VCU(2011) and UCLA(2021) both made Final 4s. ND, Pitt and Colorado have advanced the last 3 seasons. For XU to move on they need to keep TOs low-get off to a quick start-win "3" numbers and FT points and box Ill. off offensive glass plus use the bench.

Johnson is just back from injury. He's a banger and rebounder. (#3) Ben Humrichous is an Evansville transfer and 3 point sniper. Xavier is much more experienced. 1st 4 winners have a strong history of winning 1st Round NCAA games and beyond.

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man of the year and is starting lately(12.5ppg-4 rebs)-very versatile scorer. (#4)6-2 G Kylan Boswell is Arizona transfer and floor leader(12ppg-5 reb-3 assists). (#22) 6-7 JR. Trey White is a Louisville transfer(11ppg-5 rebs). (#21) 6-7,255 Frosh Morez.

6 rebs-5 assists) from Lithuania-18 turnovers last 4 games. He played for Spanjsh powerhouse Barcelona AC. 7-1 Soph Tomislav Ivisic is Croatian((#13)(12.5ppg-8 reb) plays drop coverage blocking and altering many shots.(#7) 6-8 Frosh Will Riley was BigTen 6th.

European talent and shine on the offensive glass w/ a bevy of long beefy BIGS. They trigger a lot of "3s" then crash the board for stick backs off the long misses. (#32) 6-6 PG Kaspar Jackucionis is the STAR-Frosh-2nd Team All Conference(16ppg-.

Illinois team is young and explosive(84 PPG-#11 NCAA). #17 NET-bounced in and out of Top 25s-beat Michigan and Purdue to close out regular season but lost to Rutgers, Northwestern and Maryland by 23 on a neutral floor a week ago. Illini are stocked with.

Stephan F. Austin into Cintas in Nov 2014 and gave Muskies a battle for 35 minutes before fading to an 81-63 loss. He led SFA to 3 NCAAs then one season at one year at Oklahoma State-now 8 at Illinois. Reputation as very hard nosed and demanding. This.

Big Ten Tourney Quarterfinals. Illinois(21-12, 12-8 Big Ten) tied for 7th BTN w/ Oregon-one of 8 BTN teams in the 64. Fighting Illini have made 5 straight NCAAs under coach Brad Underwood losing last season to UConn in Elite 8. Underwood brought scrappy.

Las Vegas. XU riding high after Wed. come from behind 86-80 win over Texas in Dayton. Xavier chartered to Milwaukee arriving after midnight Thurs and shooting at Fiserv Forum in afternoon. Illinois last played Fri. March 14 losing 88-65 to Maryland in.

Scouting 11 Seed Xavier vs 6 Seed Illinois(Big Ten)-NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional 1st Round-Friday March 21(9:45 EDT Tip on CBS) at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. KenPom picks Illinois 82-78 giving Muskies 35% chance to win. Illini favored by 3 in.

Texas A&M(twice), Missouri, Ohio State and UConn. BEST Muskie win IMHO since 2017 NCAA Elite Run when X beat Maryland, FSU and Arizona. Illinois is #17 NET-finishing Big TEN play w/ wins over Iowa, Michigan and Purdue then lost last Fri to Maryland(BTT).

efficiently(57% FG-7 made"3s"-Foster scored 16 of his 22. Freemantle booked 13 of his 15. Muskies flipped the hustle script and won 50-50 balls and board battles. Impressive vs an uber talented Texas team that posted wins over Kentucky,.

was made possible by a stingy stretch from 13:14 left until 8:10 remaining when X outscored UT 13-3 to tie it at 65-65. The ingredients defensive stops-steals and patient offense. Superb Second Half-only 2 turnovers-11 assists on 17 FGs-47 points.

(78-74) converting a long outlet pass from Conwell-lay-up plus FT. Texas battled back to tie. Freemantle nailed a turn around floater then banged in two FTs and Swain put it out of reach on a stick back off a Freemantle 3 point miss. The final war comeback.

bucket getter Johnson. He finished w/ but misfired at winning time. Sub BIG John Hugley came up HUGE!! He grabbed a tough rebound w/ 5:12 left then swshed a wing "3" a few seconds later to give XU a 75-74 lead. Dailyn Swain gave Xavier a 4 point lead.

wanted. Xavier recalibrated at halftime! The crowd stayed animated and supportive. X ramped up the defensive pressure-worked thru the foul trouble and found uncommon effort from Marcus Foster(22 points on 8-9 FG,2-2 FT, 8 rebounds plus outstanding "D" vs UT.

Texas was quicker and more aggressive. The Horns shot 58%-overachieved from "3"(4-8) and outscored X 7-4 in FTs. Muskies looked nervous and rushed offensively and struggled to stop UT's high octane dribble-drive game. Texas star G Tre Johnson got anything he.

survived a trying 1st half vs UT(trailing 47-39 at the break). Without stellar bench play from Dante Maddox(10 points) and Jerome Hunter(6 points) X might have been buried. Both Zach Freemantle and Ryan Conwell were saddled w/ severe foul trouble.

repeatedly and send the Longhorns back to the Lone Star State. Xavier advances to play #6 Seed Illinois(Big Ten) Friday night in Milwaukee(9:40 EDT Tip on CBS). XU is familiar w/ Fizer Forum. Muskies beat Marquette there 59-57 back on Jan. 18. Xavier.

Ecstatic Quick Takes in the wake of Xavier's gritty resilient pulsating 86-80 NCAA Tourney 1st Four win over Texas(SEC) at UD Arena!! Muskie fans turned the venue into Cintas Center North and XU players needed that home courtesque vibe to bounce back.