3 keys for Xavier Musketeers to get Big East road win over Marquette

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Xavier's latest trip to Fiserv Forum won't have the same glitz and glamour as the last one.

Just over nine months ago, Xavier arrived in Milwaukee as one of the trendy Cinderella NCAA Tournament picks as a No. 11 seed. The Musketeers lost in the first round to No. 6 Illinois, then had to start from scratch when Sean Miller left for Texas a few days later.

That began a rebuild that is still in its early stages as Xavier visits Marquette Jan. 7 after starting 1-3 in Big East play for the third consecutive season.

More: Xavier falls at DePaul, drops to 1-3 in Big East play

Xavier and Marquette battled to three high-level contests last season that were all decided by two points. Each team won on the road before Marquette rallied for an 89-87 win in the Big East Tournament.

Now, the two will meet for the first time during the 2025-26 campaign trying to avoid a spot in the Big East basement.

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In his return to the starting lineup, Xavier guard Roddie Anderson III (0) had 15 points and 3 steals in an 86-77 loss to DePaul Jan. 3, 2026.

3 keys to a Xavier Musketeers' road victory over Marquette

1. Can Xavier get to the free-throw line vs. Marquette?

In its two Big East road games, Xavier has sent Georgetown and DePaul to the free-throw line 74 times. Georgetown went just 25-of-43, allowing Xavier to come back and steal one in D.C. DePaul went 25-of-31 to hold off the Musketeers in Chicago.

In Big East play, Xavier is 39-of-56 at the free-throw line, and its opponents are 67-of-98. That's 28 extra points on 42 more attempts. It's a disparity Xavier can't survive.

"We're not putting enough pressure on teams," Xavier head coach Richard Pitino said after the DePaul loss. "We really gotta work on that."

Xavier ranks No. 9 in the Big East in free-throw attempts per game (18.7). Could it change against a frequently fouling Marquette squad? The Golden Eagles commit 18.5 per game, tied with Seton Hall for the second-highest rate in the conference.

2. Xavier's defense must set the tone vs. Marquette

Marquette ranks dead last in the Big East in effective field goal percentage on offense, per KenPom. Xavier is last in effective field goal percentage on defense. Something has to give in this matchup.

Marquette has struggled shooting from all areas on the floor. Xavier must force misses and continue its improvement on the glass.

Xavier is 5-0 this season when it wins the rebounding battle, but available rebounds have been a rarity since Xavier's Big East opponents are shooting 51.3% through four games.

3. Xavier needs strong start on the road

Xavier has fallen behind the eight ball too frequently of late. The Musketeers have trailed at halftime in all four Big East games and could be sitting at 0-4 in league play had Georgetown made a few more free throws.

Xavier is 8-0 this season when leading or tied at halftime and 1-6 when trailing at the break. Marquette ranks No. 194 in first-half scoring (34.5 points per game).

Richard Pitino's Musketeers are 1-2 on the road this season with losses to Iowa and DePaul and a win over Georgetown. Xavier is 2-3 outside of Cintas Center.

Xavier Musketeers vs. Marquette Golden Eagles

Tip: 7 p.m. (E.T.), Wednesday, Jan. 7 at Fiserv Forum (17,300)

TV/Radio: FS1/700 WLW

Ratings: Xavier is No. 106 in KenPom and Marquette is No. 118. Xavier is No. 116 in the NCAA NET Rankings and Marquette is No. 173.

History: Marquette leads the all-time series, 61-28, and have won six of the last seven meetings.

Marquette's Shaka Smart is 7-3 against Xavier as the head coach of the Golden Eagles.

Marquette Golden Eagles scouting report

Record: 5-10 (0-4 Big East)

Head coach: Shaka Smart (103-51 at Marquette, fifth season)

Offense: 75.3 ppg

Defense: 77.1 ppg

Overview: Four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances hasn't kept the heat off Shaka Smart after Marquette's 0-4 start in Big East play, the worst start in league play for the program since its Conference USA days (1998-99).

Marquette was a No. 7 seed in last year's NCAA Tournament and lost to Richard Pitino's New Mexico Lobos in the first round.

Marquette's approach to roster construction is called "Our Way," where the Golden Eagles focus on recruitment and development rather than the transfer portal. Just as it was praised over a four-year March Madness run, it's come under fire with Marquette's struggles this year as former complimentary pieces haven't made the leap.

Marquette went 0-5 vs. high-major teams in non-conference play and have played three of the same conference foes as Xavier, losing to Georgetown (78-69), Creighton (84-63) and UConn (73-57). The Golden Eagles also lost by six at home to Seton Hall.

Marquette guard Chase Ross (2) leads the Golden Eagles in scoring this season at 16.3 points per game. Ross scored 16 points in a win over Xavier in the 2025 Big East Tournament.

Projected starting lineup

(Pos., Height, Stats)

Nigel James Jr. (G, 6'0", 12.6 ppg)

Chase Ross (G, 6'5", 16.3 ppg)

Adrein Stevens (G, 6'4", 5.6 ppg)

Royce Parham (F, 6'8", 9.3 ppg)

Caedin Hamilton (F, 6'9", 4.3 ppg)

Xavier Musketeers scouting report

Record: 9-6 (1-3 Big East)

Head coach: Richard Pitino (9-6 at Xavier, first season)

Offense: 76.2 ppg

Defense: 75.8 ppg

Tre Carroll (12) led Xavier with 17 points in the Musketeers' 86-77 road loss to DePaul on Jan. 3, 2026.

Projected starting lineup

(Pos., Height, Stats)

Roddie Anderson III (G, 6'3", 13 ppg)

Malik Messina-Moore (G, 6'5", 8.9 ppg)

Tre Carroll (F, 6'8", 16.1 ppg)

Filip Borovicanin (F, 6'9", 9.2 ppg)

Jovan Milicevic (F, 6'10", 10.5 ppg)

Xavier vs. Marquette: Players to watch

Xavier will try to get center Jovan Milicevic going against Marquette. One of the main anchors to Xavier's non-conference success, Milicevic has scored just 16 total points on 6-of-23 shooting in four Big East games.

Pitino said that he believed Milicevic being an undersized center could make league play an uphill climb with foul trouble and that's what Xavier's going through now. Milicevic played just 10 minutes against DePaul. Pape N'Diaye has grabbed the backup center role. The 7-foot sophomore has 29 points and 13 rebounds in Big East play.

Xavier center Jovan Milicevic (24) is shooting just 26.1% during Big East play.

Xavier guard Malik Messina-Moore has scored in double figures in every Big East game thus far, hitting five field goals and two 3-pointers in each contest.

Xavier's defense will try to slow down Marquette's Chase Ross, who ranks third in the Big East at 16.3 points per game. Ross combined for 5 points in two regular-season games against Xavier last season before dropping 16 in the Big East Tournament.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Big East preview of Xavier Musketeers vs. Marquette Golden Eagles

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