Providence will be out to win consecutive Big East Conference games for the second time this month when Xavier pays a visit Wednesday.
Wednesday’s game originally was set for Tuesday before it was rescheduled because of inclement weather.
The Friars (12-15, 5-11 Big East) are coming off a 71-68 victory Saturday at DePaul, overcoming flight delays and a game day arrival at Chicago to sweep the season series from the Blue Demons.
“Once you get to last place, you’re wasting your time even looking at (the standings),” Providence head coach Kim English said as his team sits one game out of the bottom spot in the conference. “… We’re just playing the next game, and if we win, great, and just keep doing that one game at a time.”
Vanderbilt transfer Jason Edwards provided a spark for the Friars after missing a game against St. John’s with a foot injury. He had 17 points off the bench with six assists and four rebounds.
Jaylin Sellers had a game-high 21 points at DePaul. Edwards and Sellers both average a team-best 17.3 per game.
The Musketeers (13-14, 5-11) are on a two-game skid and have dropped seven straight Big East road games after an 80-75 defeat at Butler on Saturday. Xavier never led but made a late run to cut a 21-point deficit down to two in the final minutes.
Tre Carroll posted his fourth straight double-digit scoring game with 24 points, including 13 of Xavier’s 47 in the second half. Six of the Musketeers’ last eight losses have been by five points or less.
“We’re close, but what does it really matter? We’ve got to continue to help them to see if we can push through and win some of these close games,” Xavier coach Richard Pitino said.
“Certainly, showed great heart to come back, cut it to two, had several chances to tie it, but couldn’t do it. Just a tale of two halves, for sure.”
Xavier had its second-highest scoring game of the season in the first matchup with Providence and committed only four turnovers in a 97-84 home victory Jan. 10. Malik Messina-Moore scored a season-high 23 points to lead five Musketeers in double figures.
–Field Level Media
