Scouting report: Can Xavier capture Big East road victory at Villanova?
Xavier is 0-2 in true road games this season and were outplayed on both sides of the ball the last time they left Cintas Center in an 81-66 loss at St. John's on Dec. 20.
Xavier begins a run of 18 Big East games over the next 66 days on Wednesday when they visit the Villanova Wildcats in Philadelphia.
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Can Xavier build off its 74-54 drubbing of Seton Hall in conference play? Here's everything to know about the matchup.
Xavier vs. Villanova
Tip: Wednesday, 8:30 p.m., Finneran Pavilion (6,501)
TV/Radio: FS1/700 WLW
Ratings: Xavier is No. 43 in KenPom. Villanova is No. 24.
History: Xavier is just 4-17 all-time vs. Villanova. The Musketeers snapped a five-game losing streak vs. the Wildcats in January last year in its first-ever road win in the rivalry. Villanova returned the favor with a one-point victory at Cintas Center.
Villanova Wildcats scouting report
Record: 9-4
Head coach: Kyle Neptune (26-21 at Villanova, second season)
Offense: 73.6 ppg
Defense: 63.5 ppg
Overview: In the first year of the Kyle Neptune era last season, Villanova missed the NCAA Tournament for just the third time since 2004, going 17-17. Neptune, a former Villanova assistant, replaced two-time national-champion Jay Wright after the Wildcats' Final Four run in 2022.
Like Xavier, Villanova has had an early season of highs and lows. A four-game winning streak brought the Wildcats to 6-1, but it was followed by a three-game losing streak (Saint Joseph's, Drexel and Kansas State), then three-straight wins before the Christmas break (UCLA, Creighton, DePaul). Villanova went on the road and beat Creighton and DePaul to begin Big East play. The Wildcats were at their best against DePaul, shooting 53.6% from the field, 54.5% from beyond the arc (12-of-22) and holding the Blue Demons to just 30.4% shooting in an 84-48 victory.
Villanova is led by a pair of fifth-year players with all-Big East selections on their resumes in forward Eric Dixon and guard Justin Moore. Dixon, a 6-foot-8 forward, is averaging a team-high 14.9 points per game and will test an unproven Xavier frontcourt defense. Moore is averaging 13.3 points but has missed the last three games due to a knee injury suffered in the loss to Kansas State Dec. 5. Moore had 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting in Villanova's win at Cintas Center in February. In his absence, guard Jordan Longino has 25 points, 8 assists, 8 steals, 6 rebounds and 3 turnovers over the last three games. Moore's status is up in the air for the matchup against Xavier.
Richmond transfer Tyler Burton averages 9.4 points and a team-high 8.1 rebounds per game with three double-doubles on the year.
It will be another tough road task for Xavier's offense against a Villanova squad that ranks 17th in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. Opponents are shooting just over 40% from the floor against the Wildcats this season. Villanova held four of its five December opponents under 60 points in regulation.
Villanova came in at No. 37 in the latest AP Top 25 Poll, receiving six votes.
Projected lineup
(Pos., Height, Stats)
Justin Moore (G, 6'5", 13.3 ppg)
T.J. Bamba (G, 6'5", 8.5 ppg)
Mark Armstrong (G, 6'2", 6.6 ppg)
Eric Dixon (F, 6'8", 14.9 ppg)
Tyler Burton (F, 6'7", 9.4 ppg)
Xavier Musketeers scouting report
Record: 7-6
Head coach: Sean Miller (154-63 at Xavier, seventh season)
Offense: 75.3 ppg
Defense: 69.5 ppg
Overview: Xavier had a 37-day break between true road games (Nov. 13 at Purdue) before entering the compact, intimate hornet's nest that was Carnesecca Arena and falling to St. John's in a game the Musketeers never led. Expect Xavier to be better prepared for what's in store on the road when it visits Villanova Wednesday.
Can Xavier find consistency and build on its 20-point win over Seton Hall? It's one of the New Year's resolutions for a squad that has been stellar when its back is against the wall but has been flat in other spots. Villanova will be the third team Xavier has played this season that ranks in the top 30 in scoring defense. Xavier put up 60 points against No. 1 Houston and 66 vs. No. 7 Saint Mary's earlier this season.
As phenomenal as Quincy Olivari and Desmond Claude have been at pacing Xavier's offense, the emergence of Dayvion McKnight is a key factor. The Western Kentucky transfer is coming off a 15-point, 10-assist double-double against Seton Hall and is starting to find his groove from the perimeter, hitting six triples in the last four games.
"I think that's a valuable part to our offensive future, to make sure he (McKnight) takes open threes," Miller said. "He doesn't have to go 3-for-5, but I think his ability to take those changes a lot of things for our offense."
Xavier is 6-1 this season when McKnight scores in double figures and 1-5 when he doesn't. Aside from averaging 13.2 points over the last five contests, McKnight is averaging 6.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds and just 1.8 turnovers per game in that span.
Projected lineup
(Pos., Height, Stats)
Dayvion McKnight (G, 6'0", 9.5 ppg)
Quincy Olivari (G, 6'3", 18.2 ppg)
Desmond Claude (G, 6'6", 15.1 ppg)
Lazar Djokovic (F, 6'10", 3.3 ppg)
Abou Ousmane (F, 6'10", 8.4 ppg)
Quick hits
Olivari was named to the Big East Honor Roll for the third consecutive week, according to a press release. Olivari averaged 21 points in two games prior to the Christmas break, scoring a game-high 29 vs. Seton Hall. Since returning from Las Vegas, Olivari is shooting 49.2% from three-point range (29-for-59) and averaging 21.8 points per game.
Abou Ousmane returned to the starting lineup on Dec. 5 against Delaware. In the five games since, the North Texas transfer is averaging a near double-double per night at 9.2 points and 9.4 rebounds.
More: 'A reset for me.' Abou Ousmane is a leader, enforcer in return to Xavier starting lineup
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Xavier Musketeers look for Big East road win at Villanova
