Xavier-Saint Louis Preview

2/6/2008 2:12 PM

By JEFF MEZYDLO
STATS Writer

A balanced offense has been the key to Xavier's success this season.

The 13th-ranked Musketeers look to rely on that depth again when they travel to Saint Louis for an Atlantic 10 matchup Thursday night.

Xavier (18-4, 6-1) had six players score in double figures in a 75-62 home victory over LaSalle on Saturday. The win was the fourth win in a row and 10th in 11 contests for the Musketeers.

It was also the third time at least six players scored 10 or more points in a game for Xavier, which has six players averaging in double figures and is 15-0 when four or more score in double digits.

C.J. Anderson had a team-high 16 points for Xavier on Saturday, well above his 11.2 season average. Leading scorer Drew Lavender, who averages 12.1 points, had 10 versus LaSalle.

"Nobody cares who scores," Anderson said. "... At the end of the game, we can have five or six in double figures, or one and two. It doesn't matter. That's why we're so together as a team."

That balance has helped keep Xavier in the mix with St. Joseph's for the A-10 title. The schools meet Sunday in Cincinnati.

On Saturday, Xavier took control of a close game early in the second half, as six Musketeers scored to help build a 50-37 lead. Xavier also finished 22-for-29 from the free-throw line.

"The balance is the natural outcome of having a lot of good players who play as unselfishly as they do," LaSalle coach John Giannini said.

The Musketeers, winners of their last two A-10 road games, look to snap a three-game losing streak at St. Louis that dates to an 83-74 victory on Jan. 20, 1990.

Xavier ended a three-game skid in the overall series with a 76-57 win on Feb. 7, 2007 in the most recent meeting.

The Billikens (12-9, 3-4) won 71-59 at home over Massachusetts on Saturday to bounce back from a 63-36 rout at Dayton on Jan. 30.

"I was real proud of them," said Saint Louis coach Rick Majerus, whose team has alternated wins and losses in its last five contests. "For the most part, we controlled the tempo of the game. It was a nice win for us."

Guards Tommie Liddell and Kevin Lisch each had 16 points for the Billikens.

Lisch, the team's leading scorer at 13.5 points per game, also got back on track after being held to nine points against the Flyers.

The junior is averaging 13.8 points in four career games versus Xavier.

Saint Louis is 1-2 against ranked opponents in 2007-08. It beat then-No. 23 Rhode Island 68-61 at home Jan. 17.