NCAA Hoops Preview: A Look at Xavier-Gonzaga

Xavier Musketeers at Gonzaga Bulldogs, McCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane, WA
Wednesday, December 22, 2010, 11:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN2
Opening Line: Gonzaga -5 1/2
Current Line: Gonzaga -5 1/2
Opening Total: 142
Current Total: 142
Money Line: Gonzaga -230 / Xavier +190

Elias Harris and the Zags take on Xavier in Spokane. Gonzaga is a 6 point favorite at home.

The 7-2 Xavier Musketeers travel to Spokane to take on the 6-5 Gonzaga Bulldogs. Xavier has two losses on the season to Old Dominion and Miami-Ohio. They have quality wins over Iowa, Seton Hall, Butler, and Wake Forest. Gonzaga has gotten off to a slow start but the schedule has been brutal. They have losses to San Diego St, Kansas St, Washington St, Illinois, and Notre Dame. All are ranked in the top 25 except Washington St, and the Cougars are on the cusp of being ranked. Gonzaga has quality wins over Marquette and last Saturday against Baylor in Dallas 68-64. That victory at a “neutral site” (though Dallas is less than a two hour drive from Baylor’s campus) over a top 10 opponent might have been the turning point for the struggling Bulldogs. Xavier is 44-29 ATS in all games the last three seasons.

Xavier has played a lot of close games. The Musketeers are outscoring opponents 71-68 on the season. They shoot 43.5% from the field and 27.8% from 3 point land. They make 72.8% of their free throws. Xavier averages 36.6 rebounds a game and have a rebounding margin of +2.7. Xavier averages 13 assists a game and 12.4 turnovers a game. Xavier also averages 5.8 steals and 3.9 blocks a game. Junior Guard Tu Holloway leads the team in scoring (21.3 points), assists (5.4) and steals (1.3). He also averages 4.9 rebounds a game. Sophomore guard Mark Lyons scores 13.7 points a game. Center Kenny Frease averages 11.9 points and 8.6 rebounds a game. Power forward Jamal McLean leads the team in rebounds with 9.6 and also scores 10.5 points a game. Both Frease and McLean average 1.1 blocks a game.

Gonzaga is still the class of the West Coast Conference but isn’t as strong as in previous years. Gonzaga is outscoring opponents 80-71 on the season. Gonzaga shoots 49.4% from the field and 41.2% from 3 point range. The Bulldogs make 73.4% of their free throws. Gonzaga averages 37.9 rebounds per game and has a rebounding margin of 7.4. The average 17.1 assists and 14.8 turnovers a game. They average 6.7 steals and 3.3 blocks per game. Senior Guard Steven Grey leads the team in scoring (15.5 points), assists (4.9) and steals (1.8) He is shooting 41.4% from 3 point range. Center Robert Sacre leads the team in rebounds and blocks with 6.8 rebounds a game and 1.6 blocks. He averages 12.5 points a game. Elias Harris scores 11 points a game.

This is a crucial game for both teams as conference play begins in a week or so. This is the kind of quality win that will improve your resume for March. Gonzaga needs the win more than Xavier as they have 5 losses already on the season. Gonzaga needs to play like they did in the upset of Baylor. The McCarthey Center is nicknamed “the Kennel” and is a very tough place to play. Both of these teams have a few days off for Christmas after this game. It will be a very good game and a test of how good each team is.