Preview: Xavier Musketeers at Saint John’s Red Storm NEW YORK (Interstat) — The surging Saint John’s Red Storm host the Xavier Musketeers in a Big East Conference men’s basketball rematch Monday night at Carnesecca Arena. Saint John’s (18-5, 8-2 Big East) enters on a seven-game winning streak, its latest an 81-72 victory over then-Connecticut last Friday. The Red Storm have not lost since an early January setback to Providence. Xavier (12-11, 4-6) seeks to halt a two-game skid and avenge an 88-83 home loss to Saint John’s on Jan. 24. The Musketeers are coming off a 92-60 road loss to UConn on Feb. 3. The matchup features a stark contrast in momentum. Saint John’s has solidified itself as a conference title contender, while Xavier is fighting to stay above .500 and improve its postseason resume. A key battle will be inside, where Saint John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor has been dominant. He posted a triple-double (13 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists) in the first meeting against Xavier and is averaging 18.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists over the last seven games. His defensive presence, with multiple blocks in five of those contests, anchors the Red Storm. Xavier will look to guard All Wright to provide offensive punch. Wright scored a team-high 14 points in the loss to UConn and had 25 points in a Jan. 21 overtime loss at Creighton. His consistency will be vital for a Musketeers’ attack that has been held under 70 points in three of its last five games. Saint John’s won the season’s first meeting behind balanced scoring, placing five players in double figures. Xavier kept it close with 22 points from Tre Carroll and 19 from Malik Messina-Moore, but the Red Storm’s late-game execution proved decisive. For Xavier, a road win against a top-10 opponent would be a season-defining result. For Saint John’s, it is a chance to continue its march toward a potential seed in the NCAA tournament and maintain its hold near the top of the Big East standings. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST.