The set-up: Xavier was 19-13 last year and Oakland finished 14-19. The Grizzlies will start the year without star guard Zion Young, due to eligibility issues. Oakland lost plenty of other talent in the off-season and while this used to be a mid-major team which the power conferences had to take seriously, that's not going to be the case this year. Rashad Williams averaged 19.5 points per game last year, but beyond him, this Grizzlies team is thin for sure.

The pick: Xavier Coach Travis Steele is on the hot seat this year. The Musketeers are accustomed to winning big, but he's yet to attain the level that the fan base expects. With many key starters and others returning though, Steele is set to have his team climb back to prominence. Paul Scruggs averaged 12.7 points per game last year, and he leads a rugged group of gritty swingmen. Look for Xavier's depth and experience to prove to be too much for these young Grizzlies to handle down the stretch.

This is an 8* DESTRUCTION on Xavier.