Back in October, Xavier was picked to finish fourth in the Big East Conference by the league’s coaches.
Villanova, Georgetown and Butler were all picked ahead of the Muskeeters.
How’s that one working out?
After taking down No. 1 Villanova, 90-83, on Wednesday night for its biggest win of the season, Chris Mack’s club is now 25-3, 13-3 in the Big East and in the conversation for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
With the win, Xavier has clinched at least the No. 2 seed in the Big East Tournament. The Musketeers are just a half-game behind the Wildcats, who are 13-2.
“We had not beaten Villanova since we joined the Big East,” Mack said Thursday morning on ESPN. “It was good to finally get that monkey off our back.”
He added: “The sky’s the limit with this team.”
Indeed, Xavier has the the size, the depth and the balance to make a deep run in the NCAAs.
Against Villanova, the Musketeers placed six players in double figures with Edmond Sumner and J.P. Macura each scoring 19 points. Sumner also had nine assists and six rebounds.
Just this week, Xavier’s Trevon Bluiett was named Big East Player of the Week while Sumner was named Freshman of the Week.
“Xavier has balance across the board – size, strength, skill, quickness, depth and experience,” FS1 analyst Steve Lavin told me Thursday. “Coach Mack has tweaked, modified and tailored his system or style of play to best maximize the talents of his personnel.
“The Musketeers are anchored with a rugged front line that complements a highly skilled perimeter attack. Xavier is positioned for a deep run in the NCAA tournament and capable of cutting down nets in Houston.”
ESPN’s Jay Bilas said the same in December, calling Xavier a serious contender to win the NCAA championship.
“Xavier is a team that I can see being in the Final Four and I think they can win it,” Bilas said during the ESPN broadcast of No. 12 Xavier’s 65-55 victory at No. 23 Cincinnati. “I think they’re actually good enough to win it.”
Unlike a year ago, there is no dominant team in college basketball this year.
Come Monday, Kansas could re-emerge as the No. 1 team in the land after there have already been six previous No. 1s: North Carolina, Michigan State, Kentucky, Kansas, Oklahoma and Villanova.
According to ESPN, 35 Top-5 teams have lost this season.
There are probably a dozen or so teams that could win it all in Houston — and at this point Xavier is as strong a contender as any of them.
(The AP contributed)
