By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

In their first three games, Xavier University players have demonstrated an ability to get to the foul line, but they haven't completed the job once they're there.

Xavier has shot more than twice as many foul shots as its opponents, but the Musketeers are making just 61.3 percent of their foul shots, a 13.2 percent drop from last season.

"It's odd," Xavier coach Thad Matta said. "We shoot a lot of free throws, and I've got faith that we'll start to knock them down."

Just two players, Lionel Chalmers (7-of-8) and Will Caudle (6-of-8), are shooting 75 percent or better. Romain Sato has made 17 of 24 foul shots, a 70.8 percent clip.

Aside from Caudle, Xavier's big men have made six of 17 foul shots, including Anthony Myles, who is 4-of-12.

COMING HOME: Xavier freshman swingman Justin Cage was Indiana's Mr. Basketball in 2003, which makes the next two games against Ball State and Indiana a little more interesting for him than the average road game, particularly the IU game in Indianapolis on Saturday.

"It's good to go back home," Cage said. "They're going to go against me because I'm from Xavier. I probably won't get to see some of those people again, but it's just like going home to play. I've got quite a bit of family coming."

INCIDENT FORGOTTEN: Ball State's coach said last season's near scuffle between Xavier's Dedrick Finn and the Cardinals' Chris Williams will be forgotten when the teams meet Tuesday in Muncie, Ind.

Williams, who exhausted his eligibility last season, tackled Finn in the closing seconds of the game. Finn had stolen the ball from Williams, who was trying to dribble out the clock in an 87-58 Xavier win. The two players were quickly subdued, but there was some concern that the bad feelings might carry over to Tuesday's game.

That won't be the case, Ball State coach Tim Buckley said.

"We have a lot of respect for Xavier," he said. "It's not even an issue."

PREP RANKS: TheInsidersHoops.com has ranked Hargrave Military (Va.) Academy, the prep school of current Xavier recruit Stanley Burrell, as the No. 2 prep school in the nation.

Laurinburg Institute (N.C.), where Xavier freshman Boubacar Coly went to prep school, earned the top ranking.

---

E-mail ddow@enquirer.com