Scouting report: It's Senior Night for No. 19 Xavier against Butler
The goal of building its best basketball for March continues on Saturday with Xavier's regular-season finale against Butler at Cintas Center.
The Musketeers just put together two outstanding performances on the road at Seton Hall and at Providence. Saturday's Senior Night and it's another opportunity to put together 40 minutes the right way in advance of next week's Big East Conference Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
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Xavier has second place locked up in the Big East regular-season race and its position is locked in for next week's conference tournament, but Saturday night should showcase a motivated Musketeer squad, especially after what happened at Butler a month ago.
Xavier played its worst half of basketball all season at Butler and the careless start was too much to overcome in a 69-67 loss in the final seconds.
Playing a full game, continuing what Xavier's done over the last two games is the most important thing that needs to happen on Saturday night.
Adam Kunkel, Souley Boum and Jack Nunge will participate in the Senior Night ceremony.
The question that remains for Saturday's finale is whether Zach Freemantle will return from the foot injury that's kept him sidelined for the last month.
Head coach Sean Miller said Friday during his pre-game press conference that there's an outside hope that Freemantle could play against Butler, but they don't know that for sure.
The Game
Tipoff: 7 p.m. on Saturday at Cintas Center
TV/Radio: FS1 with play-by-play from Brandon Gaudin and analysis from Nick Bahe. Byron Larkin and Joe Sunderman will have the radio call on WLW-AM (700).
Series info: Xavier leads the series 45-26.
Scouting report
Xavier Musketeers (22-8, 14-5 Big East)
Coach: Sean Miller, 18th season (444-164 overall)
Offense: 82.3 ppg
Defense: 74.8 ppg
Projected lineup
Player (Position, Height, Key Stat)
Adam Kunkel (G, 6'4", 10.0 ppg)
Jerome Hunter (F, 6'8", 7.2 ppg)
Colby Jones (G, 6'6", 15.2 ppg)
Souley Boum (G, 6'3", 17.0 ppg)
Jack Nunge (F, 7'0", 14.2 ppg)
Butler Bulldogs (14-16, 6-13 Big East)
Coach: Thad Matta, 18th season (453-170 overall)
Offense: 65.3 ppg
Defense: 67.3 ppgProjected lineup
Player (Position, Height, Key Stat)
Jayden Taylor (G, 6'4", 13.1 ppg)
Manny Bates (C, 6'11", 11.8 ppg)
Simas Lukosius (G, 6'7", 11.3 ppg)
Eric Hunter Jr. (G, 6'4", 8.2 ppg)
Jalen Thomas (F, 6'10", 6.1 ppg)
Players to watch
Manny Bates
Xavier let Bates look like the best big man in the country the last time these two teams met. The Musketeers can't let him dominate the way he did in game one.
Souley Boum
Boum was hobbled against Butler the first time around. He's healthy now and playing at an All-American level in Xavier's last few games. The Musketeers need that out of him on Senior Night.
Keys to the game
40 minutes
Xavier already showed what happens when it only played 20 minutes against Butler. The Musketeers need a full performance on Saturday so they can take some nice momentum to New York next week.
Rankings
KenPom: Xavier (17), Butler (124)
NET: Xavier (19), Butler (129)
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Scouting report: It's Senior Night for No. 19 Xavier against Butler
