Seton Hall @ Xavier | Free Play

By Don Phillips

XAVIER UNIVERSITY MUSKETEERS (16-2, 4-2 BIG EAST)
SETON HALL UNIVERSITY PIRATES (13-5, 3-3 BIG EAST)
Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 at 2:00 P.M. ET
Cintas Center (10,250) at Xavier University

Seton Hall leads the series 7-4, although the two teams split the home-and-home series last season. Xavier won 69-58 at Cintas Center (1-7-15) and Seton Hall won 90-82 at the Prudential Center (1-31-15).

Xavier, 16-2 overall and ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll and No. 6 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, is 4-2 in the BIG EAST Conference after its 81-72 upset loss to Georgetown on Tuesday at Cintas Center. Xavier shot a season-low 35.3 percent from the field, while Georgetown shot 51.0 percent.

Sophomore Trevon Bluiett led Xavier with 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Georgetown became the first team this season to outrebound Xavier as GU won the battle of the boards 39-35.

Xavier is 210-31 (.871) all-time at Cintas Center, including 9-1 this season. Xavier’s all-time winning percentage at Cintas Center is ranked fourth in the nation at 87.1 percent as of 1-23-16. Xavier is 1-1 vs. Seton Hall at Cintas Center.

Xavier, which defeated then-No. 23 Cincinnati 65-55 on Dec. 12 and then No. 9 Butler 88-69 on Jan. 2, is now 3-1 so far this season against the AP Top 25 including its loss at then No. 16 Villanova on Dec. 31. Xavier won its first AP Top 25 challenge at then No. 24 Michigan, 86-70 on Nov. 20. Xavier was 6-4 vs. the Associated Press Top 25 last season.

Xavier is ranked fourth in the BIG EAST in scoring defense (66.8 ppg.), fifth in the BIG EAST in field goal percentage defense (.406) and third in the BIG EAST in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.320). By comparison, for the 2014-15 season Xavier was ranked seventh in the BIG EAST in scoring defense (67.4 ppg.), eighth in field goal percentage defense (.435) and seventh in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.345).

Xavier is third in the BIG EAST Conference in scoring offense at 79.6 ppg and scoring margin at +12.8 ppg. Xavier has won 12 games this season by double figures. All 16 of Xavier’s wins have been by at least eight points.

Xavier has four players with double-figure scoring averages and two more at 8.6 ppg or more. Sophomore Trevon Bluiett (tied for seventh in the BIG EAST at 15.4 ppg.) leads the way followed by freshman Edmond Sumner (25th in the BIG EAST at 11.2 ppg.), junior Myles Davis (26th in the BIG EAST at 11.1 ppg.), senior James Farr (10.1 ppg.), junior Jalen Reynolds (9.6 ppg.) and sophomore J.P. Macura (8.6 ppg.).

You’ll find Xavier an 8 1/2-point home favorite at America’s Bookie with the total not set at this time. Check this live line and all the rest of today’s NCAA Basketball action at the best online sportsbook in the world. Visit A1 Service plays for more information on all the college basketball action as well as all the rest of your sporting needs.

Selection: Xavier