By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Today's game is not the fight for first place that Xavier and Dayton waged twice last season.

Nonetheless, when the Atlantic 10 Conference rivals meet for a rematch at 2 p.m. today at Cintas Center, they will play for more than just bragging rights.

In fact, it might just be the biggest game of the season to date for each team. Xavier (15-9, 6-5 A-10) is trying to extend its five-game winning streak and stay on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Dayton (20-5, 10-2) has lost two of three games and needs to solidify its claim to the top spot in the A-10 West and pick up another quality road win for NCAA Tournament consideration.

"If we continue our streak and beat Dayton, I think it would be one of the biggest things so far in this winning streak," Xavier senior center Anthony Myles said. "This is one of those games that we want and we feel that we have to get."

The Musketeers missed a chance to upset Dayton at UD Arena Jan. 31 when they lost 74-67 after building a nine-point second-half lead. Xavier could not stop Dayton point guard Ramod Marshall, who was named the Most Valuable Player for leading Dayton in the comeback win with 21 points. That game clearly exposed Xavier's inability at that time to make necessary plays to win close games.

In winning five straight since that loss, Xavier defeated then-No. 10 Cincinnati in the final minute and won a critical game at Richmond with big shots in the second half.

"It's important for our guys to have actually done it," Xavier coach Thad Matta said. "It gives us no guarantees the next time we play, but having finished games has been good for us."

Eight of the last 10 games in this series have been decided by eight points or less, and today's is expected to be no different. Xavier is a 4 1/2-point favorite.

Matta was most disappointed by his team's defense against Dayton three weeks ago. Freshman forward Justin Cage had not yet moved into the starting lineup, which created a matchup problem for Xavier against UD forward Keith Waleskowski. The preseason A-10 first-team all-conference member scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds and contributed to Dayton's 42-24 points-in-the-paint advantage.

"It's a big challenge," Cage said. "Mainly, I've got to stop their go-to guy and rebound. I've got to step up and be ready. If you box him out five or six times, and you slip up on that seventh time, he's going to get you."

When it comes to controlling the game and establishing tempo, Marshall is the most dangerous player that Xavier must contain.

Marshall has adapted well to first-year coach Brian Gregory's offense. Marshall's playmaking helped Dayton shoot 58 percent from the field in the first meeting.

Marshall enters today's game battling a shooting slump, which Gregory attributes to Marshall's handling of so much responsibility.

"The other aspects of his game have been fine," Gregory said.

Xavier point guard Lionel Chalmers was ineffective in the first game, hitting just two 3-pointers for six points with one assist and three turnovers.

"I personally had a bad outing," Chalmers said. "We didn't do a lot of good things at all. We were in the game and had a chance."

Xavier does have tradition on its side playing in Cincinnati. Dayton leads the series 78-57, but the Flyers haven't won in Cincinnati since the 1980-81 season, which is also the last time UD swept the home-and-home regular-season series.

"Half my guys weren't even alive then," Gregory said. "It's a streak that people talk about, but (Xavier's) not going to give up that streak. We're going to have to take it."

Xavier vs. Dayton

Tipoff: 2 p.m. today, Cintas Center (10,250).

Records: Xavier 15-9, 6-5 A-10; Dayton 20-5, 10-2.

Radio: WKRC-AM (550).

TV: ESPN.

Series: Dayton leads 78-57.

Line: Xavier by 6.

XAVIER

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Justin Cage	Fr.	6-6	4.8
Anthony Myles	Sr.	6-9	9.5
Justin Doellman	Fr.	6-9	6.2
Lionel Chalmers	Sr.	6-0	15.4
Romain Sato	Sr.	6-5	15.8

Coach: Thad Matta (67-21, third year; 91-29 overall).

DAYTON

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Keith Waleskowski	Sr.	6-8	13.2
Marques Bennett	So.	6-5	3.3
Sean Finn	Sr.	7-0	13.3
Mark Jones	Jr.	6-1	9.6
Ramod Marshall	Sr.	6-2	14.0

Coach: Brian Gregory (20-5, first year; same overall).

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E-mail ddow@enquirer.com