Tuesday’s pair of league games includes teams slotted fourth through seventh place in the BIG EAST standings.

In the first game at 6:30 p.m. ET, Providence battles Connecticut at Gampel Pavilion in the second meeting between the two teams in six days.  The Friars (11-10, 7-8 BIG EAST) won the first meeting, a 70-59 decision in Providence.  The Huskies (9-5, 6-5 BIG EAST) are coming off an 80-72 win at Xavier.

PC guard David Duke ranks third in the BIG EAST in scoring (17.4) and assists (4.9).  Nate Watson is fourth in scoring (17.2).  The Friars welcomed back point guard Jared Bynum in Saturday’s win at DePaul after he had missed nine games with a leg injury.  UConn got a boost in Saturday’s win at Xavier from R.J. Cole, who scored 24 points coming off the bench.   Top scorer James Bouknight (20.3) has missed the last eight games with an elbow injury.

The second game of the FS1 doubleheader has Xavier visiting St. John’s for an 8:30 p.m. tipoff in a contest filled with BIG EAST individual stat leaders.  The Musketeers (11-3, 4-3 BIG EAST) have a 12-game winning streak in the series against the Red Storm.  They won the first meeting this season 69-61 on Jan. 6.  St. John’s (13-8, 7-7 BIG EAST) has been off since last Tuesday’s overtime loss at Butler.

The Johnnies have been led by league scoring leader Julian Champagnie (19.7) and steals leader Posh Alexander (2.6).  Statistically, Xavier counters with Zach Freemantle who is tops in the BIG EAST in rebounding (8.6) after grabbing 15 boards Saturday against UConn.  Guard Nate Johnson is first in the nation in 3-point shooting, making 52.6 percent.

Going into Tuesday, home teams hold a 36-33 (.522) edge in BIG EAST play.