Xavier @ Texas Christian preview

Xavier closes out the non-conference portion of its schedule Sunday at TCU in the final game of the inaugural Big East-Big 12 Battle. The Musketeers, who lost their only true road game Dec. 14 at Wake Forest, expect a tough test from the Horned Frogs.

TCU has won two in a row after a 80-78 loss to USC on Dec. 6. The Horned Frogs' other loss came by two points to Clemson in overtime. On the defensive end of the floor is one of the areas where TCU excels, ranking 16th nationally entering Saturday in steals while giving up 60.7 points per game. Xavier also emphasizes defense, going 8-0 this season when holding opponents to 74 points or fewer, but coach Travis Steele believes the Musketeers haven't come close to reaching their potential in the first two months of the season.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT XAVIER (10-2): Three starters - Naji Marshall (16.9 points per game), Paul Scruggs (15.2) and Tyrique Jones (13.0) - average in double figures. Quentin Goodin, who is fifth in Xavier history with 492 career assists, is coming off his best game of the season Wednesday when he scored a career-high 25 points while going 9-for-11 from the field, including 4-for-4 on 3-pointers, in the win over Western Carolina. Jones is a force on the boards, leading the nation in offensive rebounds with 4.6 per game and averaging 9.7 overall after collecting 11 boards and a career-best six assists against Western Carolina.

ABOUT TCU (8-2): Steele called Desmond Bane, a 6-foot-6 senior guard who leads the team in scoring at 16.1 points per game and steals with 17 while also averaging 6.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists, an All-American-type player. Kevin Samuel, a 6-11 sophomore center who is one of two returning starters from last season along with Bane, is the team's top rebounder (8.4 per game) and third leading scorer (11.5 points). Sophomore guard RJ Nembhard leads the Horned Frogs in assists with 3.9 per game and is their second leading scorer (12.9).

TIP-INS

1. Marshall will return Sunday after missing Xavier's victory over Western Carolina on Wednesday with a stomach virus.

2. Samuel ranked fourth nationally in field goal percentage at 69.2 and tied for 11th in double-doubles with six.

3. TCU leads Big 12 teams in 3-point field goals with 9.4 per game.

PREDICTION: TCU 65, Xavier 63