Butler, fresh off their win at home over #1 Villanova, travels a couple of hours southeast to take on #5 Xavier at the Cintas Center. Xavier has had a nasty habit of home of taking the 1st half off, needing a ferocious rally in the 2nd half to salvage a win. Except, of course, against Marshall, where they reversed that and took the 2nd half off.

 

That obviously won't work tonight against the surging Bulldogs.

 

Who do ya got?

I got a feeling that Xavier come out flat tonight...unfortunately, because I would l like to see the Muskies keep winning and stay high up in the rankings.

Xavier wins because a) they're more talented, b) it's at the Cintas, and c) they have the better coach.

 

I'll take the Muskies with an 82-71 victory.

Side-note: first time Butler has ever played back-to-back games against a Top 5 opponent. Tough sledding early in the Conference season for the Bulldogs.

Xavier come out flat tonight

 

Given what went down on Saturday, on both ends of I-74, that would be hard for me to understand. If you're right, and I hope you're not, Xavier deserves to get beat.