Following Wednesday's win over Morehead State, Xavier head coach Travis Steele was finally able to talk to his team about the Big East Conference and Saturday's opener (4 p.m., Fox Sports 1) against Marquette at Cintas Center.
"That was the first time we've talked about it," said Steele. "... This is the first time we've really talked in depth about what we're about to embark on because it's a journey, it's a marathon. And there's gonna be highs, there's gonna be lows, right? We've got to be able to navigate those highs and lows in order to come out on top."
Ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press poll, Xavier has won six in a row heading into conference play at 10-1 overall.
Marquette (8-3) got off to a great start this season under new head coach Shaka Smart. The Golden Eagles won at home over Illinois, then collected neutral-site wins over Ole Miss and West Virginia in the Charleston Classic.
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Marquette's three losses all came against ranked opponents (Wisconsin, St. Bonaventure and UCLA) so the Golden Eagles have had a lot of tough tests in the non-conference.
Marquette added a lot of transfers after last season and the Golden Eagles are aggressive and play fast.
Point guard Tyler Kolek is a premier passer and he's a menace on the ball defensively with his ability to generate steals and live-ball turnovers.
Justin Lewis is Marquette's leading scorer and Steele called him a matchup problem. Lewis and Maryland transfer Darryl Morsell are the only two Golden Eagles scoring in double figures.
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