Have you heard of the Xavier Musketeers? The team that went into the Kohl Center at the University of Wisconsin and became one of 7 non-conference teams to get a win there since 2009? (The Badgers are 62-7 at home since 2009). This is the same team that scored 100+ in their first two games this season. This is the same team that went to the Elite Eight last March, taking out Florida St, Maryland, and Arizona. No, you haven’t heard of them? Well, start paying attention.
Let's recap
About two weeks ago I wrote a piece previewing the Xavier Musketeers. I talked about their season last year and how the roster looks for this season.
I gotta tell you, I am pretty proud of my predictions so far.
It is very early in the season. We are only three games in, but the Musketeers are doing some things that make me incredibly excited. Let’s start with the fact that I was eighty percent correct on the starting lineup for the Muskies. Goodin, Macura, Bluiett, and Tyrique Jones are all starters for the Musketeers so far this season. I assumed Sean O’Mara would also start but Kaiser Gates has gotten the nod so far. I’m definitely not upset about that.
The Squad
This starting five is looking very good, especially Bluiett and Macura. These two senior leaders are really showing their stuff. Bluiett is averaging 25 points per game so far this season.
He had four points going into the second half with Wisconsin and exploded for twenty-one in the second half to give the Musketeers a boost.
Macura has brought the toughness he has brought his entire career at Xavier. If you’re not a Xavier fan then you definitely hate this kid. He is an absolute pest. But I love him. This is my guy and I will defend him to the death.
He gave the Badger faithful a good ole Gator chomp when we came off the court Wednesday night (they lost to Florida in the NCAA tournament last season) and the fans were not having it. Macura feeds off of the animosity of the crowd. He loves nothing more.
The entire team played solidly last night but the starting five were without question the stars of the show.
The young Naji Marshall and Paul Scruggs really struggled in their first true road test, but as I said, it’s still early and these kids have the game and they’ll turn the corner and get back their best. The FS1 commentators could not talk enough about the physical build of Xavier and I agree. These guys look like men now.
It's about to get real
I am gassed right now. I haven’t been this excited for a Xavier team since Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons in 2011. Yes, the season with the brawl with those crosstown kids at Cincinnati (X won by 23 that season. Let’s never forget that). They are going to be a force to be reckoned with and will do well this season. That is a guarantee. They will beat Baylor.
They will beat Cincinnati. They will also beat those Philly studs, the Villanova Wildcats. They’ll only beat them once and Villanova will win the Big East again.
The Musketeers are poised for true success this season and I could not be more excited. They are going to show people that the state of Ohio does have a premier Basketball program. That program is not Ohio State and it definitely is not the University of Cincinnati. It is that small Jesuit school on Victory Parkway. The Musketeers are here to stay and you better pay attention.
