Seton Hall Aims to Halt Skid Against Surging Xavier Star

NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — The Seton Hall Pirates, reeling from a four-game losing streak, will look to steady their season when they host the Xavier Musketeers and high-scoring guard Tre Carroll in a Big East Conference matchup Wednesday night at Prudential Center.

Seton Hall (14-6, 4-5 Big East) has stumbled after a strong start, with its last win coming Jan. 10 at Georgetown. The Pirates’ offense has sputtered during the slide, failing to reach 70 points in any of the four losses. Guard Adam Clark, a key contributor, will be relied upon to provide a spark. He is averaging 11.5 points over his last two games but was held to just three points in a loss at St. John’s on Jan. 20.

Xavier (11-9, 5-4) arrives having lost two straight nail-biters, but boasts the hottest individual player in the conference in Carroll. The sophomore guard is coming off a 31-point, four-block performance in an 88-83 loss to St. John’s on Saturday and has averaged 26.4 points over his last five games. His scoring burst has fueled the Musketeers’ offense, which has surpassed 80 points in three of its last five outings.

The Musketeers have shown resilience in close games, with their last three losses coming by a combined five points, including a 94-93 overtime defeat at Creighton on Jan. 21.

This game presents a stark contrast in momentum. Xavier’s challenge will be translating Carroll’s prolific output into a road victory, while Seton Hall desperately needs to rediscover its defensive identity and scoring balance to stop its slide and protect its home court.

Wednesday’s winner will gain crucial positioning in the congested middle of the Big East standings as the regular season enters its final full month.