Xavier head coach Richard Pitino said his group is “foaming at the mouth” to compete and get better every single day.
If that’s the case, Xavier should be eager to get back on the court Nov. 28 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi after a season-long four days of rest coming off a split of two games in the Charleston Classic.
Xavier went south for its non-conference multi-team event (MTE) and got better with two competitive games against high-major opponents.
Now the Musketeers return to Cintas Center for a five-game homestand with a chance to grow even more as Big East play approaches.
“I’m proud of them,” Pitino said after Xavier’s win over West Virginia. “It’s a very, very confident group right now.”
Xavier Musketeers vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders
Tip: 5:30 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 28, at Cintas Center (10,224)
TV/Radio: ESPN+/700 WLW
Ratings: Xavier is No. 90 in KenPom and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is No. 247.
History: First-ever meeting.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders scouting report
Record: 2-4
Head coach: Jim Shaw (43-30 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, third season)
Offense: 75.8 ppg
Defense: 74.5 ppg
Overview: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi went to the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years (2022-2023) under Steve Lutz, who is now at Oklahoma State. The Islanders have yet to have the same success under Jim Shaw but have won 20-plus games in each of his first two seasons.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is 0-4 this season against Division I opponents, defeating Division III programs Trinity University (83-56) and Howard Payne (122-75) with a four-game losing streak in between.
The Islanders are well-traveled this season with road losses to SMU, Tarleton State, No. 25 Kansas and Oklahoma State.
Projected lineup
(Pos., Height, Stats)
Nick Shogbonyo (G, 6’1″, 14.5 ppg)
Kam Parker (G, 6’2″, 8.5 ppg)
D’Avian Houston (G, 6’2″, 5 ppg)
Franck Yetna (F, 6’7″, 8.3 ppg)
Sheldon Williams (F, 6’8″, 13.5 ppg)
Xavier Musketeers scouting report
Record: 4-3
Head coach: Richard Pitino (4-3 at Xavier, first season)
Offense: 74.9 ppg
Defense: 73.4 ppg
Projected starters
(Pos., Height, Stats)
All Wright (G, 6’3″, 11.1 ppg)
Malik Messina-Moore (G, 6’5″,7 ppg)
Tre Carroll (F, 6’8″, 15.9 ppg)
Filip Borovicanin (F, 6’9″, 8.1 ppg)
Jovan Milicevic (F, 6’10”, 13.7 ppg)
Players to watch
Tre Carroll
Carroll started the season slow but the Florida Atlantic transfer has hit another gear and is now Xavier’s leading scorer at 15.9 points per game.
In Charleston, Carroll notched his second career double-double (19 points, 10 rebounds vs. Georgia), then hit a career-high five 3-pointers against West Virginia. Over the last five games, Carroll is averaging 17.8 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 51.6% from the field.
Filip Borovicanin
Outside of a banked triple from the wing to seal the victory over West Virginia, Borovicanin hasn’t gotten involved in Xavier’s recent 3-pointer party. The New Mexico transfer is just 3-of-18 from downtown this season but has been an essential stat-stuffer in other areas.
Xavier’s struggles at center have been well-documented, but Borovicanin has helped lead the Musketeers’ improvement on the glass as the team’s leading rebounder (6.4 per game). Borovicanin also had a double-double vs. Georgia (12 points, 12 rebounds). He’s also sharing the ball at a high level with at least three assists in six straight games.
Keys to a Xavier victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Can Xavier’s defense set the tone?
For all of Xavier’s long-range success offensively, the best sign of life for the Musketeers in Charleston was a defense that turned in three solid halves.
It started by limiting Georgia to 25 second-half points, then continued in a physical matchup against West Virginia when Xavier held the Mountaineers to 43.1% shooting and only seven offensive rebounds.
As a big favorite, Xavier needs to squash any Texas A&M-Corpus Christi momentum before it forms. It starts on the defensive end against an offense that is No. 360 in the country in effective field goal percentage, according to KenPom. The Islanders are one of only a handful of teams ranked worse in 2-pointer shooting (No. 361) than Xavier (No. 351).
Texas A&M Corpus-Christi has won 20-plus games in four straight seasons but have one of the least-experienced lineups in the nation that has yet to gel. Xavier can’t allow the upset-minded Islanders to hang around.
Will Xavier’s hot 3-point shooting continue?
Xavier has made 43 3-pointers over its last three games and is now the No. 35 three-point shooting team in KenPom. The struggles continue down low, but Xavier is scoring 43.5% of its points from beyond the arc.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is better defending the perimeter (No. 140) than inside (No. 269). The Islanders have been great at generating turnovers, but Xavier’s small-ball lineup has exceled at taking care of the ball. If the deep shots aren’t falling, Xavier could put this game away at the free-throw line.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has allowed all six of its opponents to get to the free-throw line at least 20 times. Opponents are scoring 28.2% of their points against the Islanders at the charity stripe. Xavier did go 12-for-12 at the free-throw line against West Virginia.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Scouting report, keys to victory for Xavier vs. Texas A&M-CC
Reporting by Shelby Dermer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
