Okay, in that case, you MUST be within 6 pounds for your cut, and you MUST be sure to shove as much food and gatorade as possible in the two hours before you start squatting. Drop any more water weight, and you'll be weak as a kitten. Also, if at any point during the week you get at or below 173, stop cutting and keep a normal zero carb, low salt and moderate water intake. Interesting, I've never heard of a 173lb weight class. I'll let the guys who know how to diet tackle the dieting part. To set them up, let's hear how you structure your daily/weekly diet, macros, timing, et cetera. The more detail you can provide, the more help you'll receive.