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There’s nothing like the start of a new season for hope to spring eternal.
The last time Xavier took the Cintas Center floor, the Musketeers suffered an 86-80 loss to No. 8 Marquette, a fitting regular-season finale in a year where Xavier constantly knocked on the door of a breakthrough win but could never finish the job.
But that was nearly eight months ago. In the world of the NIL and transfer portal, roster overhauls can be swift and a team that was under .500 and lost early in the NIT can reload in a hurry and have aspirations of a deep NCAA Tournament run over just one offseason.
That’s where Xavier’s at as it opens the season Monday night at home against Texas Southern.
Xavier, pictured prior to its exhibition game against Dayton, was picked to finish third in the Big East this season.
This one counts
Despite the offseason loss of big man Lassina Traore, Xavier is still a confident bunch with the weapons it has. The Musketeers were impressive in handling the Dayton Flyers on the road, 98-74, in a charity exhibition contest Oct. 20.
Xavier was picked to finish third in the Big East. But the time for offseason, on-paper fodder for fans and basketball pundits is over and a fast start is imperative. Last season, Xavier went just 6-5 in non-conference play with two brutal home losses (Oakland, Delaware) that set the tone for the program’s first losing season in nearly 30 years.
More: Xavier men’s basketball preview: Musketeers seek March Madness return with reloaded roster
Xavier vs. Texas Southern
Tip: Monday, 7:30 p.m., Cintas Center (10,224)
TV/Radio: FS1/55 KRC
Ratings: Xavier is No. 34 in KenPom to start the year. Texas Southern is No. 284.
History: Two days before the Nashville Nightmare (when No. 1 overall ranked Xavier was upset by Florida State) in the Round of 32 of the 2018 NCAA Tournament, top-seeded Xavier opened March Madness with a 102-83 victory over Texas Southern at Bridgestone Arena. It’s the only previous matchup between the two programs.
Note: Xavier…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/hope-inside-cintas-center-again-150555823.html
Author : Cincinnati.com | The Enquirer
Publish date : 2024-11-02 15:05:00
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