Overview: 3 keys for Xavier muskets to win the Big East against Marquette tournament

After having divided a pair of two -point thrillers during the regular season, Xavier and the n ° 25 Marquette will meet for a third time Thursday in the Big East Tournament Quarterals at Madison Square Garden.

Xavier is on the right side of the NCAA tournament bubble after a sequence of seven consecutive victories to end the regular season.

More: What must Xavier do in the Big East tournament to secure March’s madness

More: Which Xavier musketeers have been named all-big east selections?

The case could be returned that Xavier did enough to do the NCAA tournament at 21-10 in total. A marquette victory could seal the agreement and be another quad 1 victory for the musketeers.

Xavier’s chances of dancing have increased in recent days. Tuesday morning, Xavier is -230 ($ 10 Bet wins $ 4.35) to make the NCAA tournament, Per Fanduel Sportsbook (69.70% implicit probability).

According to Support matrixWho compares the projections of several supports, Xavier appears in 95 of the 108 supports with a high probability of playing in the first four in Dayton.

Beware of tenders

Although he manages his own business, Xavier also has an eye on conference tournaments across the country. Xavier wants as little madness as possible elsewhere due to tenders who have an impact on the bubble.

A tender thief is a surprise team without curriculum vitae in general who run the table in the conference tournament to obtain an automatic offer at the NCAA tournament. Last season, NC State (17-14, 9-11 in the regular season) was a notable vigor by Win the ACC tournamentThis meant a less tournament place for a bubble program.

3 keys to the victory of an Xavier Musketeers on n ° 25 Marquette Golden Eagles

1. Xavier can protect the ball from Marquette’s defense?

Xavier’s offensive does not lack firepower and is the most dangerous when they do not give goods.

One of Xavier’s night goals is to play with less than 10 reversals. When the musketeers leave it, they are difficult to beat. The bad news? Xavier only did 10 times in 31 regular season games. The good news? Xavier did it four times during his sequence of seven consecutive victories.

Xavier has a 9-1 file this season when they commit less than 10 reversals and 12-9 when they are over 10 years old. The turnover service plays a more important role against a defense of Marquette which feeds on take -out. Marquette is n ° 13 as a percentage of turnover, by Kenpom, and on average 15 points to take per game (second in the Big East).

Xavier committed 14 reversals during his 72-70 defeat against Marquette on December 21 and 11 during her victory on the road to the Fiserv Forum on January 18.

2. Can Xavier’s defense give an effort of 40 minutes?

In his upheaval of the Non era. 7 Marquette in Milwaukee, Xavier held the Golden Eagles at only 37.1% of shooting overall and a performance of 8 for 29 of three points.

Marquette’s attack is classified n ° 33 in Kenpom in offensive efficiency, but is much better from the interior of the arc. The Golden Eagles are No. 245 in three points shooting, connecting to only a rate of 32.5%.

However, Marquette is one of the best shooting teams near the edge. Marquette ranks n ° 50 in two points. Xavier’s defense defended the middle of the road, but dominated Marquette, 36-30, in painting in the last match.

3. The offense of the Xavier perimeter will be tested against Marquette

Although avoiding turnover is the first step, Xavier will try to improve his scope shot in a force match on force.

Xavier is the n ° 12 to three -point shooting team in the country, but faces the best three -point defense of the Big East. Marquette allows opponents to only draw 31.3% from the city center.

In two regular season clashes, Xavier combined to go only 8 for 36 on Treys. Fortunately, Xavier surpassed Marquette on the Frankish Lancer Line, 36-18.

Xavier Musketeers VS n ° 25 Marquette Golden Eagles

Advice: Thursday, 2:30 p.m., Madison Square Garden (20,789)

TV / Radio: Peacock / 55krc

Notes: Xavier is n ° 42 Kenpom and Marquette is n ° 26. Xavier is n ° 44 in the NCAA Net classification And Marquette is n ° 25.

History: Marquette leads the series of all time, 60-28. Xavier has a 2-1 sheet against Marquette in the Big East tournament.

N ° 25 Marquette Golden Eagles Scouting Report

Save: 22-9 (13-7 Big East)

Head coach: Shaka Smart (97-39 in Marquette, fourth season)

Offense: 76.9 ppg

Defense: 67.5 ppg

Preview: Marquette was one of the warmest teams in the country after a Big East start of 6-0. The Marquette’s home defeat against Xavier began a 7-7 section to end the regular season.

The Golden Eagles went only 2-7 in total against the best 4 teams from the Big East. A solid CV non -a conference that included victories on Maryland, Purdue, Georgia and Wisconsin prevented Marquette from being a bubble team at the end of the regular season.

Marquette went to the match for the title of the Big East tournament in consecutive seasons. Head coach Shaka Smart has a 5-2 file in the event.

Planned starting line

(Pos., Height, statistics)

Stevie Mitchell (G, 6’3 “, 10.7 ppg)

Kam Jones (G, 6’5 “, 18.9 ppg)

Chase Ross (G, 6’5 “, 10.6 ppg)

David Joplin (F, 6’8 “, 13.9 ppg)

Ben Gold (F, 6’11 “, 7.7 ppg)

Xavier musketeer screening report

Save: 21-10 (13-7 Big East)

Head coach: Sean Miller (184-85 in Xavier, eighth season)

Offense: 77.7 ppg

Defense: 70.3 ppg

Projected entries

(Pos., Height, statistics)

Dayvion McKnight (G, 6’0 “, 9.7 ppg)

Ryan Conwell (G, 6’4 “, 16.2 ppg)

Marcus Foster (G, 6’5 “, 7.7 ppg)

Dailyn Swain (G / F, 6’8 “, 10.5 ppg)

Zach Freemantle (F, 6’9 “, 17.4 ppg)

Players to watch

Do Zach Freemantle make the difference? One of the cases Xavier does for the NCAA tournament is that his top scorer and rebounder missed defeats in December against Uconn and Marquette. When Freemantle returned, Xavier beat these two squads.

Freemantle recorded a double-double in Xavier’s victory in Milwaukee and shoots 59.8% on the field on the Victoires sequence of Xavier.

Xavier’s defensive game plan begins with the selection of the first All-Big East team Kam Jones. Xavier held Jones at a 133 field combined and 1 out of 9 from a distance during the regular season.

SATURDAY, Ryan Conwell has become the first musket in Naji Marshall to score more than 20 points in four consecutive games. Conwell fought against Marquette this season, combining for only 13 points out of 6 shots out of 23 (1 out of 14 from a distance).

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Keys has a victory for Xavier Musketeers against Marquette at the Big East Tournament