Tyrique Jones has been an integral part in Xavier's three-game win streak.
Jones Leads Xavier's Resurgence
By SEAN BRENNAN
Special to
BIGEAST.com
If there is such a thing as a season-saving loss, Xavier's came back on January 29.
The Musketeers had just absorbed an 84-82 double-overtime loss to Marquette at home, a defeat which dropped Xavier to its low-water mark in the BIG EAST at 2-6. And despite logging his 13th double-double of the season in that game with 13 points and 15 rebounds, Musketeers' senior Tyrique Jones knew things had to change, and quickly, before the season really spiraled out of control.
So he sent out a little postgame message to his fellow Musketeers, calling on them to remain "unbreakable."
"It was just a little something where, after the Marquette game, I sent the team a group text telling the guys this loss felt bad but as bad as it felt, we just have to remain unbreakable," Jones said. "Teams are going to go on runs, teams are going to make some tough shots, road crowds are going to get into the game and things are going to feel a little different sometimes. But as long as we believe in each other and just remain unbreakable, this thing can go as far as we want it to go."
That miserable night in late January has led to a pretty nice February as the Musketeers enter Wednesday night's game at No. 19 Butler unbeaten in three games this month. And no one, absolutely no one, has raised their game and carried a team the last two weeks the way Jones has at Xavier.
Exhibit A - In the very next game after that loss to Marquette, the Musketeers travelled to New Jersey and promptly handed Seton Hall its first (and still only) loss in BIG EAST conference play. All Jones did that day was hit 9-of-10 from the field, score 19 points and grab 18 rebounds.
Exhibit B - Next up came a road win at DePaul where Jones somehow managed to equal his rebounding numbers at Seton Hall with a second straight 18-rebound performance to go along with 12 points.
Exhibit C - In the X-men's latest outing, a 64-58 victory over Providence last Saturday, Jones did it again - 18 more rebounds - along with 14 points. It was his sixth straight double-double and the 16th such effort this season. That places him tops in the BIG EAST and third in the nation.
Exhibit D - Currently averaging 13.5 points and 11.2 rebounds, Jones is on pace to become the first Xavier player to average a double-double since 2003 National Player of the Year David West's senior season.
"I can only speak for myself but I know a lot of guys in this locker room, the way we felt after the Marquette game, it was terrible," Jones said. "We just felt bad knowing we could have won that game if we fought a little harder. To give it up in double overtime at home was tough for us and I never forgot that feeling. So every time I go out I just try to make sure that I don't feel that way again. I've just been giving my teammates everything I got and I think it's been showing. Coach (Travis Steele) just wants me to lead and that's what I've been doing."
Jones points to that victory over the Pirates with one that helped change the mindset for the Musketeers.
"Ever since conference play started we knew we could play with anybody," Jones said. "We just had to go out on the court and (work) our game plan. Sometimes shots might not fall, but coach always says, 'Defense travels.' So we went out on the road and brought our defense with us and that allowed us to come out with the victory. It probably did change things mentally for the guys but I tell them never get too high in the moment and never get too low in the moment. Just stay in the moment and good things will happen."
Xavier's hot play of late has brought the Musketeers from 2-6 to 5-6 in the BIG EAST and just a game out of a tie for second place. Currently Creighton, Marquette and Villanova are locked in a three-way tie at 7-4. Butler and Providence both sit just ahead of Xavier in the standings with 6-5 records.
"There's definitely a lot more damage we can do," Jones said. "But we're just worried about one game at a time. Give our all-out effort for one game, live with the results and then prepare for the game after that. Right now we're just focused on our next opponent, Butler, which is a great team."
Jones said he plans on doing whatever it takes to keep the winning ways coming at Xavier because he knows, as a senior, he is running out of time in his Musketeers' career.
"I only have seven regular-season games left so I'm just trying to help these guys win as many games as possible," Jones said. "If that's crashing the glass, if that's making an extra play, extra effort on defense, I'm just trying to do the little things that nobody really wants to do but has to get done. I am appreciating (the games) more just knowing these are the last couple of games that I have that's guaranteed with these guys. Anything that comes after that is win or go home. I'm just trying to enjoy these moments as much as I can because I know there will come a time when I'm not able to put on a Xavier uniform anymore."
And before that day comes, Jones wants to make sure he brings the Musketeers back to the NCAA Tournament after missing out on March Madness last season.
"It would mean a lot just knowing that as a leader on this team I was able to help these guys get to a place that some of us have never been," Jones said. "We're just trying to bring this program back to where it belongs and that's the NCAA Tournament. Try and advance as many weekends as possible until we're playing on a Monday night in April."
And who knows, if Xavier remains unbreakable, who's to say the Musketeers don't make it to that Monday night in April.
"I don't even know where it came from," Jones said. "I just felt like unbreakable was something that I could use for the team. We'd been searching for something to use and I think it's working."