MBB Minute – Xavier at DePaul Helps Start Second Half of League Play
Forty-six of the 90 regular-season conference games have been played, so the second half of the BIG EAST slate is underway. On Tuesday, Xavier plays at DePaul on FS1 at 9 p.m. ET.
The Musketeers (14-8, 3-6) want to build some momentum into the second half after their 74-62 win at Seton Hall on Saturday. Last year, Xavier started 3-8 in conference play before using a 6-1 run to finish 9-9. The Blue Demons (13-9, 1-8) want to start fresh after their 1-8 league record followed a 12-1 non-conference mark.
DePaul’s Paul Reed and Xavier’s Tyrique Jones, the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week, are two of three league players who are averaging a double-double. Reed is 10th in scoring with a 15.6 average and first in rebounding at 10.9. Jones is 15th in scoring at 13.5 points and second in rebounding 10.5.
Home teams are 25-21 (.543) in league games going into the Xavier-DePaul contest.
Creighton jumped back into the national polls this week to give the BIG EAST four ranked teams. In the Associated Press rankings, Villanova is 10th followed by Seton Hall at No. 12, Butler at No. 19 and Creighton at No. 21.