PREMIUM
3-Game NCAAB SWEEPER PASS
(NCAAB) Xavier vs. St. John's,
Point Spread: -6.00 | -110.00 Xavier (Away)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: -6.00 | -110.00 Xavier (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: Xavier is 14-6 (4-3 in Big East) and St. John's just 10-12 (4-5 Big East) but while the Musketeers are ranked 24th, the Red Storm may actually be playing a little better at the moment.
Xavier: Trevon Bluiett scored a career-high 40 points on 12 of 15 from the floor, including 9 of 11 from beyond the arc, in an 86-78 loss at No. 19 Cincinnati on Thursday, as Xavier lost for the fourth time in its last five games (Musketeers will not be in Monday's new AP poll). Bluiett tied the school record for threes in a game and his 40 points were the second-most ever against Cincinnati, one shy of Dell Curry's total for Virginia Tech in 1985-86. The 6-foot-5 junior guard leads Xavier averaging 18.4 PPG (adds 5.7 RPG) and has hit a team-high 51 three-pointers. Sophomore PG Edmond Sumner (14.9-4.4-4.9) and fellow guard Macura (14.4 & 4.3) give Xavier an excellent perimeter group but the team gets little from its frontcourt.
St. John's: The Red Storm are off to their best record at the midway point of conference play since the 2012-13 season. Head coach Chris Mullin's squad recorded an impressive 91-86 win at Providence on Jan. 25 in which freshman Marcus LoVett scored a game-high 26 points on 10 of 15 shooting, while fellow frosh Shamorie Ponds added 22 points, highlighted by a 4-for-5 effort from long distance. Like Xavier, St. John's is a perimeter-based team, with its top-five scorers being guards. LoVett leads with 17.2 PPG, Ponds is next at 17.0 (also 4.9 RPG) and the team's third double digit scorer is Ahmed at 12.7 PPG and 5.5 RPG.
The pick: Xavier claimed a 97-82 victory when these schools met back on Jan. 7 at Cintas Center, part of a six-game winning streak. However, as noted above, Xavier has now dropped four of five. Still, Xavier is the much better team and it needs to 'stop the bleeding' That happens here at MSG. Xavier is an 8* play.
Xavier: Trevon Bluiett scored a career-high 40 points on 12 of 15 from the floor, including 9 of 11 from beyond the arc, in an 86-78 loss at No. 19 Cincinnati on Thursday, as Xavier lost for the fourth time in its last five games (Musketeers will not be in Monday's new AP poll). Bluiett tied the school record for threes in a game and his 40 points were the second-most ever against Cincinnati, one shy of Dell Curry's total for Virginia Tech in 1985-86. The 6-foot-5 junior guard leads Xavier averaging 18.4 PPG (adds 5.7 RPG) and has hit a team-high 51 three-pointers. Sophomore PG Edmond Sumner (14.9-4.4-4.9) and fellow guard Macura (14.4 & 4.3) give Xavier an excellent perimeter group but the team gets little from its frontcourt.
St. John's: The Red Storm are off to their best record at the midway point of conference play since the 2012-13 season. Head coach Chris Mullin's squad recorded an impressive 91-86 win at Providence on Jan. 25 in which freshman Marcus LoVett scored a game-high 26 points on 10 of 15 shooting, while fellow frosh Shamorie Ponds added 22 points, highlighted by a 4-for-5 effort from long distance. Like Xavier, St. John's is a perimeter-based team, with its top-five scorers being guards. LoVett leads with 17.2 PPG, Ponds is next at 17.0 (also 4.9 RPG) and the team's third double digit scorer is Ahmed at 12.7 PPG and 5.5 RPG.
The pick: Xavier claimed a 97-82 victory when these schools met back on Jan. 7 at Cintas Center, part of a six-game winning streak. However, as noted above, Xavier has now dropped four of five. Still, Xavier is the much better team and it needs to 'stop the bleeding' That happens here at MSG. Xavier is an 8* play.
