Why did Xavier Musketeers' teammates have a heated exchange? Looking at the details of altercation

There looked to be an upset brewing in the Xavier-Kennesaw State matchup. Fifth-seeded Xavier was trailing by as many as 13 points in the second half and did not play its best basketball throughout. It took a fierce comeback effort from the Musketeers to ultimately advance.

Fiery emotions were put on display during the comeback effort in a number of ways. The will to win and passion are necessary when attempting to come from behind, but it was also put on display in a more negative way during the game.

Xavier teammates Souley Boum and Adam Kunkel got into a screaming match that started at center court. It carried over to the bench area during a timeout with both players needing to be separated by coaches. There was just 3:46 remaining in the game at this point, with Xavier leading 63-61.

What sparked the argument?

It's tough to figure out exactly what sparked the heated argument between the two teammates. Both Kunkel and Boum are experienced players who were vital to Xavier's comeback. Immediately before the altercation, Kunkel was called for an unnecessary foul after a Kennesaw State rebound, but it looked to have been building before this.

Despite the scare, Xavier managed to play its best basketball down the stretch and picked up a 72-67 win. The Musketeers outscored Kennesaw State 24-6 in the final 9:56 of play to climb out of their second-half deficit.

Souley Boum ended with 17 points, five rebounds and a pair of assists. He trailed only Jerome Hunter, who scored 24 points as the game's leading scorer.

Adam Kunkel ended with eight points, six assists and four rebounds. He knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer to put Xavier (26-9) up 67-65 with 1:44 left to play. Boum also knocked down four consecutive free throws to ice the game.

While the opening matchup did not go according to plan, Xavier still flashed why it is the highly regarded team they have looked to be all season. The Musketeers will turn their attention to their round of 32 matchup against the winner of the Iowa State-Pittsburgh matchup.

It is natural for tempers to flare during competition, and the two teammates will surely patch things up. It is a poor visual, but unless there is more going on behind the scenes, it should not be a major concern. Xavier will need the production of both the seniors to continue advancing in the tournament.