Xavier Basketball Advances in Big East Tournament
Xavier basketball, the No. 10 seed in the Big East Tournament, is set to face No. 2 seed UConn on March 12, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET.
In their first-round matchup, Xavier defeated Marquette in a closely contested game, winning 89-87. This victory improved their season record to 15-17, with a 6-14 mark in the Big East. In contrast, UConn enters the quarterfinals with a strong record of 27-4, including a 17-3 performance in conference play, and had a first-round bye.
Xavier has shown impressive form in the tournament, boasting a 7-2 all-time record in Big East Tournament quarterfinals. This season, they have made a school record of 300 three-pointers and lead the Big East with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.78, averaging 17.8 assists per game.
UConn, currently ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press Poll, has been a dominant force in the Big East, winning in the quarterfinals every year since rejoining the conference. However, they will be without key player Jaylin Stewart, who is sidelined due to right knee inflammation.
In their only previous tournament meeting, UConn emerged victorious against Xavier in 2024. Xavier head coach Richard Pitino acknowledged UConn’s status as a championship program, stating, “UConn, although they lost their last one, is the class of this league and a championship program. They’re what we’re striving to be.”
Looking ahead to the matchup, Pitino emphasized the need for a different approach, saying, “We’re going to do the total opposite of what we did the first two times in everything that we do.” UConn head coach Dan Hurley expressed optimism about Stewart’s recovery, noting, “Jaylin would be available for that game… so it gives us a little more time to work on a couple of different lineups.”
As the teams prepare for this critical game, the stakes are high for both programs. Xavier aims to continue their momentum from the first round, while UConn seeks to maintain their strong tournament performance.
