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First Meeting: Butler 88-76 Xavier
Second Meeting: Xavier 73-56 Butler
Three keys:
-Use the zone. Butler is a good three-point shooting team, but they don't shoot a whole lot of them. They are 10th in the Big East in 3PA/FGA. They're also 10th in the league in assist rate, which indicates that they don't move the ball as much as they give it to someone who finds his own shot. Going into a 1-3-1 for stretches can cut down penetration, put pressure on moving the ball, and force them out of their offensive comfort zone.
-Put together a cohesive 40 minutes. That has been a problem for X all year. They were down just 1 at Butler in the last ten minutes before falling apart down the stretch. The stakes haven't gotten any lower since then, and everyone has more miles on the ol' odometer. On the other hand, they also have more experience. Xavier is probably in no matter what, but a win here would take them all the way off the bubble. They can get that done if they lock in all game tonight.
#BIGEAST Tourney starts for Team 93 tonight. #XavierNation invades MSG in NYC! #GameDayGuide pic.twitter.com/o2ckdzo90K
— Chris Mack (@CoachChrisMack) March 12, 2015