GAME NOTES: The Xavier Musketeers look to end a two-game slide as they return to the Cintas Center on Saturday for a Big East Conference matchup against the Marquette Golden Eagles.

The Musketeers dropped to 2-3 in league play on Wednesday when they were defeated, 88-75, by Jay Wright's Villanova Wildcats at The Pavilion. Xavier dropped an 88-76 decision at Butler in its previous outing, but there is plenty of reason for coach Chris Mack's squad to be optimistic heading into Saturday. The Musketeers are a perfect 9-0 at the Cintas Center this season. They are leading the Big East in scoring offense ((78.8 ppg.), assists (17.1) and field goal percentage (.494), while ranking 26th nationally at the charity stripe (.907).

Marquette will be seeking its second straight victory after graduate senior Matt Carlino lifted it to a 53-52 win over Creighton on Wednesday with a game- winning 3-pointer with 11 seconds left in regulation. The former BYU Cougar also brought the Golden Eagles within one-possession with a jumper about 40 seconds earlier. Coach Steve Wojciechowski's first year with the program has been solid as Marquette will be entering with a 10-6 overall record, including a 2-2 Big East ledger. The Golden Eagles are ranked last in the conference in scoring offense with just 68.2 ppg.

Marquette holds a 47-17 all-time series lead over the Musketeers, although Xavier won two of the three meetings last season and nine of the past 13 overall.

Xavier's league-leading offense showed its capabilities versus Villanova last time out. The Musketeers drained 56.1 percent of their shots from inside the 3-point line and tallied 17 assists against 10 turnovers, but their 7-of-22 clip from beyond the arc prevented them from keeping pace with the No. 5 Wildcats. Senior center Matt Stainbrook led four Xavier players in double figures with 17 points. Freshman guard J.P. Macura netted 14 points, while Dee Davis racked up nine points and nine assists in the setback. On the season, Trevon Bluiett (12.5 ppg) and Stainbrook (12.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg) are carrying double-digit scoring averages, and five other Musketeers are netting more than six ppg. Defensively, Xavier is ranked second to last in the league with an allowance of 68.8 ppg.

Although it managed to escape with the narrow decision its last time out, Marquette lacked any semblance of balance against Creighton. Carlino finished with a team-high 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor and Duane Wilson tallied 17 points on 5-of-10 efficiency from the field. The other six Golden Eagles who saw action combined for just 17 points while making good on just 7- of-23 field goal tries. Marquette typically relies on its depth for points as Carlino is the team's leading scorer with 12.7 ppg. Sophomore center Luke Fischer has chipped in 11.8 ppg and 5.1 rpg in eight games since joining the unit at the end of the first semester. Wilson (11.3 ppg) and Juan Anderson (10.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg) also have vital roles within Wojciechowski's newly installed system in Milwaukee.

Carlino is a very talented all-around point guard, but he will have to submit another high-scoring performance to give the Golden Eagles a chance of stealing one on the road. The Musketeers' uptempo style of play will give Marquette trouble. The visitors will need to control the pace of the game to have a chance of pulling out the win.