.png)
We'll be going through each of the Sweet 16 games between now and the first tip on Thursday. Second chance to get your picks correct ...Xavier and West Virginia will get us started again with the first game Thursday night in Phoenix.
Bob Huggins is more than familiar with the Musketeers, however, the setting and stakes will be much, much different. Huggins was 8-8 vs his former crosstown rival.
As impressive as the Mountaineers were in defeating the Duke Blue Devils, they were equally unimpressive with the way they handled the win with the media.
Playing the disrespect card as much as possible despite many people picking WVU, Joe Alexander offered this: “People are always hating on the Big East. I don’t understand why. We came in the fifth in the Big East and we manhandled a good A.C.C. team.”
I'm not sure 'mandhandled' is the term, but either way they seem quite pleased with themselves. Why do I bring this up? Well I think these two teams are very, very close and so I'm looking to the mental side of this game for my prediction. I think West Virginia is very satisfied with reaching the Sweet 16. Xavier is not.
Whereas Duke settled for the outside shot, Xavier is comfortable banging in the post and will play much better half court defense than the Dukies. Joe Alexander causes mismatch problems with everyone, but Josh Duncan should be as good a fit on him as he's seen in several weeks.
I'm also not ready to pick against Drew Lavender just yet. You could physically see the light bulb go off in his head last Saturday and he wanted to make sure that wasn't his last game.
Prediction: Xavier 77-73
more
