The Bluejays play three games over the next eight days, and it might be the most important week of basketball they’ve had since the 2014 season ended. Sitting at 4-2 in the Big East and in a three-way tie for third place, the Jays play two of the teams behind them in the standings at home during this stretch — 3-3 Seton Hall and, on Saturday night, 2-4 Butler — giving them a great opportunity to create some separation between Xavier, Providence, and themselves, and in so doing, insert themselves more seriously into the NCAA Tournament discussion.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs enter Saturday night’s matchup in Omaha with a 13-5 overall record and losses in two of their last three games.