SB Nation NCAA Basketball 2011-12
St. Joe's has a big game on Wednesday night against a perennial Atlantic 10 foe in Xavier. A win could mean big things ahead for a Hawks team that doesn't want to drop a second consecutive contest.
Jan 18, 2012 - The Hawks have a golden opportunity awaiting them in their only game against Xavier this year.
St. Joe's will go on the road to take on the Xavier Musketeers in the Cintas Center at 7:00 p.m. The Hawks are looking to bounce back from a tough road loss against UMass on Saturday.
The Hawks face a huge opportunity in front of them. A win against Xavier would put them into a tie with the Musketeers in the Atlantic 10 standings.
St. Joe's will need its two guards Carl Jones and Langston Galloway to continue providing a spark. The duo combines to average 45 percent of the team scoring on a nightly basis. While that's a lot of pressure on just two players, the Hawks rely heavily on them to make something happen.
For Xavier it's all about its guards as well on the offensive end. Tu Holloway is the Musketeers all around best player. He's instant offense and can play suffocating defense. St. Joe's will have to contain him and not allow Holloway to take over the game.
One weakness in Holloway's game is his three-point shooting where he hits just 32 percent of his shots. Mark Lyons is more the deep shot specialist at 40 percent. Lyons also leads the team in scoring with 16.3 points per game.
It will be interesting to see whether or not the Hawks can keep Xavier off the glass. Kenny Frease can be a force inside for a Musketeers team that ranks 37th in the nation in rebounding. Andre Walker is another big body who can bang in the paint that St. Joe's will have to keep in check.
Of course, those tasks will fall on the formidable front line of C.J. Aiken, Ronald Roberts Jr. and Halil Kanacevic. The Hawks aren't an overwhelming team on the boards, but the aforementioned trio can more than hold their own.
The game can be seen on the Comcast Network in Philadelphia.
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