No. 8 Xavier has been strong this season nearly every home game. No. 23 Providence has thrived on the road in conference play.
Something had to give.
The Musketeers showed Wednesday that they’re not to be trifled at Cintas Center, where they doled out an 85-74 defeat to the Friars before five NBA scouts and a sellout crowd of 10,336.
Xavier led by as many as 18 points and survived Providence’s second-half pushes to improve to 23-3 (11-3 Big East) and complete a regular-season sweep. The Friars inched within six with 3:40 remaining, and then with 56 seconds to go, but Jalen Reynolds made two free throws to make the margin insurmountable.