Life in the Big East Conference is a grind and it doesn't slow down when a team is struggling.
For as tough as the last few weeks and months have been for Xavier's men's basketball team, the Musketeers are still in a good position to reach the NCAA Tournament, but Xavier would like to play better basketball over the final four games of the regular season.
Coming off a loss at No. 24 UConn on Saturday – the second loss in a row and the sixth in the last nine games – the Musketeers could use a good game on Wednesday (7 p.m., CBS Sports) at No. 11 Providence.
The Friars are in first place in the Big East standings and the Dunkin' Donuts Center is always a tough venue to escape with a win.
Providence is 22-3 overall, 12-2 in the Big East, and the Friars are 14-1 at home.
Xavier (17-9, 7-8) met Providence about a month ago in Cintas Center and the Friars won it at the buzzer with a 3-pointer from Jared Bynum, who's currently playing some of the best basketball of his career.
"I always think with Providence, No. 1, we gotta control the glass," Xavier head coach Travis Steele Monday during his pre-game press conference. "No. 2, we gotta have a great attack against their zone, which can slow a lot of teams down with their size and their length. And then, No. 3, we have to value the ball."
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