While the Musketeers are familiar with Madison Square Garden -- they lost in the first round of the Big East Tournament there -- the experienced Bonnies will have a decided crowd edge in the NIT semifinals. St. Bonaventure should make it hard for Xavier to score inside; that's where Osun Osunniyi (11.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.9 bpg) contests everything. It will be up to Xavier's Nate Johnson and Adam Kunkel, who are 9 of 38 from 3-point range in the NIT, to carry the load offensively. The Musketeers did an admirable job of getting to the Garden without senior guard Paul Scruggs (torn ACL). But this is a bad matchup for them. Look for Xavier to fall to 1-7 ATS in its last eight games at neutral sites.

There's not much to say that my counterparts have not covered for this Bonnies Xavier matchup. This is going to be a home game for SBU, they're a fan favorite in their home state and travel well already. They get to play at The Mecca and I expect they'll have the motivation and the shooting to get this one done. I'm going with the money line.

The NIT semifinals will take center stage at Madison Square Garden. The Musketeers needed all 40 minutes to top Vanderbilt in their latest NIT victory. Playing without Paul Scruggs (knee), Xavier has very little room for error. Although St. Bonaventure has the edge in experience, it struggles to put teams away. Grab the Musketeers as they fight hard against the Bonnies.

Xavier was able to get by Vanderbilt without the out-for-season Paul Scruggs (11.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.1 apg) to reach the NIT semifinals, but I don't see that happening here to reach the final. The Musketeers have been able to play all three NIT games at home; they have lost their past five outside Cincinnati (including neutral site for Big East Tournament, also at Madison Square Garden). The Bonnies have won all three NIT games on the road and I'd imagine have a sizable fan support edge tonight in NYC. Xavier has covered the spread in just four of its last 14 games and might be the worst team that Bona has faced so far in this tournament.

Saint Bonaventure has won all three NIT games on the road, and at some tough places: Colorado,, Oklahoma, and Virginia. Xavier had the luxury of playing its NIT games at home. The Musketeers didn’t make the NCAA Tournament because it couldn’t win on the road (4-6), or on neutral courts, where the Musketeers lost their first game in the Big East Tournament. The Bonnies get the win Tuesday.