Down a starter, No. 16 Xavier hosts No. 17 Providence in a battle of first-place teams
February starts on Wednesday, and with it, comes a battle of two top 25 teams both tied at the top of the Big East Conference standings.
No. 16 Xavier welcomes No. 17 Providence to Cintas Center.
Both teams have identical records ‒ 17-5 overall and 9-2 in the Big East.
But the Musketeers will be without of their most important players.
Senior forward Zach Freemantle's dealing with a left foot injury that will sideline him for four weeks. It's the same foot that required surgery at the start of the 2021-22 season, head coach Sean Miller said Tuesday during his pre-game press conference.
Xavier will turn to its bench with Jerome Hunter, Cesare Edwards and really anyone in the running for rotational minutes to try and fill the void left by Freemantle.
Providence plays one of the toughest brands of basketball in the Big East this season. The Friars are one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country and they get to the free-throw line more than any other team in the Big East.
Between creating second-shot opportunities, drawing fouls and getting to the line, Providence is elite at using its physicality to its advantage. The Friars have made 376 free throws this season. Their opponents have only attempted 330.
Then factor in a Big East player of the year-level talent in Bryce Hopkins, and it's easy to see why the Friars are competing for a second consecutive conference championship.
Xavier's going to need its high-powered offense to find the right gear at home, and its defense has to be disciplined and committed to rebounding.
The Game
Tipoff: 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Cintas Center
TV/Radio: FS1 with play-by-play from Jason Benetti and analysis from Bill Raftery. Byron Larkin and Joe Sunderman will have the radio call on WKRC-AM (550).
Series info: The series is tied 11-11, but the Friars have won three straight.
Scouting report
Xavier Musketeers (17-5, 9-2 Big East)
Coach: Sean Miller, 18th season (439-161 overall)
Offense: 83.2 ppg
Defense: 75.9 ppg
Projected lineup
Player (Position, Height, Key Stat)
Adam Kunkel (G, 6'4", 10.3 ppg)
Jerome Hunter (F, 6'8", 6.1 ppg)
Colby Jones (G, 6'6", 14.5 ppg)
Souley Boum (G, 6'3", 16.1 ppg)
Jack Nunge (F, 7'0", 14.1 ppg)
Providence Friars (17-5, 9-2 Big East)
Coach: Ed Cooley, 17th season (330-215 overall)
Offense: 78.4 ppg
Defense: 68.2 ppgProjected lineup
Player (Position, Height, Key Stat)
Bryce Hopkins (F, 6'7", 16.4 ppg)
Devin Carter (G, 6'3", 13.0 ppg)
Ed Croswell (F, 6'8", 12.5 ppg)
Noah Locke (G, 6'3", 10.3 ppg)
Jared Bynum (G, 5'10", 9.3 ppg)
Players to watch
Bryce Hopkins
Hopkins is making a legitimate case for Big East player of the year consideration. He's nearly averaging a double-double with 9.1 rebounds and 16.4 points. His ability to attack the basket using his dribble is something Xavier will have to deal with all night.
Souley Boum
Every team Xavier plays the rest of this season is going to try and take away Boum. The Musketeers have to ensure that doesn't happen. Boum needs to be aggressive and remember that one of his greatest assets is his ability to draw fouls, get to the line, and make free throws.
Keys to the game
Rebounding and defending without fouling
Providence is No. 10 in the country in offensive rebounding and one of the best teams in the country at getting to the foul line. Xavier can't let the Friars generate second chances on the glass and Providence can't live at the free-throw line. Those two areas create a clear path for Providence to pick up a road win.
Rankings
KenPom: Xavier (22), Providence (30)
NET: Xavier (27), Providence (32)
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Big East: No. 16 Xavier hosts No. 17 Providence on Wednesday
