BY MICHAEL PERRY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
INDIANAPOLIS - Senior guard Lenny Brown started his 77th consecutive game Tuesday night in Xavier's season-opening 73-66 victory at Butler, despite returning only Sunday from a foot injury.
Brown, who strained the bottom of his left foot Nov. 4, finished with 12 points, all in the second half.
Redshirt freshman Alvin Brown had been listed among the probable starters for the Musketeers. Senior point guard Gary Lumpkin started his 83rd straight game.
MARSHALL PLAN:
Butler junior Mike Marshall, a St. Xavier High School graduate, had team-highs of 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals against XU. Marshall said after a loss to Southwest Missouri State last Saturday, the Bulldogs wanted "to come out and make a statement that we can play with anyone."
Well, he did.
"He plays with tremendous intensity and enthusiasm, and he's an inspiring type of individual," Coach Barry Collier said. "He's probably as good a leader as we've had.
"And he's a very willing leader. Often you have really good players who won't say anything, they just don't think it's their place. That's the courage part of leadership that is a tradeoff for popularity, and ultimately it's more rewarding."
FAITHFUL FANS:
Recent Xavier graduates Torraye Braggs and Matt Terpening were in the stands Tuesday night. Braggs is back from playing in Spain and is not sure if he's going to return. Terpening is a scouting intern for the Indianapolis Colts; his father Robert Terpening is the Colts vice president.
NOTABLE NUMBERS:
Butler is 53-15 in Hinkle Fieldhouse the past six years, with three of those losses coming against Xavier.
UP NEXT:
The Musketeers play host to Chicago State at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Gardens.
XAVIER 73, BUTLER 66
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