Seton Hall and Providence enter their Saturday matchup with renewed hope after snapping losing streaks, and both teams are eager to sustain their positive momentum in Big East play. After enduring five straight losses, Seton Hall (6-9, 1-3 Big East) found relief with a thrilling 85-80 overtime victory against DePaul on Wednesday. Head coach Shaheen Holloway expressed optimism about the impact of the win on his team’s confidence. “We needed this game for a lot of different reasons,” Holloway said. “Winning is contagious like losing is contagious. Now that we’ve got this one, I think it gives us confidence to move forward.” The Pirates’ offense was spearheaded by standout performances from Dylan Addae-Wusu and Isaiah Coleman, who each contributed 24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Musketeers and Blue Demons. The game is starting at 4:00 ET on FS1, and it’s hosted by the Blue Demons at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL. Get ready to place your bets! Xavier is favored by -5.5 in this Big East conference showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 151.5 points. Xavier dropped to 9-7 on the season after an 82-72 home loss to St. John’s on Tuesday. The Musketeers entered the game as +1.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. Xavier trailed 41-37 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap, scoring 35 points in the 2nd half while allowing 41. The game’s total points of 154 went over

California will aim to keep its newfound ACC momentum alive when it hosts Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon in Berkeley, Calif. Both teams seek to solidify their conference footing, but their paths have diverged recently. The Golden Bears (8-7, 1-3 ACC) are coming off a statement 75-61 victory over Virginia on Wednesday, marking their first ACC win since joining the conference. The win showcased Cal’s defensive adjustments, as it limited Virginia to 32.8 percent shooting while dominating the glass with a 40-33 rebounding advantage. Head coach Mark Madsen highlighted the significance of the win for the program’s future:”This is the opening of a new chapter. We are going to be a powerhouse in the ACC,” Madsen said. A key contributor

No. 12 Houston will bring its top-ranked defense to Manhattan, Kan., on Saturday evening, presenting a daunting challenge for Kansas State. The Cougars (11-3, 3-0 Big 12) are riding a wave of defensive dominance, while the Wildcats (7-7, 1-2) are searching for answers on offense. The Cougars lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 54.0 points per game, a full three points better than the second-ranked team, Tennessee. This defensive prowess has fueled their seven-game streak of holding opponents to 55 points or fewer, their best since 1948-49. Houston forced 19 turnovers in a commanding 65-46 win over TCU on Monday, converting them into 16 points. Head coach Kelvin Sampson praised the defensive effort but emphasized the need for