Scouting report: Xavier Musketeers welcome Eastern Kentucky Saturday night

Xavier will try to shake off a forgettable Crosstown Shootout performance with another non-conference test Saturday night (8 p.m., FS1) against Eastern Kentucky at the Cintas Center, capping exam week with one final test. 

Xavier's response after a loss to its archrival will be revealing for a young team that's played inconsistent basketball through 10 games. 

The challenge comes against an Eastern Kentucky team that's won three in a row and just beat Northern Kentucky, 76-74. 

"They play really, really, really hard," Xavier head coach Travis Steele said Friday at his pre-game press conference. "They're gonna press the entire game from minute one to the last second of the game. They're gonna try and trap basically on every single possession." 

Steele said Xavier's ball control and pace of play will be important. 

Right after executing its system, the next Xavier initiative in this game will be to try and stop Eastern Kentucky senior forward Nick Mayo. 

Mayo, who's already a three-time Ohio Valley Conference first-team selection, does everything for the Colonels. 

At 6-foot-9, Mayo can play out of the post or on the perimeter. He leads the Colonels with 24.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game and he ranks second on the team in made 3-pointers (17).  

"He's gonna be a big challenge," said Steele of Mayo. "He's seven points off the school record, the all-time leading scorer. He can score in a lot of different ways. He can score in the post. He can shoot the ball. He's a pick-and-pop guy at the five (center) which is unique. He can drive the ball. He's hit a couple game winners this year. We gotta make his catches tough. He has to see a crowded floor. It's not gonna be one guy guarding him ... all five sets of eyes for Xavier need to be on him every single time down the floor because that is the guy they play through." 

With exams finally over, Steele took a very optimistic look at the next month for the Musketeers. 

"I'm sure our guys are glad finals are over so we can just focus on basketball over the next month," said Steele. "Nice thing about Christmas break is it's a great opportunity to get better. You got a lot of time. There's no academics. No classes. Our guys will be able to get extra shots up ... I think it's a great opportunity to get better and really turn around your season." 

XTRA: Eastern Kentucky head coach A.W. Hamilton and Steele are friends, Steele said Friday. Hamilton actually coached Xavier sophomore forward Naji Marshall while he was at Hargrave Academy. 

"I know Naji is excited to see him and compete against him," said Steele. 

SCOUTING REPORT

THE GAME 

Tipoff: Saturday, 8 p.m. at Cintas Center

TV/Radio: FS1/55KRC-AM

Xavier Musketeers

Record: 6-4

Offense: 76.1 ppg

Defense: 71.3 ppg

PROJECTED LINEUP

PLAYER POS. HT. KEY STAT

Quentin Goodin (G, 6-4, 12.3 ppg)

Paul Scruggs (G, 6-3, 12.6 ppg)

Kyle Castlin (G, 6-4, 5.8 ppg)

Naji Marshall (F, 6-7, 13.0 ppg)

Tyrique Jones (F, 6-9, 10.4 ppg) 

Eastern Kentucky

Record: 6-4

Offense: 81.0 ppg

Defense: 81.6 ppg

PROJECTED LINEUP

PLAYER POS. HT. KEY STAT

Nick Mayo (F, 6-9, 24.4 ppg)

Peyton Broughton (G, 6-5, 6.8 ppg)

Kelvin Robinson (G, 6-2, 6.5 ppg)

Dujuanta Weaver (G, 5-10, 8.0 ppg)

Lachlan Anderson (F, 6-8, 8.5 ppg) 

PLAYER TO WATCH 

Nick Mayo plays almost five minutes more per game than any of his teammates, and for good reason. In addition to leading the Colonels in minutes, Mayo leads them per game in points (24.4), rebounds (9.2), blocks (2.0), free-throw percentage (89.5) and his 17 made 3-pointers are second on the team. 

NOTEWORTHY

In Eastern Kentucky's four losses this season the Colonels have allowed more than 90 points in each. That should mean a Xavier team that stays in attack mode for 40 minutes Saturday night. 

KenPom.com: Xavier is ranked No. 61 and Eastern Kentucky is No. 259.