MBB Minute: Villanova improved to 8-2 overall on the road - and 7-1 in BIG EAST play - with a 92-89 overtime win at Xavier on Tuesday night.  The Wildcats move to 21-5 overall on the season and 12-3 in league play.
Tuesday, Feb. 17

Villanova 92, Xavier 89 - Box Score 

• Acaden Lewis led five Villanova players in double figures with 21 points in an overtime win at Xavier
• Lewis added seven rebounds, six assists, and four steals in the win.
• Nova's Bryce Lindsay connected on a 3-pointer with 2:49 to play in overtime that gave the Wildcats the lead for good.  Lindsay finished with 15 points on the night, connecting on 4-of-8 from the perimeter.
• A trifecta by Xavier's Tre Carroll made it 90-89 with nine seconds left in OT, but the Musketeers got no closer.  He finished with a game-high 28 points to go with 10 rebounds.
• The first half features a series of runs by both teams.  Xavier led 11-2 just three minutes into the game.  Nova reversed course, tying it at 18-18 less than six minutes later as part of an extended 36-19 run for the Wildcats gave them a nine-point lead (38-29) with 2:55 left.
• The Musketeers closed the opening half on a 13-5 push and trailed 43-42 at the break.
• In the second half, Villanova built as much as an eight-point advantage (58-50) with 15:28 left in the second half, but Xavier countered by regaining a 77-75 lead with 3:31 left.  
• The Musketeers scored the final four points of the period, capped by a game-tying layup by Tre Carroll with four seconds left.  There were four lead changes and two ties over the final 20 minutes of play.
• Tyler Perkins had 17 points for Villanova, while Duke Brennan logged his 12th double-double of the season (10 points/13 rebounds), while Matt Hodge added 10 points.
• For Xavier, Jovan Milicevic finished with 20 points, nine boards, and five assists.  Malik Messina-Moore had 15 points, five rebounds, and seven assists.

Of Note:

• Villanova logged 24 assists - a season-high in BIG EAST play - while committing only six turnovers.
• Nova's Bryce Lindsay broke out of a mini-shooting slump to make 4-of-8 shots from the perimeter.  The Wildcats are 5-1 when Lindsay makes at least four 3-pointers.
• Xavier's Tre Carroll logged his BIG EAST-leading 12th 20+ point performance.  Carroll has scored 28 or more on five occasions

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Today's Action: The BIG EAST has four games on the schedule on Wednesday, beginning with Butler at Georgetown at 6:30 p.m. ET on FS1.  TNT and HBO Max have a doubleheader beginning with Creighton at No. 5/5 UConn at 7 p.m. ET, followed by No. 17/16 St. John's at Marquette at 9 p.m.  On truTV, Seton Hall hosts DePaul at 8 p.m. ET.

Wednesday, Feb. 18

FS1
Butler at Georgetown - 6:30 p.m. ET
Berbari (pxp); Donny Marshall (analyst)

TNT; HBO Max
Creighton at UConn - 7 p.m. ET
Spero Dedes (pxp); Grant Hill (analyst); Jared Greenberg (reporter)

St. John's at Marquette - 9 p.m. ET
Brian Anderson (pxp); Robbie Hummel (analyst); Andy Katz (reporter)

truTV; HBO Max
DePaul at Seton Hall - 8 p.m. ET
Brandon Gaudin (pxp); Greg Anthony (analyst); Nabil Karim (reporter)

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BIG EAST Men's Basketball Public Availability Reports:  Beginning in 2025-26, the BIG EAST Conference will provide public reports on the availability of student-athletes in conference games in the sports of men's and women's basketball. 

Men's Basketball Availability Report

BIG EAST schools will be required to submit availability reports three hours before the scheduled tipoff time.  Under the reporting structure, players will be designated as "questionable" or "out."  Availability reports will be posted on the BIG EAST website throughout the 2025-26 season.