Marquette Aims for Top Five Spot in Clash Against Xavier

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Marquette University’s men’s basketball team, riding a six-game winning streak, faces Xavier on Saturday afternoon at Fiserv Forum in a pivotal Big East matchup. The Golden Eagles (15-2 overall, 6-0 Big East) are looking to remain undefeated in conference play and potentially break into the top five of the national rankings after several higher-ranked teams suffered losses this week.

This marks the second meeting between the teams this season. Marquette narrowly defeated Xavier 75-72 in Cincinnati last month, overcoming a late-game rally by the Musketeers. Xavier (10-7 overall, 2-4 Big East) is still searching for its first Quadrant 1 victory of the season and begins a challenging three-game stretch against Marquette, St. John's, and Connecticut.

Marquette’s success has been fueled by standout performances from Kam Jones, who averages 19.6 points and 6.7 assists per game, and David Joplin, who contributes 5.5 rebounds per game. Xavier counters with Ryan Conwell, who averages 17.1 points, and Zach Freemantle, who recently returned from a leg injury and adds 17 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

“We know Xavier is a tough opponent, especially with Freemantle back in the lineup,” said Marquette head coach Shaka Smart. “We need to play a complete 40 minutes to secure this win.”

Xavier head coach Sean Miller emphasized the importance of defense. “Our defensive efficiency has improved significantly with Freemantle on the floor. We need to limit Marquette’s scoring opportunities and capitalize on our own.”

Marquette enters the game with an 83% chance of victory, according to projections, with a predicted score of 79-69. The Golden Eagles lead the all-time series 60-27 and have won the last five matchups, including this season’s earlier contest.

Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT, with the Marquette broadcast on Channel 201 and the Xavier broadcast on Channel 390. Fans can also follow the game on social media platforms for live updates.