Preview: Marquette Golden Eagles at Connecticut Huskies

HARTFORD, Conn. (Interstat) — A stark contrast in trajectories will be on display Sunday when the struggling Marquette Golden Eagles visit the fourth-ranked Connecticut Huskies in a Big East Conference matchup at XL Center.

The Huskies (13-1, 2-0 Big East) enter as one of the nation’s hottest teams, having won nine straight since their only loss to Arizona on Nov. 19. They are coming off a dominant 90-67 road victory at Xavier on Wednesday, where they shot 56% from the field. Forward Alex Karaban has been a consistent force, averaging 17.8 points and 5.2 rebounds over his last five games. He posted 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists against the Musketeers.

Conversely, Marquette (5-9, 0-2) is mired in a five-game losing streak, all by double digits except for a 73-79 home loss to Seton Hall on Tuesday. The Golden Eagles’ defense has been a persistent issue, allowing an average of 81.2 points during the skid. Their season includes overtime wins over Valparaiso and Central Michigan, but also close losses to Oklahoma and Dayton.

Guard Nigel James has been a bright spot for Marquette, averaging 15.4 points over his last five contests. He scored 23 points in a loss at Creighton on Dec. 20 and 16 with five assists against Seton Hall. He will need a standout performance alongside teammates Ben Gold and Royce Parham, who combined for 34 points in the most recent loss, to challenge the Huskies’ balanced attack.

Connecticut has won the last three meetings between the programs, including an 87-72 victory in Hartford last January. The Huskies’ defense, which has held opponents to 60.7 points per game during their win streak, will look to extend Marquette’s offensive struggles.

The game tips off at 12 p.m. EST Sunday as part of a conference slate that sees UConn visit Providence next Wednesday, while Marquette hosts Xavier on Jan. 7.