BIG EAST BASKETBALL

NO. 3 VILLANOVA AT NO. 4 XAVIER AT CINTAS CENTER, 4:30 P.M. TV/Radio: Records:

Big East); FOX29/WTEL (610AM). Villanova (23-3 overall, 10-3 Xavier (24-3, 12-2).

Probable starters for Villanova:

Jalen Brunson 6-3 Jr. G (19.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.7 apg, 54 FG percentage, 43 3-point FG percentage); Mikal Bridges 6-7 Jr. G/F (16.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.2 apg, 48 FG percentage, 39 3-point field goal percentage); Donte DiVincenzo 6-5 RSo. G (14.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 49 FG percentage, 40 3-point FG percentage); Omari Spellman 6-8 RFr. F (10.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 48 FG percentage, 44 3-point FG percentage); Eric Paschall 6-7 RJr. F (10.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 51 FG percentage).

Probable starters for Xavier:

Trevon Bluiett 6-6 Sr. G (19.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, 44.3 3-point FG percentage); JP Macura 6-5 Sr. G (12.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.0 apg); Kerem Kantner 6-10 Grad F (10.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg); Quentin Goodin 6-4 So. G (8.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.0 apg); Naji Marshall 6-7 Fr. F (8.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.5 apg).

Is this the time when the Wildcats suffer back-to-back losses for the first time since the end of the 2012-13 season? It will be if they

A look at Villanova:

don’t make shots from beyond the 3-point line. In the last three games Villanova is 17-for-71 from deep (23.9 percent). It’s been a group effort. Brunson is 3-for-19 in that stretch, DiVincenzo 3-for-15, Bridges 3-for-14 and Spellman 2-for-9. The Wildcats had a season low of three triples in the 76-71 loss at Providence Wednesday night. Even the return of forward Eric Paschall from a concussion could not help, but it did give the Wildcats some much-needed depth. Villanova has won the last three meetings by an average of 22.3 points.

A look at Xavier:

won nine

The Musketeers have in a row since that 89-65 whipping by the Wildcats back on Jan. 10, and are coming off a 102-90 romp over Seton Hall. Xavier is 16-0 at the Cintas Center. A win would put the Musketeers two up in the loss column on the Wildcats in the race for the Big East regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. Villanova has won the last four regular-season titles. Goodin has upped his point production lately. He is averaging 11.8 points over the last six games. Bluiett, Macura and graduate student Sean O’Mara are looking for their 100th career win at Xavier.