the league phase and I think he will win it overall. Yo the league phase and I think he will win it overall. Yo | Forum

CINCINNATI -- No rest for weary Xavier. Joe Namath Jersey .Less than 72 hours after a sloppy 84-81 victory over Lehigh in their regular season home opener, the 11th-ranked Musketeers must hop right back in the saddle.With senior guard Myles Davis suspended and forward Kaiser Gates recovering from knee surgery, XU isnt nearly as deep as its been in recent years. That showed up on Friday when Patriot League favorite Lehigh pushed them until the final buzzer.The Musketeers, who host Buffalo on Monday night at 7 p.m. at Cintas Center, began the season with only eight scholarship players.Its no secret right now, we dont have a ton of depth, said head coach Chris Mack.Xaviers options still are better than many teams in the country.On Friday, Trevon Bluiett scored a career-high 25 points with 11 rebounds and three assists. Edmond Sumner added a personal-best 24 points and Sean OMara tied a career-high with 10 points.But, Mack wasnt pleased with Bluietts defensive effort or Sumners ball handling, given he committed six of the teams 17 turnovers which helped spark Lehighs upset bid.Some of the mistakes we made were inexcusable down the stretch, Mack said. Its inexcusable. We have to correct those. We turn the page quickly and play Buffalo on Monday. Mack said hed wait until after Mondays game to respond when asked if its better to get back on the court barely two days after Fridays performance or if hed prefer to get some practice time in.The Musketeers are in a learning curve early in the season but still talented enough to be picked second in the Big East Conference behind defending national champion Villanova.Buffalo is dealing with its own depth issues heading into Mondays game which is the first meeting between the two teams.The Bulls defeated Niagara 76-66 on Friday night despite playing without top guard C.J. Massinburg whos out indefinitely with mononucleosis.Were a little thin in the backcourt without C.J., head coach Nate Oats told the Buffalo News.Monday marks the second game for senior wing Blake Hamilton who returned after being out six weeks with a broken bone in his left hand. He scored 11 points on Friday.Backup forward David Kadiri is day to day with a knee injury.As for Davis status with Xavier, it was unchanged as of Friday.Earlier this week, Davis, who averaged nearly 11 points and led the team in assists last season, pleaded guilty to one charge of disorderly conduct involving damage to his ex-girlfriends property. Mack said Davis would have to earn his way back on to the team.The Musketeers certainly could use him. At one point in Fridays game, Xavier had two freshman and four first-year players on the court at once.This isnt the same Xavier team which went 28-6 and earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. By March, its likely that talent will mesh, but for now XU is a work in progress. On Friday, Lehighs bench outscored Xaviers 23-7.Its not algebra, said Mack. You look down (the bench), there isnt a lot of options, theres maybe two or three. Curtis Martin Jets Jersey . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. Chuma Edoga Youth Jersey . Self was acquired from the Buffalo Bandits in a trade for Alex Hill midway through last season, and made his debut in Rochester on March 16, 2013. http://www.authenticnyjetspro.com/Mark-gastineau-jets-jersey/ . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year.With the brand new Premier League very nearly upon us, the oracle Wayne Mardle looks into his crystal ball and takes us through his predictions for the season. The superstars come out to play when the First Direct Arena in Leeds hosts the opening night of tungsten action this Thursday night, live on Sky Sports.Defending champion Gary Anderson, world No 1 Michael van Gerwen and six-time winner Phil Taylor head a star-studded 10-man field which heads to 16 venues with over 100,000 fans expected to turn out. Its the biggest tournament ever and the four-time World Championship semi-finalist and former Premier League star Mardle takes us through his overall predictions for the season.The dark horse Dave Chizzy Chisnall will not be far off from repeating his performance last season where he so nearly won the league. I think now hes got this game where he used to be so hit and miss. If he was slightly off he would lose. Hes not like that anymore because hes found this consistent way of playing - he doesnt snatch like he used to - he just seems in control of himself and his darts and I think he will be the outsider to make the play-offs again.When [Raymond] Van Barneveld won it in 2014, he made the semi-final by just scrapping in and he hadnt beaten Phil [Taylor] in 21 attempts on TV. He beat Phil and then he beat Michael [Van Gerwen] in the final so any outcome is possible of that there is no doubt. (Chisnall 9/4 to make the play-offs at Sky Bet)Early exits For me its going to be Robert Thornton and Michael Smith. They are the two favourites to be eliminated or not make the cut, relegated, whatever you want to call it.Thornton is not playing well - hes played pretty poorly and at the Worlds he didnt look great. Theres a lot of things that are happening when Robert plays.He was the highest seed that went out at the Worlds and was 8-0 up at the Masters before going on to lose against Dave Chisnall - these things do not happen when youre not playing well. He wont be high on confidence. As for Michael Smith, the Premier League is difficult - I know that and all the players that play in it will tell you about that.A good start for him is paramount. I think he has to win the first two games. You dont have to win every week, but I just think he has to win in one of the first two weeks otherwise he could be on a bit of a downer with confidence. He doesnt seem the type to pick himself up to me.Power cut I dont think Phil Taylor will dominate. Quinnen Williams Jets Jersey. If he wins it, I think it will be the hard way. Nothing comes easy to Phil at the moment. Even when hes making or what seems to be making light work of an opponent he will miss and give them an opportunity, which is something he never used to do.Its just the mindset because when youre used to beating someone [like Phil Taylor] and then it turns the other way, its difficult. The mind plays tricks on you and you think youre not going to win even though you think youve got that chance, that opportunity. (Taylor 5/4 not to reach the play-offs with Sky Bet)Top guns I think Michael Van Gerwen and Gary Anderson will end up first and second in the Premier League table and I think Michael will finish top. Hes won it the last three years so I cant see no reason why he wont win it again - he is the best player on the planet - and he proves that consistently, even when he loses. At the World Championship he averaged 105 - the mans an absolute machine at the moment.Hes got that Phil Taylor mindset where he wants to win, win, win. Michael has never actually said that he is looking for perfection. As long as hes happy with his performance, hes OK. Whereas Phils always been 118 average, I can do better. Michael is 118 average, that was brilliant - yeah, I want to do that again.And the winner is... No great shakes - Michael Van Gerwen. Like I said, come the play-off, any one of the four who are in it can most certainly win the trophy. Van Gerwen, Anderson and Taylor have won it before. Barney has won it before. I think whoever qualifies will fancy it, I really do.Michael Van Gerwen, from day-to-day, he is just becoming an absolute certainty. He is winning games - he gets in early and rips them to shreds and makes the players doubt themselves.When he is behind he can fight back and he gets away with it like Phil Taylor used to. People panic when they have a chance to beat him and I just think he will take all the stopping. He will win the league phase and I think he will win it overall. You can watch the opening night live on Sky Sports 1 from 7pm on Thursday, we will be building up to the coverage this week and our live blog here at www.skysports.com/darts and on the Sky Sports app will keep you up to date with all the action. Also See: Studds Premier moments Premier League players Fixtures/Results On Sky TV Darts betting ' ' '