“The Student Section Supports” highlights one game each weekend that is under the national radar and/or has high upset potential. This week we’re looking at a terrific matchup in the Atlantic 10. These two split meetings last year, each team winning on its home floor. It’s a particularly early tip, so you may have the time to squeeze this one in Saturday morning.
When: Saturday, 11 ET (ESPN2).
XAVIER (11-5). Need to know: Xavier’s a team you’re no doubt familiar with — a poor man’s Gonzaga label is offensive, to be honest — but the Musketeers haven’t been their normal selves this year. The 11-5 record at the halfway point is somewhat jarring. X has put up some impressive non-con wins in recent years, but new coach Chris Mack’s most impressive win is over Cincinnati. The Bearcats haven’t proven to be a team special enough to rest your best win on. Yes, this team was jobbed out of a chance to defeat Butler on the road, but this group really enters a danger zone if it loses in this spot Saturday.
Could win because … Terrell Holloway, Jordan Crawford and Jason Love make up a pretty dynamic troika. Whenever a team has three players who can put up points from every spot on the floor, it almost always forces an opponent into defenses it would rather not play. How will Dayton attack Xavier’s attack? You can’t play straight up man against this team and hope to win. Interesting chess match here.
DAYTON (13-3). Need to know: The Flyers are one of the 25 best teams in the country, in my opinion. Dayton gets its points in bunches, and then holds on to leads for as long as adept defense allows. Only the two Chrises — Wright and Johnson — crack the A10 top 50 in scoring, and neither is in the top 20.
Could win because … The Flyers have proven to beat better teams with a schedule that’s just as tough as Xavier’s. At this point in the season, Dayton’s the better team. They look to be more prepared to win at this juncture. Doesn’t mean they will, but this is one of those “feels like it should happen” games. Plus, the Flyers have a better athlete than Xavier’s Jordan Crawford. Witness:
