Xavier, Butler Running Out of Time to Salvage Season

Struggling Big East teams meet in Indianapolis with postseason hopes fading

Feb. 20, 2026 at 11:49pm

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Butler and Xavier, two Big East teams mired in disappointing seasons, will face off in Indianapolis as they try to salvage something from their lackluster campaigns. Butler snapped a six-game losing streak with a win over Georgetown, while Xavier is coming off an overtime loss to Villanova despite a strong performance from Tre Carroll. The game features two coaches, Thad Matta and Richard Pitino, who are trying to get their teams back on track.

Why it matters

Both Butler and Xavier have fallen well short of preseason expectations, putting their postseason hopes in jeopardy. This matchup represents a chance for one of the teams to gain some momentum and potentially turn their season around with a strong finish.

The details

Butler has been hampered by season-ending injuries to its top two point guards, forcing coach Thad Matta to get creative with his lineups. However, the Bulldogs took care of the ball well in their last game, committing just six turnovers. Xavier, meanwhile, struggled with turnovers in its most recent loss to Villanova, a problem that has plagued the Musketeers throughout the season.

  • Butler snapped a six-game losing streak with a win over Georgetown on Wednesday.
  • Xavier lost to Villanova 92-89 in overtime on Tuesday.

The players

Thad Matta

Butler's head coach, who recently earned his 500th career win.

Richard Pitino

Xavier's head coach, who is trying to get his team back on track after a disappointing season.

Tre Carroll

Xavier's standout player, who had 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks in the Musketeers' loss to Villanova.

Filip Borovicanin

Xavier player who had 14 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds in the Musketeers' earlier win over Butler.

Finley Bizjack

Butler player who returned from a wrist injury to score 19 points and dish out 6 assists in the Bulldogs' win over Georgetown.

Michael Ajayi

Butler player who had 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists in the Bulldogs' win over Georgetown.

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What they’re saying

“More (important) to me is the number of guys I've coached. That's more important than the wins and losses.”

— Thad Matta, Butler Head Coach (The Enquirer)

“Just some very, very uncharacteristic turnovers down the stretch. Very devastated locker room in there, but they care. They're still battling.”

— Richard Pitino, Xavier Head Coach (The Enquirer)

What’s next

The winner of Saturday's matchup between Butler and Xavier will take a step towards salvaging their season, while the loser will face an uphill battle to make the postseason.

The takeaway

This game represents a critical juncture for two Big East teams that have fallen short of expectations this season. Both Butler and Xavier are running out of time to turn things around, making this an important contest with significant implications for their respective postseason hopes.