Preview: Villanova Visits Xavier in Big East Women’s Basketball Clash CINCINNATI (Interstat) — The surging Villanova Wildcats look to continue their push near the top of the Big East standings when they visit the Xavier Musketeers on Wednesday night at Cintas Center. Villanova (19-5, 9-3 Big East) enters on a three-game winning streak following a 67-55 victory over Georgetown on Saturday. The Wildcats have won seven of their last nine, with their only losses in that span coming on the road against ranked Connecticut and Saint John’s. A key catalyst has been guard Kennedy Henry, who is coming off a well-rounded performance against the Hoyas with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists in 30 minutes. Over her last seven games, Henry is averaging 9.0 points and 3.0 assists, providing steady playmaking for a balanced Wildcats attack. Xavier (11-13, 3-10) seeks to halt a two-game skid and replicate its defensive success from a 63-59 win over Butler on Feb. 1. The Musketeers have struggled for consistency in conference play but are 8-5 at home this season. Guard Meri Kanerva has been a workhorse for Xavier, averaging 37.9 minutes over her last eight contests. She leads the team in scoring during that stretch at 10.6 points per game, including a 15-point effort in Sunday’s 66-50 loss at Providence. The teams met just over a month ago in Philadelphia, with Villanova securing a 67-50 victory on Jan. 8. The Wildcats have dominated the recent series, winning the last five matchups. For Villanova, this game represents a critical opportunity to solidify its NCAA tournament résumé before a daunting stretch that includes a rematch with Connecticut on Feb. 18. Xavier, looking to climb out of the conference’s lower tier, needs a signature win to build momentum for the final weeks of the regular season. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on the Big East Digital Network.