A couple of winning streaks are on the line when regional rivals Xavier and host Purdue meet for the 15th time. The Musketeers won their final two games at the DirecTV Classic, while Purdue came to life in its second straight victory Wednesday, pounding Clemson on the road in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Boilermakers lead the series against Xavier 9-5, but the Musketeers have won four straight meetings and make their first visit to West Lafayette since 2001. Purdue must still feel the sting of losing last season’s game at Xavier when the Musketeers rallied from a 19-point deficit in the final 10 minutes to stun the Boilermakers 66-63.
TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network
ABOUT XAVIER (5-1): The Musketeers have played four straight close games (3-1), all decided by four points or less. Xavier’s only loss was a 70-67 defeat to Pacific in Anaheim. Xavier has been on fire offensively, shooting 53.6 percent from the field as a team with all five starters topping 51 percent. The Musketeers are led by sophomore Dee Davis at 14.3 points with freshman Semaj Christon right behind at 14.2 to go along with a team-best 6.6 assists. Forwards Justin Martin (12.3), Jeff Robinson (11.7) and Travis Taylor (10.3) combine for 17.3 rebounds per game, led by Taylor’s 6.3. Martin has scored in double digits in all six games. Xavier lost all five starters from last season’s Sweet 16 team
ABOUT PURDUE (3-3): D.J. Byrd leads the Boilermakers in scoring (12.7) and is coming off season highs of 22 points and seven rebounds in the win at Clemson. Byrd was 6 of 11 from 3-point range and is averaging 2.5 made per game. After injuries slowed the start of his year, Terone Johnson has picked it up, averaging 16 points and shooting 50 percent from the field in Purdue’s last two wins. Johnson is second in scoring (11.4) and assists (3.4) while his younger brother, Ronnie a freshman, is averaging 7.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and a team-best 3.5 assists. The Boilermakers are averaging 71 points and are outrebounding their opponents by 8.9 per game. Purdue leads the Big Ten in offensive rebounding with an average of 15.3.
TIP-INS:
1. Xavier is one of only four teams in Division I to advance to the Sweet 16 four of the last five seasons, joining national powers Kansas, Michigan State and North Carolina.
2. Terone and Ronnie Johnson are among seven sets of brothers in Division I and one of only two that come from one of the power six conferences, joining the Plumlee brothers at Duke.
3. Since 2007-08, Xavier has won six straight games against five different teams from the Big Ten.
PREDICTION: Xavier 72, Purdue 69
