GAME NOTES: The Xavier Musketeers are set for their first Big East Conference road game as they take on the DePaul Blue Demons at Allstate Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Xavier opened its league slate with a 70-53 home win over No. 25 Georgetown on New Year's Eve. The Musketeers have won two straight and five of their last six games overall. Beginning with this contest, they will play three of their next four on the road.

DePaul is eyeing its first 2-0 start in Big East play since 2007-08 after topping Marquette at home on New Year's Eve, 61-58. That outcome snapped the Blue Demons' six-game slide. Following this tilt, they will hit the road for five of their next seven games.

DePaul leads the all-time series, 8-5, although Xavier has won the last three meetings.

Xavier has gotten on a roll over the past month, and Tuesday's win over nationally-ranked Georgetown was the cherry on top. In fact, the Musketeers never trailed in the game as they won handily. Jalen Reynolds tied a career- high with 17 points, while Remy Abell and Dee Davis each scored 12. The Musketeers made 24-of-29 free throws for the game, and defensively they forced 16 turnovers and held the Hoyas to 36.2 percent shooting from the floor.

On the season, Xavier leads the Big East in scoring offense (80.8 ppg), assists (17.7), field goal percentage (.503) and 3-point percentage (.397). The Musketeers boast a +14.4 scoring margin and are +5.8 on the boards. Trevon Bluiett and Matt Stainbrook (7.3 rpg) are both averaging 12.6 points, while Abell is scoring 10.2 ppg.

The Blue Demons rank second in the conference in free-throw shooting (.744) and 3-pointers per game (7.9), and they are third in both scoring (73.8 ppg) and 3-point percentage (.353). DePaul is the only team in the Big East with four players among the top-15 scorers in the league: Myke Henry (13.9 ppg, seventh), Billy Garrett, Jr. (13.3, ninth), Tommy Hamilton IV (13.1, 10th) and Jamee Crockett (12.3, 15th).

But it was what the Blue Demons did at the defensive end of the floor that allowed them to beat Marquette earlier this week. Trailing by 13 with 11:46 to play in regulation, DePaul ended the game on a 25-9 run to complete the comeback. The Golden Eagles were held scoreless for nearly four minutes during that stretch, and they made only 3-of-23 3-pointers for the game. Garrett paced DePaul with 19 points, while Crockett tallied 13 points and seven rebounds.

This matchup pits two of the league's top offensive teams against each other. The Blue Demons are coming off one of their better all-around efforts of the season, but can they do it twice in a row?