Men's Basketball Is Back In Action On Wednesday Night At Villanova

Wednesday, January 3

Villanova, Pa.

8:30 p.m.

Xavier University

Villanova

Men's Basketball Is Back In Action On Wednesday Night At Villanova

12.31.23 | Men's Basketball

GAME NOTES VS. VILLANOVA

Xavier has not played a game since Dec. 23 win over Seton Hall.

By: Tom Eiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

VILLANOVA, PA. --- The Xavier University Musketeers, 7-6 overall and 1-1 in the BIG EAST Conference, visit the Villanova University Wildcats, 9-4 overall and 2-0 in the BIG EAST, on Wednesday night. Both teams have been off since Dec. 23.

Xavier is coming off a 74-54 win over Seton Hall on Dec. 23, while Villanova is one of two teams that are 2-0 to start BIG EAST play. Xavier recorded an 88-80 win at Villanova last season.

THE MATCHUP

XAVIER UNIVERSITY MUSKETEERS (7-6, 1-1 BIG EAST)
VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY WILDCATS (9-4, 2-0 BIG EAST)
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2024 AT 8:30 P.M. ET
AT FINNERAN PAVILION IN VILLANOVA, PA.

TV, RADIO AND LIVE STATS

Television: FS1 with play-by-play from Tim Brando and analysis from Bill Raftery.
Xavier Radio: 700 WLW AM with play-by-play from Xavier Hall of Famer Joe Sunderman ('79) and analysis from XU all-time leading scorer and Hall of Famer Byron Larkin ('88). XU broadcast is also on the Varsity Network and on SXM.
Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com.

X FACTORS

• Xavier has 10 newcomers on the 2023-24 roster, including six freshmen. The six freshmen have logged 32 percent of the minutes played this season, the most for a Xavier team since the 1995-96 season with Lenny Brown, Gary Lumpkin and Darnell Williams.
• Xavier graduate student Quincy Olivari, who earned a spot on the BIG EAST Conference Honor Roll for the third-straight week on Dec. 27, has averaged 25.0 ppg. over the last five games.
• Xavier's Quincy Olivari, who is second in the BIG EAST in scoring at 18.2 ppg., is also second in the BIG EAST in 3-point field goals per game at 2.92 and second in 3-point percentage at 43.7 percent (38-87).
• Xavier senior Dayvion McKnight leads the BIG EAST and is 13th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.50. He is fourth in the BIG EAST in assists at 5.4 per game. McKnight record his first double-double as a Musketeer with 15 points and 10 assists vs. Seton Hall on Dec. 23.
• Xavier sophomore Desmond Claude is second on the team in scoring at 15.1 ppg. (14th in the BIG EAST), second in assists (3.8 apg.) and tied for second in rebounding (4.9 rpg.). Claude recorded his first career double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds at St. John's on Dec. 20.
• Xavier senior Abou Ousmane has recorded two double-doubles in the last four games, including 16 points and 10 rebounds with five blocks in the win over Seton Hall on Dec. 23. Ousmane is fifth in the BIG EAST in blocks at 1.6 bpg.
• Xavier head coach Sean Miller has 154 wins in his seventh season leading Xavier (third on XU's all-time wins list).