The No. 5-ranked Xavier Musketeers (21-2) will attempt to extend a five-game winning streak when they take on the Creighton Bluejays (15-9) at CenturyLink Center Omaha. The game begins at 8:00 pm ET on Tuesday, Feb. 9 and can be seen on CCS.
The Bluejays had no trouble getting past DePaul 88-66 on Saturday. Cole Huff led all scorers on the team with 28 points on 9-for-11 shooting. The Musketeers, meanwhile, are coming off a 90-82 win over Marquette on Saturday. Trevon Bluiett led the game in scoring by accumulating 23 points on 7-for-14 shooting.
The Bluejays come into this game 15-9 Straight Up (SU) and 14-9 Against The Spread (ATS). Spreading the ball around is a huge part of Creighton’s offense. They are 45th in the nation in assists with an average of 15.9 per game.
Across the court, Xavier has a SU record of 21-2 and an ATS record of 14-9. They sport the 30th-ranked scoring offense in the country, averaging 80.8 points per game. The Musketeers are getting to the foul line at a high rate. Their 449 free throws made ranks 14th in Division I. The Musketeers have controlled the glass with an average of 41.2 rebounds per game, 19th in the country.
This game marks the first time these teams will play this season. The last time Creighton and Xavier played, Xavier won, but Creighton still leads the head-to-head record, 6-4 SU, over their most recent matchups. The Bluejays also hold the advantage ATS with a record of 6-4. Both Creighton and Xavier have led in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) one time over the last five matchups.
Predictions: SU Winner – Xavier, ATS Winner – Xavier
Notes
Creighton is one of the highest-scoring teams in the nation, averaging 81.0 points per game (ranked 25th). Xavier allows 68.6 points per game (ranked 92nd).
Creighton averages 84.7 points per home game (ranked 28th). Xavier allows 70.9 points per away game (ranked 63rd).
Creighton won its last game by a 22-point margin. In games decided by a margin of 18 points or more, Xavier is 8-1. Creighton is 8-2 in blowouts this season.
Ranked 25th, the Xavier Musketeers have an offensive rating of 114.4. The Creighton Bluejays rank 159th with a defensive rating of just 102.6.
The Creighton Bluejays average a field goal percentage of 47.4% this season. The Xavier Musketeers have a losing record of 1-2 when opponents have a FG% of 47.4% or greater.
The Creighton Bluejays and the Xavier Musketeers both rank higher in average effective field goal percentage when compared to their field goal percentages. Creighton is 40th and 32nd in the nation for FG% and eFG% respectively, while Xavier is 106th and 99th in these categories.
Xavier ranks among the best in the nation in assists at 25th (16.6 assists per game). Creighton is ranked 45th with 15.9 assists per game.
The Xavier Musketeers average 41.2 rebounds per game and are ranked 19th. The Creighton Bluejays average 37.0 rebounds per game, ranked 146th.
Creighton ranks 82nd in defensive rebounding. When it comes to offensive rebounds, Xavier ranks 33rd.
On average, Creighton forces a turnover rate of 18.4%. When Xavier turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a formidable 9-1 record.
