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Three to Watch vs. Xavier

Myles Davis

Xavier visits the Dunkin Donuts Center on Thursday night boasting the top offense in the Big East. Chris Mack’s team leads the Big East in points per game (77.8), assists (17.1), field goal percentage (.492) and 3-point field goal percentage (.370).

The Musketeers are 12-6 on the season and 3-3 in conference play, having won all three league games at home and losing their three on the road. Two of their Big East wins came against teams that were ranked in the top 25 at the time (70-53 over Georgetown in their Big East opener and 69-58 against then-#19 Seton Hall).

Here are three to watch versus Xavier on Thursday night:

1. Matt Stainbrook was a Preseason 1st Team All Big East selection, and leads a balanced attack. In conference games the 6’10 senior is making nearly 65% of his shots and over 80% at the free throw line (19-23). His scoring totals would be even higher if he saw more minutes (under 28 per game) Xavier didn’t have six players averaging over nine points per game in Big East play.

In two games against Providence last season Stainbrook scored 24 points and grabbed 18 rebounds.

2. New England Prep duo paying off. The expectations were high from this corner for Myles Davis last season. Davis was one of the great shooters on the New England prep scene, shining for two seasons at Notre Dame Prep alongside stars like Steven Adams, Ricky Ledo and Todd Mayo, but he was quiet for much of last season. Now a sophomore, Davis is having a bigger impact.

Davis is averaging just shy of 10 points per game (9.6), has made 32-72 from 3-point range (44%) and hits free throws at 89%. He’s a tide-turning shooter that must be accounted for.

Another New England prep, Jalen Reynolds is one of the more physically imposing bigs in the league. The Brewster Academy product is a bouncy 6’9 and averages 8.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, despite playing just 18 minutes a night. He has the kind of athleticism that could cause Providence’s frontcourt headaches if they don’t bring physicality to this one.

3. Trevon Bluiett is pushing for Big East Freshman of the Year. Seton Hall’s Angel Delgado has the slight edge considering what the two freshmen have done in conference play, but Bluiett is averaging over 12 points and five rebounds per game. His shooting numbers have seen a dip in conference play, however. For much of the non-conference schedule he was shooting over 50%, but he’s made just 35% of his shots in Big East games and 20% of his 3s (after going 19-47 in non-conference games).

Still, this is a dangerous forward capable of taking a game over. He had 19 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to DePaul and followed that up with 13/7 against Seton Hall.

Twitter: Kevin_Farrahar

3 Comments

  1. Derec Lamendola

    January 22, 2015 at 4:47 am

    LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Providence Collllege Friars Mens Basket Balll Going Win All Thery BIG East Games Ans Who’s Redey For Tommmmmmerrrrow Becuass IM Redey For You Tommmmmerrrrow JUS Watach SOME ONE Told Me About Xaver NOT That Goood This Year And Providence Colllege Friars Going All Fara This Year Remmber MY Gril Friend

  2. Jeremy Nunes

    January 22, 2015 at 1:44 pm

    Stainbrook is a handful down low, hopefully our big men stay out of foul trouble. PC could win this game by 80, start Friar Dom and have the cheerleaders mud wrestle at halftime and all the local talk would still be about Deflate Gate….I wish more local fans would wake up to what Coach Cooley is doing with this program

  3. Ann Iannotti

    January 22, 2015 at 3:15 pm

    Go Friars…you can beat them!

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