DAYTON, Ohio -- When Mount St. Mary's guard Xavier Lipscomb hit a 3-pointer before anyone could blink, everyone sensed Wednesday night's game would be a bit different.
The Mountaineers had won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament without eclipsing 63 points. They had reached 80 points only twice in 2025. Defense had propelled the Mount down the stretch, as it held opponents to 65.1 points during an 11-3 finish.
But Wednesday's First Four matchup against American carried a different pace. The teams combined for 25 points in the first 4:05 and 40 in the first 8:09.