Vegas NCAA Prediction: No 8 Xavier Musketeers at Butler Bulldogs
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Frank Martin
Xavier Musketeers rallied from a 19-point deficit with under 10 minutes left to defeat Purdue 66-63 on Saturday and remained undefeated heading into a road tilt against last year's national runners-up. The No. 8 Musketeers are ranked in the Top 10 for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
Butler is coming off a 77-71 overtime loss at home to Valparaiso in the Horizon League opener Saturday. The Butler Bulldogs, who have dropped two of three, lost their conference opener for the first time since 2004-05 and have fallen to .500.
- #8 Xavier Musketeers @ Butler Bulldogs
When: 9:00 PM ET, Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
TV: 9 p.m., ET; ESPN.
The Musketeers have opened as 6-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NCAA Basketball Odds.
Xavier Musketeers (6-0): Tu Holloway has been doing what a team's best player should do in the clutch. He has put the Musketeers on his back the last two games and led them to victory. The senior guard scored Xavier’s last 11 points in the final 1:48, including three 3-pointers, against Purdue. Holloway scored 10 of Xavier's 16 points in overtime in an 82-70 win at Vanderbilt on Nov. 28. He's averaging 18 points and five assists, both team highs. Guard Mark Lyons is second on the team in scoring, averaging 17.3 points. He's shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 45.5 percent on 3-pointers.
Butler Bulldogs (4-4): This season's Bulldogs haven't resembled the team the country has come to know in recent years. Butler couldn't hold a second-half lead and shot a season-low 34.3 percent against Valparaiso. The loss of center Matt Howard and guard Shelvin Mack have left coach Brad Stevens with an inexperienced team. Guard Ronald Nored (6.4 points) is the lone senior among the team's top 10 scorers. Only two players average in double figures -- sophomore guard Chrishawn Hopkins (12.3) and junior center Andrew Smith (10.4). Butler is shooting just 40.6 percent from the field.
1. Xavier is off to its best start under third-year coach Chris Mack. The Musketeers were 9-0 in 2008-09 and finished that season 27-8.
2. Butler's streak of consecutive 25-win seasons could be in jeopardy. The Bulldogs have won at least 25 games in each of the last five seasons. Kansas and Brigham Young are the only other Division I schools to do so.
3. The last two meetings have been decided by three points. The Musketeers won 51-49 at the Cintas Center last season, while the Bulldogs took a 69-68 victory at Hinkle Fieldhouse in the 2009-10 season.
NCAA BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Musketeers 68, Bulldogs 58
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shelvin mack - andrew smith - butler bulldogs - chris mack - hinkle fieldhouse - mark lyons - matt howard - ronald nored - tu holloway - xavier musketeers
