Xavier’s tournament hopes up in the air as calendar flips to Selection Sunday
Updated: 10:51 AM EDT Mar 16, 2025
The field of 68 for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament will be announced Sunday evening, and the wait could be excruciating for the Xavier Musketeers.Xavier could have helped their case in the Big East Tournament, but blew a double-digit lead to Marquette in the quarterfinals, putting their fate in the hands of the tournament’s selection committee.Entering Selection Sunday, the Muskies have a 21-11 overall record and a 13-7 mark in conference play.Despite their 20+ wins, the Musketeers have few quality wins, going just 2-9 against Quad 1 opponents this season.The Musketeers do have a believer that they’ll get into the field: ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, who has XU in the field as one of the last four in in his Sunday morning update.The two biggest games that could help Xavier’s case are the American Athletic Conference and Atlantic 10 finals.Xavier fans should be pulling for Memphis and VCU, respectively, in those games. If UAB and/or George Mason clinch victories, that could shrink the at-large field and tighten the bubble significantly.However, there are more skeptics than believers about the Muskies tournament hopes.One of the most notable names to make a statement on Xavier’s fate Saturday was Seth Davis, who tweeted that the Musketeers, along with North Carolina, are “out.”Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Sweeney has the Musketeers on the outside looking in, putting Xavier among the “first four out,” along with Texas, UNC and UC Irvine. In their Sunday morning bracket projection, The Athletic has Xavier out of the field as well, also among the “first four out.”The last time Xavier won 20+ games and finished .500 or better in conference play and missed out on the tournament was the 1999-2000 season, when they went 20-11 (9-7) entering Selection Sunday.They went 1-1 in the NIT, moving their overall record that year to 21-12.The 2025 men’s NCAA basketball tournament field will be announced Sunday, beginning at 6 p.m.
CINCINNATI —The field of 68 for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament will be announced Sunday evening, and the wait could be excruciating for the Xavier Musketeers.
Xavier could have helped their case in the Big East Tournament, but blew a double-digit lead to Marquette in the quarterfinals, putting their fate in the hands of the tournament’s selection committee.
Entering Selection Sunday, the Muskies have a 21-11 overall record and a 13-7 mark in conference play.
Despite their 20+ wins, the Musketeers have few quality wins, going just 2-9 against Quad 1 opponents this season.
The Musketeers do have a believer that they’ll get into the field: ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, who has XU in the field as one of the last four in in his Sunday morning update.
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— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) March 16, 2025
The two biggest games that could help Xavier’s case are the American Athletic Conference and Atlantic 10 finals.
Xavier fans should be pulling for Memphis and VCU, respectively, in those games. If UAB and/or George Mason clinch victories, that could shrink the at-large field and tighten the bubble significantly.
However, there are more skeptics than believers about the Muskies tournament hopes.
One of the most notable names to make a statement on Xavier’s fate Saturday was Seth Davis, who tweeted that the Musketeers, along with North Carolina, are “out.”
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Feels like it’s down to Boise State and Ohio State for the last spot. Indiana and Texas in, Xavier and North Carolina out.
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 16, 2025
Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Sweeney has the Musketeers on the outside looking in, putting Xavier among the “first four out,” along with Texas, UNC and UC Irvine.
In their Sunday morning bracket projection, The Athletic has Xavier out of the field as well, also among the “first four out.”
The last time Xavier won 20+ games and finished .500 or better in conference play and missed out on the tournament was the 1999-2000 season, when they went 20-11 (9-7) entering Selection Sunday.
They went 1-1 in the NIT, moving their overall record that year to 21-12.
The 2025 men’s NCAA basketball tournament field will be announced Sunday, beginning at 6 p.m.
