When these teams met for the first time this season to open Big East play, Xavier was a week removed from obliterating UC, Marquette was coming off a loss to UCLA, and the Musketeers struggled early before Dwon Odom sparked them to life at the end of the first half and they were able to hold off Marquette’s second half fightback.
Since the Marquette has cratered, losing their next two games to start Big East play 0-3, before catching fire and beating Providence, Georgetown, DePaul, Seton Hall, and, most recently and most notably, Villanova. Marquette now sits at 5th in the Big East and has set themselves well for a return to the NCAA tournament in year one under Shaka Smart.