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Xavier@ DePaul, 9:15pm, FS1- Lisa Byington, Stephen Bardo
Line: DePaul -1/138

Interesting matchup. You've got a team in DePaul that has good talent but can't find a way to finish out games and get W's. If the Blue Demons have any pride left in salvaging their season, this is the line in the sand game. You gotta win this one on your home court. Lose and you might as well mail in the rest of them.

On the other side, this is a game X has to have if they are going to continue their climb towards a first round bye in the BET and possible NCAAT bubble. But they are coming off of a big emotional win on the road. 2 road games back to back with a shortish turnaround. The gambler in me says that DePaul prob makes most sense. But any early confidence in DePaul being a factor this year is gone at the midway point of the conference slate. So I got X in a squeaker.

GumbyDamnit! wrote:Interesting matchup. You've got a team in DePaul that has good talent but can't find a way to finish out games and get W's. If the Blue Demons have any pride left in salvaging their season, this is the line in the sand game. You gotta win this one on your home court. Lose and you might as well mail in the rest of them.

On the other side, this is a game X has to have if they are going to continue their climb towards a first round bye in the BET and possible NCAAT bubble. But they are coming off of a big emotional win on the road. 2 road games back to back with a shortish turnaround. The gambler in me says that DePaul prob makes most sense. But any early confidence in DePaul being a factor this year is gone at the midway point of the conference slate. So I got X in a squeaker.

I feel much the same. very nervous about this game. not a lot of confidence tbh. just hope that depaul thought their last game was their "line in the sand game" and have already mailed it in. not likely though

I would think that the narrative would have been Xavier crashing and burning, going into the Seton Hall game, given the 2OT loss at home to Marquette 3 days earlier.

Xavier left New Jersey with a huge win. I can't see that as an opportunity for a letdown. I see them very hungry going into Chicago for the DePaul game.

Nonetheless, this version of Xavier basketball has liquified my liver, so who the hell knows. And DePaul must be taken seriously.

I think the first 5 to 8 minutes of this one are going to be very telling, both teams are talented and should be extremely desperate, hungry, and focused. Both have potential to lay a big egg, X could over look 1-8 DePaul after a highly emotional roadkill, while the Blue Demons could have begun to mail it in until the BET.

Westbrook#36 wrote:I think the first 5 to 8 minutes of this one are going to be very telling, both teams are talented and should be extremely desperate, hungry, and focused. Both have potential to lay a big egg, X could over look 1-8 DePaul after a highly emotional roadkill, while the Blue Demons could have begun to mail it in until the BET.

Kenpom:
Xavier:
Oeff: 103
Deff: 32

Depaul:
Oeff:109
Deff: 54

very similar teams up to this point imo. it'll be an interesting game

Charlie Moore really concerns me. He has nearly an identical game to that of Mo Watson for CU a few years back and that guy gave us fits....small, lightning fast dude with elite BBIQ that has his fingerprints on everything. Looking forward to seeing what Tandy can do with him. KyKy matches his quickness nicely.

I'm also expecting ZFree to see some time on Paul Reed. He may get scorched as Reed is looking every bit 1st team ALL BE. If he starts to go off, I'm confident Naji can play an effective neutralizer.

Who are these guys?

Westbrook#36 wrote:I think the first 5 to 8 minutes of this one are going to be very telling, both teams are talented and should be extremely desperate, hungry, and focused. Both have potential to lay a big egg, X could over look 1-8 DePaul after a highly emotional roadkill, while the Blue Demons could have begun to mail it in until the BET.

we did not overlook. i repeat, we did not overlook

scoscox wrote:

Westbrook#36 wrote:I think the first 5 to 8 minutes of this one are going to be very telling, both teams are talented and should be extremely desperate, hungry, and focused. Both have potential to lay a big egg, X could over look 1-8 DePaul after a highly emotional roadkill, while the Blue Demons could have begun to mail it in until the BET.

we did not overlook. i repeat, we did not overlook

And I don't even think DePaul was mailing it in. They just encountered a buzz saw in that first half.