Xavier Eyes Fourth Straight Win Against Unpredictable Seton Hall

The Xavier Musketeers are heating up at the right time, but they’ll need to stay focused as they face an unpredictable Seton Hall squad in Newark, N.J., on Sunday afternoon.

Xavier (17-10, 9-7 Big East) started conference play 1-4 but has won eight of its last 11 games, including three straight. The Musketeers are currently on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament, making every game crucial down the stretch.

“We have a hungry, veteran group that is playing well,” head coach Sean Miller said. “I’d say we’re playing some of our best basketball right now.”

Xavier’s Balanced Attack Fuels Its Surge

The Musketeers are coming off a 76-63 win over Butler on Tuesday, a game where they recorded 21 assists on 29 made field goals—a testament to their unselfish, fast-paced offense.

Zach Freemantle (16.8 PPG) leads a well-balanced scoring attack, with four Musketeers averaging double figures. Against Butler, Ryan Conwell and Freemantle each scored 14, while Dayvion McKnight and Dailyn Swain added 13 apiece.

Seton Hall’s Upset Potential?

Despite a rough season, Seton Hall (7-19, 2-13 Big East) showed they can play spoiler, snapping a nine-game losing streak with a shocking 69-68 overtime win over UConn in their last home game.

However, the Pirates followed that upset with an 80-56 loss to No. 16 Marquette, continuing a five-game home losing streak.

Seton Hall is led by Isaiah Coleman (15.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG), who had 23 points in the UConn win but just 13 against Marquette. Chaunce Jenkins (11.4 PPG) has missed eight straight games with a knee injury, further weakening the Pirates’ offense.

Seton Hall’s Lineup Uncertain

Injuries have made Seton Hall’s lineup unpredictable, and head coach Shaheen Holloway admitted he’s still unsure who will be available on Sunday.

“It all depends on who I can practice with,” Holloway said. “If I don’t have guys in front of me, I can’t prepare, I can’t play. Whoever can go, we’ll try to get it right for a very good Xavier team.”

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Can Xavier Avoid a Letdown?

With NCAA Tournament hopes on the line, Xavier can’t afford a misstep against a struggling Seton Hall team that has already proven capable of pulling off an upset at home.

Will the Musketeers keep rolling, or can the Pirates shock another Big East contender?