Who will win the pivotal matchup between the Xavier Musketeers and the Creighton Bluejays?
TV Listing: Saturday, January 13, 2:00 P.M ET. FOX
Arena: Cintas Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
The Xavier Musketeers will look to end their two game losing streak as they face the Creighton Bluejays at home. Xavier suffered two of their three losses in the past week as they were upset by Providence and were blown out by Villanova.
Xavier’s best player, Trevon Bluiett struggled in both games and will need to get back on track if they are to beat Creighton. Bluiett is averaging 18.9ppg on the season but averaged just 11.5ppg in Xavier’s two most recent losses. He has not shot the ball well (32%fg, 33%3pt) and has even struggled from the free throw line where he is normally automatic. Bluiett is shooting over 82% from the line on the season which includes his 2-5 performance against Providence and going 1-5 against Villanova.
JP Macura is also a key player for the Musketeers as his 12.6ppg and 3.1apg rank second on the team. Macura is known as a shooter, but his offensive game is much more diverse than he is given credit for. He is an ideal secondary creator on offense and is also a tough defender at the top of Xavier’s 1-3-1 zone.
Macura will have his work cut out for him in this game as he will be guarded by one of the best perimeter defenders in the country, Khyri Thomas. Thomas is a ball hawk defensively and is capable of shutting down the opposing team’s best scorer, but he can also put the ball in the basket himself. He is averaging 14.9ppg and has even started appearing on NBA Mock Drafts due to his improved ball handling and scoring abilities.
Thomas is one of the two go-to scorers for Creighton, the other being senior wing Marcus Foster. Foster is the Bluejays’ leading scorer (19.0ppg) and can score from all three levels. He specializes in hitting tough shots and the ball is usually in his hands at the end of the shot clock.
While both teams have a pair of offensive standouts, this game will be won with strong performances from the role players. Xavier needs big performances from their starting frontcourt of Tyrique Jones and Kaiser Gates. Jones is a physical center who can rebound and score around the basket while Gates is a proto-typical stretch four.
However, Xavier’s backup big man Kerem Kanter has played the best of late. Kanter is extremely skilled and is capable of playing both the four and the five. His inside out skillset makes him such a tough matchup, but he has been very effective as a back to the basket scorer. Expect Kanter to get more touches as the season goes on.
Creighton may have the best big man in the matchup, Martin Krampelj. Krampelj is one of the most improved players in the Big East and is a great roll man who can finish above the rim. He has also shown an ability to step out and hit three pointers which makes the Creighton offense so dynamic.
Ronnie Harrell and Toby Hegner round out the big man trio for the Bluejays. Like Gates, Hegner is a stretch big man who prefers to play outside the three point line. He is shooting 42.5% from distance this season. Harrell is a glue guy PF who can handle the ball and is extremely versatile. His newfound three point shooting stroke only makes him more of a matchup nightmare.
The X factor for Xavier will be their starting PG, Quentin Goodin. Goodin is a physical PG who can overpower smaller guards and gets to the rim with ease. He had a dreadful shooting performance against Villanova (0-7fg) and will need to bounce back if Xavier is to get the win. Naji Marshall will also be a crucial player as his versatility and energy off the bench will certainly be needed.
If Creighton is to pull off the upset, they will need standout performances from their young guards: Mitch Ballock, Tyshon Alexander, and Davion Mintz. Alexander and Ballock saw fewer minutes in Creighton’s win over Butler and it will be interesting to see if Coach McDermott tightens his rotation again in this game.
Next: Bracketology: January 8th edition
Xavier should bounce back and beat Creighton at home. Bluiett will also return to form and score over 20 points in this game. This Creighton team is better than many people think and should keep the score close, but it will be too tough to beat the Musketeers in Cincinnati.
Prediction: Xavier 83 Creighton 78