Shortly after Xavier's men's basketball team lost in overtime to Providence in Thursday's nail-biter at the Dunkin' Donuts Center, coach Chris Mack emphasized to Musketeers players that there was no time to dwell on the defeat.
Not in this conference. And not with DePaul coming to Cintas Center at noon Saturday, less than 40 hours after the final buzzer in Rhode Island.
"The biggest thing I told our team in the locker room afterwards was that we have to flip the page. This is a monster league," Mack said. "The team we have in here (Saturday) afternoon is in first place and we've got to be ready for them, period."
The Blue Demons (11-9, 5-2 Big East) are tied with Providence and Georgetown atop the league standings, and they continue to stun. Oliver Purnell's group ? picked to finish last in the preseason Big East poll ? not only upset No. 24 Seton Hall on the road Thursday night, but snapped a 51-game, seven-year skid against ranked teams.
After losing six straight non-conference games earlier this season, including all three at the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii, DePaul has won five of its last seven games. Xavier, of course, was among the casualties; the Musketeers' road woes in conference play started Jan. 3 at Allstate Arena, where DePaul pulled out the 71-68 victory.
Standout guard Billy Garrett Jr. and company are coming to the Musketeers' court with plenty of confidence. That group includes Forrest Robinson, a 6-foot-10 senior forward who made four 3-pointers en route to a team-high 17 points against the Musketeers.
"I think it all starts with Billy Garrett. He plays with great pace," Mack said. "You either put two guys on his ball screen or you switch it, and when you switch it he gets to the rim and finds people or finishes. When you put two guys on his ball screen, he figures it out. So he's a challenge. When they shoot the ball well from the perimeter at those other positions, especially their post guys, it makes it even more difficult."
Shooting hasn't been so seamless for XU despite its conference-leading 77.2 points per game, a trend underscored by the team's 32.1 percent shooting and season-low 20 points in the first half of the Providence outing. Myles Davis injected energy into the offense and buried two 3-pointers, but not until the second half, and Trevon Bluiett finished without a field goal.
Although Bluiett still leads Big East freshmen in scoring (11.8 points), he has averaged only seven points in the last four games. It's a contrast to XU's first six games of the season, in which he averaged 17.2.
"He's much better than he's playing right now. And we need him to play better. I think he recognizes that, our team recognizes that," Mack said.
"We're not asking him to be our one and only option. I think we have other guys right now that are playing well offensively. Matt (Stainbrook) and Jalen (Reynolds) were terrific inside (at Providence) for the most part. I thought Myles made some big shots, made some big plays. But we need more."
Bluiett did not receive stitches as was anticipated following his second-half collision at Providence. The cut above his forehead was remedied with glue during a Friday morning visit to Good Samaritan Hospital. Both he and Dee Davis (black eye) are available to play against the Blue Demons.
The Musketeers enter the game with a 10-0 record at Cintas Center.
Not in this conference. And not with DePaul coming to Cintas Center at noon Saturday, less than 40 hours after the final buzzer in Rhode Island.
"The biggest thing I told our team in the locker room afterwards was that we have to flip the page. This is a monster league," Mack said. "The team we have in here (Saturday) afternoon is in first place and we've got to be ready for them, period."
The Blue Demons (11-9, 5-2 Big East) are tied with Providence and Georgetown atop the league standings, and they continue to stun. Oliver Purnell's group ? picked to finish last in the preseason Big East poll ? not only upset No. 24 Seton Hall on the road Thursday night, but snapped a 51-game, seven-year skid against ranked teams.
After losing six straight non-conference games earlier this season, including all three at the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii, DePaul has won five of its last seven games. Xavier, of course, was among the casualties; the Musketeers' road woes in conference play started Jan. 3 at Allstate Arena, where DePaul pulled out the 71-68 victory.
Standout guard Billy Garrett Jr. and company are coming to the Musketeers' court with plenty of confidence. That group includes Forrest Robinson, a 6-foot-10 senior forward who made four 3-pointers en route to a team-high 17 points against the Musketeers.
"I think it all starts with Billy Garrett. He plays with great pace," Mack said. "You either put two guys on his ball screen or you switch it, and when you switch it he gets to the rim and finds people or finishes. When you put two guys on his ball screen, he figures it out. So he's a challenge. When they shoot the ball well from the perimeter at those other positions, especially their post guys, it makes it even more difficult."
Shooting hasn't been so seamless for XU despite its conference-leading 77.2 points per game, a trend underscored by the team's 32.1 percent shooting and season-low 20 points in the first half of the Providence outing. Myles Davis injected energy into the offense and buried two 3-pointers, but not until the second half, and Trevon Bluiett finished without a field goal.
Although Bluiett still leads Big East freshmen in scoring (11.8 points), he has averaged only seven points in the last four games. It's a contrast to XU's first six games of the season, in which he averaged 17.2.
"He's much better than he's playing right now. And we need him to play better. I think he recognizes that, our team recognizes that," Mack said.
"We're not asking him to be our one and only option. I think we have other guys right now that are playing well offensively. Matt (Stainbrook) and Jalen (Reynolds) were terrific inside (at Providence) for the most part. I thought Myles made some big shots, made some big plays. But we need more."
Bluiett did not receive stitches as was anticipated following his second-half collision at Providence. The cut above his forehead was remedied with glue during a Friday morning visit to Good Samaritan Hospital. Both he and Dee Davis (black eye) are available to play against the Blue Demons.
The Musketeers enter the game with a 10-0 record at Cintas Center.
