Providence @ Xavier preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 9, 2018 ) Providence 75, Xavier 72

Xavier already has lost as many conference games as it did in 2017-18, when it went 15-3 in league play to win the Big East regular-season title. The Musketeers have split their first six games in conference play this season and will hope a return home will get them back on track when they host struggling Providence on Wednesday night.

Xavier was denied in its bid for a third consecutive victory, dropping an 85-75 decision at No. 18 Villanova on Friday, and expects another rugged battle against Providence. "They're a team a lot like us," Musketeers coach Travis Steele said. "It's gonna be a war on the glass. I think that's the biggest key to the game." The Friars also are coming off a loss to a ranked opponent, falling at No. 11 Marquette to lose for the fourth time in five games. "As a leader of this group, I have to try to keep everyone’s heads up and make sure we’re looking ahead to the next game and not dwell on this loss,” Providence leading scorer Alpha Diallo said.

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, FSI

ABOUT PROVIDENCE (11-7, 1-4 Big East): Sophomore center Nate Watson is becoming a bigger force for the Friars, scoring 16 of his 21 points in the second half against Marquette to match his season-high point total set against Georgetown on Jan. 12. "We’re trying to give Nate the ball as much as we can," Providence coach Ed Cooley said of the 6-foot-10, 250-pound Watson, who is averaging 11.1 points. "I think he’s a physical presence in there.” Diallo, who tops the Big East at 8.6 rebounds per game, averaged 13.4 points and only three boards in three meetings versus Xavier in 2017-18.

ABOUT XAVIER (11-8, 3-3): While the Musketeers have great balance on offense with five players scoring in double figures, bruising forward Tyrique Jones registered his second double-double in three games with a career-high 21 points and 12 rebounds against Villanova. Sophomore Naji Marshall, the team's leading scorer at 13.3 points, shot 37.5 percent from long range as a freshman but has connected on only 19.7 percent of his 3-point attempts this season after going 1-for-7 for the second straight game. "That's been a little bit of an Achilles heel for our team this year," Steele said.

OVERTIME

1. Xavier has won all seven home matchups versus Providence.

2. The Friars lead the conference in offensive rebounds at 12.3 per game.

3. The Musketeers are averaging seven turnovers over the past three games.

PREDICTION: Xavier 77, Providence 73