Xavier scouting report
I talked to some UCLA and Xavier folks and this was the scouting report I was given on the Musketeers:
They are similar to UCLA in playing a moderately paced game, and are not expected to press because they have not pressed all season, unless they were down big late in a game.
They are very well balanced with size and scoring. The leading scorer is 6-foot-9 Josh Duncan, who is averaging 12.4 points per game and shoots the 3-pointer very well (42.9 percent). He also will start and guard Kevin Love.
Oklahoma transfer 5-7 Drew Lavender (10.9 ppg) will guard Russell Westbrook, 6-8 Derrick Brown (10.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg) will matchup with Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. C.J. Anderson, a 6-6 banger, has not attempted a 3-pointer this season and is averaging 10.8 points and six rebounds per game. Stanley Burrell (9.8 ppg, 3.8 apg) is the only starter not averaging double figures, and he will guard Darren Collison.
B.J. Raymond (10.1 ppg) is shooting 41.3 percent from 3-point range and comes off the bench, as does big-bodied Jason Love, who will also try his hand at guarding Love.
Xavier, I am told, is well-coached and their balance and experience (Duncan, Lavender and Burrell are seniors and Anderson and Raymond are juniors) make them a very good team.



I hope Westbrook takes advantage of this matchup. He stinks at shooting, but I hopefully he'll step up and hit his uncontested jumpers. Should get a look whenever he wants.
Can't wait to see whose got more Love!
Love scores on Love.
Love rejects Love.
Whole lotta Love. Gonna be a real Heartbreaker. When the levee breaks, the shots are going to fall, will be a real Rain Song for the X-men. The Bruins will take No Quarter and Dancin' Days will be here again. Time to Rock and Roll.
Stair way to Heaven, Baby!
I agree with -bry - that matchup for Westbrook just screams advantage Ucla. If they succeed in forcing Love out a bit, that will open things up inside and Westbrook should be able to just abuse Lavender. (I don't expect that matchup to last too terribly long.) The other key could again be Keefe. With Luc hurting and hampered and I have some questions about Josh, their focus on Kevin could well open space for Keefe again to be a key factor in this game