Hoops Habit
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5 Teams You Don’t Want To Face In The NCAA Tournament

By Nathan Giese

Jan 10, 2016; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Dillon Brooks (24) falls backward following an officials call against Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2016; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Dillon Brooks (24) falls backward following an officials call against Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 2, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Xavier Musketeers guard Trevon Bluiett (5) and guard Myles Davis (15) and forward James Farr (2) react on the sidelines during the second half against the Butler Bulldogs at the Cintas Center. Xavier won 88-69. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Xavier Musketeers guard Trevon Bluiett (5) and guard Myles Davis (15) and forward James Farr (2) react on the sidelines during the second half against the Butler Bulldogs at the Cintas Center. Xavier won 88-69. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports /

Xavier Musketeers

After getting off to 12-0 start, Xavier was the toast of college hoops, reaching a No. 6 ranking and looking like that team everybody overlooked and should’ve been ashamed of for doing so.

After falling in their Big East opener at Villanova by 31 points, that talk quickly went away from the Musketeers. No longer were they the “it” team in college hoops. They were still doing well, but losing by 31 on the road can take a major hit on your momentum with fans and media members.

While it’s unfortunate that Xavier has fallen off the radar a bit despite going 4-0 since that loss, it may be to their advantage. After all, they are just one of nine teams to have made at least five Sweet 16 appearances over the past eight years (the others are all consider powerhouse programs and Blue Bloods) and are a constant in the tournament field.

They’ve thrived in March regardless of the attention around them.

What makes Xavier so dangerous is that anybody can be the main scorer on any given night. Four players average double-digit scoring numbers and three others averaging between just under seven to just under 10 points per game while also having five players averaging over two assists per game. They share the ball well and play as a team.

Now that Edmond Sumner is back after a scary fall in that Villanova loss, the Musketeers are once again at full strength and could get back to their dominance. Regardless, March is their time and this may be Chris Mack’s best team in his tenure. That’s scary to think.

Next: Quack Goes The Competition