By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

This is not a situation Xavier is used to, at least not in the previous two seasons under coach Thad Matta.

It's early in the Atlantic 10 season, but Xavier is 1-2 and looking at a challenging road ahead to win its third straight division title.

The Musketeers are 9-6 overall, losers of two straight, and need a win at 7:30 p.m. today against LaSalle at Cintas Center to avoid losing two home games for the first time since 1995-96.

More important, Xavier needs a win to stay within a manageable distance of first-place Dayton, which is 4-0 in the A-10 West and hosts George Washington tonight. The Musketeers are in the midst of one of their most daunting stretches of the season.

After playing La Salle tonight, Xavier hosts Richmond and then travels to George Washington and Dayton before returning home against Cincinnati Feb.3. The Musketeers will have a better idea of whether they will contend for a conference title and an NCAA Tournament bid after those games.

With two conference losses, Xavier already has equaled the most it has lost in either of Matta's first two seasons. No Matta team at Xavier has lost three straight games.

"We're not in desperate measures," senior point guard Lionel Chalmers said. "But we're in a situation where we have to win a few in a row. We like where we're at. ... A lot of teams start out 0-2, 0-3 and still win the conference."

To do that, Xavier might have to balance its offense. The Musketeers have become more perimeter-oriented in the last two games, which has led to a drop in production from center Anthony Myles.

Myles could be a factor tonight because La Salle does not have a true center.

"It's a major part of the whole process," Myles said. "Once we have that equal balance, we're a good team. But when teams stop us from having that balance, it's hard for us to do what we want to do."

It's not just offensively where Myles needs to be more involved, Matta said.

"He's got to get the ball and establish himself down there," Matta said, "but on the same token, he's got to keep his focus and continue to play at both ends of the floor."

Tonight, against LaSalle (7-9, 2-1 A-10), Xavier will meet a team that has lost two in a row to George Washington and Pennsylvania. Coach Billy Hahn has one of the more talented offensive teams in the Atlantic 10, but it's also the youngest, starting four sophomores and a freshman.

The Explorers started the season losing four straight games before winning seven of the next 10. The latest two-game slide has Hahn wondering which LaSalle team will show up tonight.

"With a young team, they're always looking for older players to show them the way," said Hahn, who gets fewer than five points a game from seniors. "So there's a lack of leadership from the top."

Xavier vs. La Salle

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. today, Cintas Center (10,250).

Records: Xavier 9-6 (1-2 Atlantic 10), La Salle 7-9 (2-1).

Radio: WKRC-AM (550).

TV: Fox Sports Net Ohio.

Series: Xavier leads 22-4.

Line: Xavier by 13 1/2.

XAVIER

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Anthony Myles	Sr.	6-9	10.0
Justin Doellman	Fr.	6-9	6.4
Lionel Chalmers	Sr.	6-0	14.5
Romain Sato	Sr.	6-5	16.9
Dedrick Finn	So.	6-1	9.3

Coach: Thad Matta (61-18, third season; 85-26 overall),

LaSALLE

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Steven Smith	So.	6-9	15.9
David Bell	So.	6-7	7.1
Mike St. John	Fr.	6-8	3.3
Jermaine Thomas	So.	6-2	7.3
Gary Neal	So.	6-4	20.4

Coach: Billy Hahn (35-42, third season; 77-87 overall).

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E-mail ddow@enquirer.com