#20 Xavier Musketeers hit the road to Chicago for tonight’s matchup with improved DePaul Blue Demons

Musketeers are coming off a win over Creighton

CINCINNATI — The No. 20 Xavier University Musketeers, 13-3 overall and 3-2 in the BIG EAST Conference, visit the DePaul University Blue Demons, 10-6 overall and 1-5 in the BIG EAST, on Wednesday night. Xavier plays its next two games and three of its next four games on the road.  
 
Xavier is coming off an 80-73 win over Creighton on Saturday as the Musketeers placed six players in double figures in scoring. DePaul is coming off a 96-92 win over then-No. 20 Seton Hall on Jan. 13. DePaul’s non-conference resume includes a 62-55 win at Louisville on Dec. 10.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 19, 2022 AT 9 P.M. ET (8 P.M. CT)
WINTRUST ARENA (10,387) IN CHICAGO, ILL.

Television: FS1 with pbp from Jeff Levering and analysis from Stephen Bardo.
Radio: 700 WLW-AM with play-by-play from Xavier Hall of Famer Joe Sunderman (’79) and analysis from XU all-time leading scorer and Hall of Famer Byron Larkin (’88). XU broadcast is also on Sirius (121), XM (202) and the SXM App. (965).
Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com.

X FACTORS

• Xavier, 13-3 overall and 3-2 in the BIG EAST Conference, is coming off an 80-73 win over Creighton on Jan. 15. Sophomore Colby Jones, who was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll on Jan. 17, led XU with 16 points and nine rebounds.
• Xavier is ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. XU is 16th in the NCAA NET and 18th in KenPom.
• Xavier plays its next two games and three of its next four games on the road. After this game at DePaul, XU visits Marquette on Sunday. XU is 1-1 so far in BIG EAST road games with a win at Butler and a loss at Villanova.
• Xavier has four players averaging in double figures in scoring from 11.2 ppg. to 12.3 ppg. and have had eight different players lead the team in scoring this season.
• Xavier junior Zach Freemantle, preseason First Team All-BIG EAST, posted his first double-double of the season and ninth of his career with 13 points and 11 rebounds vs. Creighton on Saturday. Freemantle, who missed the first six games this season following foot surgery, was XU’s leading scorer and rebounder last season.
• Xavier junior Jack Nunge is second on the team in scoring at 11.9 ppg. and rebounding at 7.1 rpg. (12th in the BIG EAST).
• Xavier senior Nate Johnson, who leads the team in scoring at 12.3 ppg., is first in the BIG EAST and 16th in the nation in 3-point percentage (.457).
• Xavier senior Paul Scruggs is in the top 25 on Xavier’s all-time scoring list with 1,425 points and the top 10 on Xavier’s all-time assist leaders chart with 442.
• Xavier sophomore Colby Jones, who is third in the BIG EAST in rebounding (8.3 rpg.), is fifth in the BIG EAST in offensive rebounding (2.9 rpg.).

COURTESY XAVIER ATHLETIC COMMUNNICATIONS