Xavier, Butler seek momentum entering conference tourney

Field Level Media|published: Tue 5th March, 18:27 2024

Xavier Musketeers guard Quincy Olivari (8) celebrates in the second half of the NCAA Big East conference basketball game between the Xavier Musketeers and the DePaul Blue Demons at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. credits: Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

For Xavier and Butler, it's about building momentum entering the upcoming Big East tournament.

The Musketeers eye a third straight victory while trying to keep the host Bulldogs from winning consecutive games for the first time in more than a month Wednesday night at Indianapolis.

Xavier (15-14, 9-9 Big East) and Butler (17-13, 8-11) each aim to finish the regular season on a positive run, then hope to make noise in next week's conference tournament.

The Musketeers ended their season-high four-game slide with last week's 91-58 rout of lowly DePaul, then won 98-93 at Georgetown over the weekend.

Quincy Olivari (19.3 points per game) scored 32 against DePaul, while Desmond Claude (16.0 ppg) posted a career-best 36 points as Xavier overcame a 15-point hole to beat the Hoyas.

"(Rallying to beat Georgetown) was a really important win for us. To come on the road is a challenge everywhere," said Xavier coach Sean Miller, whose team has shot 53.3 percent in the past two against the Big East's bottom two teams.

The Musketeers are 3-7 on the road but should have confidence knowing they won the first 2023-24 meeting with Butler. Claude had 26 points and Olivari hit five 3-pointers as Xavier went 10-of-21 from beyond the arc during the 85-71 home win over the Bulldogs on Jan. 16.

Butler is mired in a three-game home losing streak, where it's dropped the past two by a combined 45 points. However, the Bulldogs snapped a season-high five-game losing streak with Saturday's 82-63 road victory over DePaul.

"This sport is hard, and you can't feel sorry for yourself," said Butler coach Thad Matta, whose team last won two straight during a four-game run from Jan. 20-Feb. 2.

"You got to go out and you got to perform every time you take the floor."

Butler's DJ Davis (13.7 ppg) had 24 points and went 5-of-8 from 3-point range against DePaul. He was 5-of-33 from distance and totaled 40 points in the previous five games.

Davis made two free throws for his only points at Xavier in January. Teammate Pierre Brooks (14.8 ppg) scored 22 and Posh Alexander (11.0 ppg) added 21 in that contest.

-Field Level Media

Latest