Finding a slice of sarcasm during another frustrating postgame press conference Wednesday night in the bowels of Madison Square Garden, Xavier head coach Sean Miller addressed Xavier's tough stretch to end January.
"We play UConn Saturday; we play at Creighton (Jan. 29). I don't know if the Lakers are next," Miller said. "We may petition to see if we can play St. John's a third time before the Big East Tournament. Maybe we go back to UConn. We're kind of getting them all in a row here."
More: What we learned from Xavier Musketeers overtime loss to St. John's Red Storm
It certainly feels that way as Xavier has played KenPom's 32nd hardest schedule. Xavier will finish off its second three-game streak of ranked opponents this season on Saturday when No. 19 UConn visits Cintas Center.
It's a pivotal matchup for Xavier, which sits on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble at 1-6 in Quadrant 1 contests this season.
Though with UConn's NCAA NET Ranking (No. 34) this classifies as a Quadrant 2 contest, it's likely the two-time defending national champions crack the top 30 down the road to bump it to a Quadrant 1.
More: Where do Xavier Musketeers stand in latest NCAA Tournament bracketology?
Xavier Athletics announced Wednesday that only 100 standing-room tickets were available for Saturday's sold-out matchup at Cintas Center.
When students returned to campus for Xavier's last home game Jan. 14, it was a big help as the Musketeers rallied to defeat Villanova, 69-63.
"If our students weren't here, we would not have won. They showed up in full force," Miller said after beating the Wildcats. "They inspire our group and give us that home-court advantage that everyone associates with Xavier basketball, Cintas Center and the Big East."
Xavier needs its home-court advantage to be the difference maker Saturday against a veteran UConn squad that has lost just once on the road (at Villanova).
The home-court edge must fuel Xavier's defensive intensity against a UConn offense that is top 10 in KenPom in efficiency, effective field goal percentage and two-point shooting. UConn is just 1-3 this season when held to less than 70 points.
Xavier's bench combined to go 0-for-2 from the field with just two points total in Wednesday's overtime loss to St. John's.
Jerome Hunter made a pair of overtime free throws and that was it for Xavier's bench, which had a collective plus/minus (how XU did while bench players were on the court) of minus-25. John Hugley was a non-factor (one rebound in six-plus minutes), and Dante Maddox missed his lone shot attempt.
"To be able to win at this level, you have to be able to get a guy who can make one basket that doesn't start the game," Miller said.
One candidate to get going is Maddox, who can fill it up from distance off the bench but hasn't done it consistently. In the previous meeting with UConn, Maddox poured in a season-high 22 points in an overtime loss.
Xavier must take advantage of a UConn defense that is one of the worst in the country at defending from the perimeter (No. 339) and Maddox is part of that equation.
Xavier has a problem with closing the door against top-tier opponents. Miller calls it "Game Pressure," when good teams find a way to execute in the high-stakes final minutes of regulation.
The majority of Big East games are going to be tight at the end. The difference between finishing ninth in the conference and getting a first-round bye in the Big East Tournament is a handful of plays. Xavier hasn't made many of those plays this season. It needs to change Saturday.
Overview: UConn had dropped two of three before pulling out an overtime win over Butler Tuesday. Seven of UConn's eight Big East games have been decided by eight points or less.
The big story is if freshman phenom Liam McNeeley can return. The former five-star prospect and projected NBA Lottery pick has missed four consecutive games with a high ankle sprain. He had 14 points against Xavier in December.
Xavier lost Dailyn Swain to an ankle sprain while the sophomore was having one of his best games (career-high 16 points) vs. St. John's. Swain's status is up in the air Saturday, so it falls on Jerome Hunter to turn his season around.
In 38 minutes over the last two games, Hunter has gone without a field goal and grabbed just two rebounds in 38 minutes.
Zach Freemantle missed the previous matchup with UConn. He'll lead the defensive charge Saturday against an elite Huskies offense from inside the arc. UConn punished Xavier for 50 points in the paint in December.
McNeeley might miss another game, but 6-foot-10 backup center Tarris Reed Jr. can wreck games. He averages 9.7 points and 7.3 rebounds off the bench while shooting 65.5% from the field. He had one of his five double-doubles against Xavier in the first meeting (20 points, 13 rebounds).