TCU and Xavier are meeting for the second time in six years as part of the Big 12-Big East Battle, and both programs are hoping to get things trending in the right direction after a couple of less-than-inspiring performances.TCU (4-3) lost consecutive games to Santa Clara and Colorado State in the Acrisure Invitational in Palm Desert, Calif., on Nov. 28-29. Coach Jamie Dixon told his team after the Santa Clara loss that “there’s nothing better than having an opportunity to get this thing out of your system by going and playing right away.”That didn’t happen with an overtime loss to the Rams. However, TCU has won its last 16 home nonconference games.The Horned Frogs also have talent. Center Ernest Udeh Jr. is averaging 7.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, and guard Frankie Collins is leading the team with 11.3 points, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game.Xavier (7-1), meanwhile, fell out of the Top 25 after its loss to Michigan on Nov. 27 in the Fort Myers Tip-Off tournament. The Musketeers followed the loss with a closer-than-expected 71-68 victory over visiting South Carolina State on Sunday.”We’re very much a work in progress,” Xavier coach Sean Miller said. “We have to get better each week, each day, right now.”Miller hopes that Xavier learned some valuable lessons in beating South Carolina State, as there are potential benefits to winning a game when a team doesn’t play its best.
Xavier, TCU meet again in Big 12-Big East matchup
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