The Xavier Musketeers host Big-East rivals St. Johns this Saturday, and the visitors come in a little banged up. Red Storm leading scorer D'Angelo Harrisson and starting center Chris Obekpa are both battling sprained ankles, although Harrison might be able to play through the pain. Even at full strength this would be a tough spot for St. John's.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Home Cookin' - The home cookin' is particularly potent in Cincinnati, as the Musketeers have a record of 11-1 overall at home this season. They've long been a good bet on their own floor, covering the spread in 30 of their last 43 home games.

2. Previous History - Xavier has won the only two recent meetings between these two teams, with both of those games decided by a double-digit margin.

3. X-Factor - St. John's has failed to cover the spread in nine of it's last 13 games versus Big East opposition, and four of it's last five away from home.

Selection: This is a play on the Xavier Musketeers (*8)