Xavier, Butler working on improving Big East outlook
Coming off its first home win in Big East play, Xavier aims to make it two in a row and reinvigorate its fan base when the Musketeers host Butler Wednesday night in Cincinnati.
Xavier (10-7, 2-4) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 97-84 win over Providence on Saturday, while Butler (10-6, 1-4) is entering on a three-game slide of its own.
Until Saturday, the Musketeers had yet to win a conference home game after losses to UConn and Creighton, with their best home win of the season coming against Cincinnati on Dec. 5.
"I think obviously we're most proud of is giving our fans a good moment in this building," Xavier coach Richard Pitino said of the win inside Cintas Center. "The (Cincinnati) game obviously was a great moment for them. We know that we're starting from scratch. We're going to build a championship team. I really, really believe it, in time, but it does take time."
Xavier's Malik Messina-Moore has averaged 22.5 points, three assists and three steals in games vs. Marquette and Providence. He passed 1,000 points for his collegiate career during his 23-point effort against Providence.
Filip Borovicanin has recorded seven double-doubles, which ranks second in the Big East and 21st in the nation.
Butler is coming off an 84-70 loss to St. John's on Jan. 6, despite shooing 50% from the field and holding a seven-point lead in the second half. The Bulldogs committed 21 turnovers in the loss, after they had committed 10 or fewer turnovers in six of the previous eight games.
"We shot 50% but 21 turnovers, and those are the things, and it's human nature," Butler coach Thad Matta said. "Bad stuff happens. As I told the guys, we're going to be better players. We'll be a better team next time we take the court. And that's where it's got to be."
After facing Rick Pitino's St. John's team, Butler will play a Xavier team coached by Pitino's son, Richard. Every time Butler comes to Xavier, it's a homecoming for Matta, who served as Xavier head coach for three seasons from 2001-04.
Finley Bizjack scored a game-high 21 points against St. John's, his best output since scoring 26 in the Dec. 13 win over Providence. Bizjack is second in the Big East in scoring at 16.3 points per game.