Creighton Favored Over Xavier in Big East Showdown Tonight

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Match Preview: Xavier vs. Creighton

Xavier faces a challenging road game against Greg McDermott's Creighton Blue Jays tonight in the Big East. Creighton, favored by about a touchdown at home, is positioned well in this contest, especially with a game total set at 155.5.

Discussing the matchup, Isaac expresses a preference for betting on Xavier’s team total to stay under 74.5 points. He recalls that in their last encounter, Creighton significantly outperformed Xavier, holding them to just 57 points. According to Isaac, Creighton’s team structure is particularly troublesome for Xavier. He notes that Xavier has struggled against teams that are not particularly athletic, and Creighton fits this description well.

Isaac also points out that Xavier’s current strategy involves playing a 5-out option with essentially five shooters on the floor, which forces opposing centers off the floor. However, Creighton doesn’t traditionally utilize a center and instead plays Jason Green, who is 6'8", 240 pounds, at the position. This makes Creighton highly flexible and capable of switching effectively on defense, a key to stifling Xavier's offensive plans.

Highlighting Creighton's defensive strengths, Isaac mentions their status as one of the elite transitional denial teams, a crucial factor given Xavier's reliance on transition offense. He also reflects on the quality of shots Xavier took in their previous game against Creighton, noting that of the 65 shots Xavier took, only six were considered high quality. This resulted in many contested jumpers and difficult shots under pressure.

With these factors in mind, Isaac is skeptical that Xavier will significantly improve their shot creation in this road game to surpass a team total of 74.5 points.