The Xavier Musketeers have eked their way into the NCAA Tournament's field of 68 this year, clinching a no-doubt nervy spot in the First Four, where they'll confront the Texas Longhorns. After six weeks of speculative bubble dwelling, a 21-win season, and a nail-biter of a Selection Sunday, Xavier managed to snag the No. 11 seed, as reported by The Enquirer. The Musketeers closed their regular season on a high with a seven-game winning streak, undoubtedly a factor swaying the committee's decision.
Xavier's head coach, Sean Miller, shared an emotional response to the selection, proclaiming, "I don't know if I've ever experienced a better feeling in sports than the one I had when our name was announced tonight with our players at my house on Selection Sunday," according to a statement obtained by The Enquirer. With their chances being a nearly even-keeled affair with betting markets just hours before the announcement, Xavier's tournament destiny indeed seemed guided by the outcomes of other conference tournaments, such as the notable victories by Memphis (AAC) and VCU (Atlantic 10).
The upcoming face-off against Texas is not without its own back story, as these two teams last clashed in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2023 tournament – a game that saw Texas coming out on top with an 83-71 win. Not letting history dictate their future, the Musketeers are looking to flip the script this time. If victorious in their initial matchup, Xavier is slated to take on Illinois as the No. 11 seed, WCPO reports.
Xavier's roller-coaster ride into the tournament includes a heartbreakingly close defeat to Marquette in the Big East quarterfinals. Still, the Musketeers managed to maintain a solid record, finishing 21-11 overall and 13-7 in conference play. Despite an anticipated slot among the "first four out," Xavier proved resilient, noted both a singular Quad I victory and the absence of severe losses bolstered their March Madness bid. The Musketeers will revisit Dayton's UD Arena, a site of a previous win against Dayton at the outset of their season, as highlighted by WCPO.
This is Xavier's 30th trip to the NCAA Tournament. They've progressed as far as the Elite Eight, most recently in 2017. As the tournament unfolds with the First Four set for March 18-19 and subsequent rounds paving the path to potential glory, the Musketeers hope this year's dance extends well beyond the initial foretaste of March Madness fervor.
