Xavier Musketeers vs Providence Fiar Picks and Predictions March 8th 2025

Xavier’s NCAA Hopes May Hinge on Keeping Streak Going vs. Providence

Xavier is looking to close the regular season on a high note and keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive when it hosts Providence on Saturday in Cincinnati.

The Musketeers (20-10, 12-7 Big East) enter the contest riding a conference-best six-game winning streak, with their most recent victory coming in a 91-78 road win over Butler on Wednesday.

The winning run, which has kept Xavier in the mix for an at-large tournament bid, began with a 91-82 victory over Providence on Feb. 12.

Xavier Riding Momentum, Eyeing NCAA Tournament Bid

With their latest win at Butler, the Musketeers earned their second Quad 2 victory in a week, further strengthening their postseason résumé.

Head coach Sean Miller has emphasized the importance of consistency and focus as Xavier pushes toward March Madness.

“What we’ve done a good job of is learning from each game, leaving it, being prepared, working together, being focused on the next game and the things we can control,” Miller said. “That continues for us.”

Xavier was led once again by graduate forward Zach Freemantle, who scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds against Butler.

Freemantle has been a dominant force in the Big East, ranking fifth in the conference in scoring (17.1 PPG) and rebounding (7.1 RPG).

With Providence up next, Miller knows his team has an opportunity to further solidify its tournament standing.

“We’re in the mix,” Miller said. “What we do have in front of us is Providence at home. It’s up to us to make that seven (straight wins) and keep moving on.”

When the teams last met on Feb. 12, Freemantle nearly posted a double-double with 23 points and nine rebounds, while Dante Maddox led all scorers with 26 points in Xavier’s road win.

Providence Continues to Struggle, Drops Another Close Game

Providence (12-18, 6-13 Big East) is enduring yet another losing streak, having dropped four straight games following an 80-77 loss to DePaul on Wednesday.

The Friars have now suffered three separate losing streaks of four or more games this season, a troubling trend as they approach the Big East Tournament.

Against DePaul, Providence squandered a 16-point lead and allowed multiple second-half scoring runs, including 11-0, 8-0, and 6-0 stretches, ultimately falling short despite strong individual performances.

Corey Floyd Jr. (25 points, eight rebounds) and freshman Ryan Mela (18 points, six rebounds, four steals) both set career highs, but it wasn’t enough to prevent another collapse.

Head coach Kim English has seen different issues arise in each loss, making it difficult to pinpoint one consistent weakness.

“It’s different every game,” English said. “It’s different. Some games it’s rebounding. Some games it’s transition defense. Some games it’s shot quality.”

Despite shooting 50 percent from the field, Providence let another opportunity slip away, even after Bensley Joseph was fouled on a potential game-tying three-pointer.

Big East Tournament Outlook

Xavier has locked up a first-round bye in next week’s Big East Tournament in New York, while Providence will have to play in Wednesday’s first round.

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What’s at Stake?

For Xavier, extending its winning streak to seven games would further strengthen its NCAA Tournament bid and build momentum heading into the conference tournament.

For Providence, it’s about finding some sort of positive takeaway before the Big East Tournament, hoping to snap its losing streak and gain confidence before postseason play begins.

With Xavier looking to stay hot and Providence searching for answers, expect an intense battle in Cincinnati as both teams prepare for March Madness.