pointer at the buzzer to put IU-South Bend up 84-81.

With that buzzer-beater three pointer, IU-South Bend came away with an 84-81 victory. The Cougars fell to 3-8 on the year, while IU-South Bend improved to 3-8 on the year.

This week was a very disappointing week for the Cougars, as they looked to try to get back to their winning ways, but failed both times.

The Cougars play once next week, against Judson University in Elgin, Illinois.

SXU will look to end the 2018 Fall semester with a victory before they spend the holidays playing six games against Robert Morris University, Lincoln College, Huntington University, Governor State University, Trinity Christian College, and Cardinal Stritch University.

Chris Leonchik

Sports Editor

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