Riding a three-game win streak that includes two of Xavier's three Quad-1 wins, the Musketeers are back home for a four-game homestand that starts Wednesday night (6:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1) against Ball State.
It's Xavier's final tune-up ahead of Saturday's Crosstown Shootout, which makes Wednesday an important game for a number of reasons.
The Musketeers (7-1) have pieced together a nice non-conference resume so far with three quality wins and no bad losses.
Ball State (3-4) enters ranked No. 202 in the season's first NET rankings, so this is a game where Xavier needs to assert itself for 40 minutes and find some rhythm and momentum at both ends of the floor.
Analysis: Grading the Xavier Musketeers through 8 games, MVP, most improved and more
Xavier has to key on two things against the Cardinals. First, the Musketeers have to protect the 3-point line. Ball State shoots 42% as a team from beyond the arc, averaging 10 3-pointers per game. Xavier can't let Ball State get comfortable on the perimeter.
Second, Xavier has a major advantage around the basket. The Cardinals don't match up well with Xavier's size, and to combat that, Ball State will pack its defense inside the 3-point line to make it hard for Xavier to attack the paint. The Musketeers need to space the floor, drive to the basket and use their size to rebound and get post-ups. The offense can't settle for quick shots, it should be all about attacking the basket.
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