2017–18 Xavier Musketeers men's basketball team

The 2017–18 Xavier Musketeers men's basketball team represented Xavier University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season as a member of the Big East Conference. Led by ninth-year head coach Chris Mack, they played their home games at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. They finished the season 29–6, 15–3 in Big East play to win the Big East championship. In the Big East Tournament, they defeated St. John's before losing to Providence in the semifinals. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed in the West region. In the First Round, they defeated Texas Southern before being upset by Florida State in the Second Round.

2017–18 Xavier Musketeers men's basketball
NCAA Tournament, Second Round
ConferenceBig East Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 8
APNo. 3
2017–18 record29–6 (15–3 Big East)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaCintas Center
2017–18 Big East men's basketball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
No. 3 Xavier15–3 .833  29–6  .829
No. 2 Villanova †14–4 .778  36–4  .900
Seton Hall10–8 .556  22–12  .647
Creighton10–8 .556  21–12  .636
Providence10–8 .556  21–14  .600
Butler9–9 .500  21–14  .600
Marquette9–9 .500  21–14  .600
Georgetown5–13 .278  15–15  .500
St. John's4–14 .222  16–17  .485
DePaul4–14 .222  11–20  .355
† 2018 Big East Tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll

On March 27, 2018, Chris Mack was hired as the new head coach of Louisville, leaving Xavier after nine seasons.[1] Four days later, longtime assistant coach Travis Steele was named the new head coach of the Musketeers.[2]

Previous season

The Musketeers finished the 2016–17 season 24–14, 9–9 in Big East play to finish in seventh place.[3][4] In the Big East Tournament, they defeated DePaul and Butler before losing to Creighton in the semifinals.[5] They received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 11 seed in the West region where they defeated Maryland,[6] Florida State,[7] and Arizona[8] before losing in the Elite Eight to Gonzaga.[9]

Offseason

Returning players

On March 31, 2017, Trevon Bluiett announced he would declare for the NBA Draft, but would not hire an agent.[10] On May 23, he withdrew his name from the draft and announced he would return to Xavier for his senior season.[11]

Incoming recruits
US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Elias Harden
SG		 Tyrone, GA Sandy Creek High School 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Jul 27, 2016 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN grade: 80
Naji Marshall
SF		 Greenbelt, MD Hargrave Military Academy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Jul 29, 2016 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN grade: 85
Paul Scruggs
PG		 Indianapolis, IN Prolific Prep 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Oct 14, 2016 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2017 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

    Incoming transfers
    Name Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous
    School    		 Years
    Remaining    		 Date
    Eligible
    Kerem Kanter Forward 6'10" 240 Senior Istanbul, Turkey Green Bay 1 Oct. 1, 2017[12]

    2018 recruits

    Preseason

    In its annual preseason preview, Blue Ribbon Yearbook ranked the Musketeers No. 21 in the country.[13] Trevon Bluiett was named a third team All-American.[13]

    In a poll of Big East coaches at the conference's media day, the Musketeers were picked to finish in third place in the Big East.[14] Senior guard Trevon Bluiett was named to the preseason All-Big East First team while senior guard J.P. Macura was named a preseason All-Big East Honorable Mention.[15]

    Roster
    2017–18 Xavier Musketeers men's basketball team
    PlayersCoaches
    Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
    F 0 Tyrique Jones 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)237 lb (108 kg) SoVermont Academy Bloomfield, Connecticut
    G 1 Paul Scruggs 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)212 lb (96 kg) FrProlific Prep (CA) Indianapolis, Indiana
    G 3 Quentin Goodin 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)194 lb (88 kg) SoTaylor County HS Campbellsville, Kentucky
    G 4 Elias Harden 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)183 lb (83 kg) FrPebblebrook HS East Point, Georgia
    G 5 Trevon Bluiett 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)198 lb (90 kg) SrPark Tudor School Indianapolis, Indiana
    G 10 Leighton Schrand (W) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)155 lb (70 kg) SoHoly Cross High School Villa Hills, Kentucky
    F 11 Kerem Kanter 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)240 lb (109 kg) RS SrGreen Bay Istanbul, Turkey
    G 12 Nick Vanderpohl (W) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)170 lb (77 kg) FrHarrison Harrison, Ohio
    F 13 Naji Marshall 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)214 lb (97 kg) FrHargrave Military Academy Atlantic City, New Jersey
    F 20 Matt Singleton (W) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)215 lb (98 kg) SrGarrett HS Garrett, Indiana
    F 22 Kaiser Gates 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)228 lb (103 kg) JrSt. Francis HS Alpharetta, Georgia
    F/C 54 Sean O'Mara 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)244 lb (111 kg) SrBenet Academy Glen Ellyn, Illinois
    G 55 J. P. Macura 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)203 lb (92 kg) SrLakeville North HS Lakeville, Minnesota
    Head coach
    Assistant coach(es)
    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • (W) Walk-on

    Roster

    Schedule and results
    Date
    time, TV    		 Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
    city, state
    Exhibition
    Nov 4, 2017*
    4:00 pm    		 No. 17 Thomas More College W 78–38 
    		 16 – Marshall  10 – Kanter  6 – Scruggs  Cintas Center (10,224)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Non-conference regular season
    Nov 10, 2017*
    7:00 pm, FSN    		 No. 17 Morehead State W 101–49  1–0
    		  25 – Bluiett  9 – Jones  7 – Goodin  Cintas Center (10,224)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Nov 13, 2017*
    8:30 pm, FS1    		 No. 15 Rider
    Las Vegas Invitational campus-site game    		 W 101–75  2–0
    		  26 – Bluiett  9 – Bluiett  6 – Tied  Cintas Center (10,224)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Nov 16, 2017*
    8:30 pm, FS1    		 No. 15 at Wisconsin
    Gavitt Tipoff Games    		 W 80–70  3–0
    		  25 – Bluiett  9 – Bluiett  6 – Goodin  Kohl Center (17,287)
    Madison, WI
    Nov 20, 2017*
    8:30 pm, FS1    		 No. 15 Hampton
    Las Vegas Invitational campus-site game    		 W 96–60  4–0
    		  21 – Bluiett  9 – Gates  5 – Goodin  Cintas Center (10,224)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Nov 23, 2017*
    5:00 pm, FS1    		 No. 15 vs. George Washington
    Las Vegas Invitational semifinals    		 W 83–64  5–0
    		  20 – Bluiett  11 – Jones  4 – Goodin  Orleans Arena 
    Paradise, NV
    Nov 24, 2017*
    5:30 pm, FOX    		 No. 15 vs. Arizona State
    Las Vegas Invitational championship    		 L 86–102  5–1
    		  23 – Macura  5 – Tied  6 – Tied  Orleans Arena 
    Paradise, NV
    Nov 28, 2017*
    6:30 pm, FS1    		 No. 21 No. 16 Baylor W 76–63  6–1
    		  19 – Tied  7 – Jones  6 – Tied  Cintas Center (10,503)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Dec 2, 2017*
    12:00 pm, FS1    		 No. 21 No. 11 Cincinnati
    Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout    		 W 89–76  7–1
    		  28 – Bluiett  10 – Gates  8 – Goodin  Cintas Center (10,817)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Dec 6, 2017*
    7:00 pm, FS1    		 No. 13 Kent State W 96–70  8–1
    		  26 – Bluiett  8 – Kanter  6 – Goodin  Cintas Center (10,292)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Dec 9, 2017*
    5:00 pm, FS1    		 No. 13 Colorado W 96–69  9–1
    		  25 – Bluiett  7 – Tied  8 – Goodin  Cintas Center (10,228)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Dec 16, 2017*
    2:00 pm, FSN    		 No. 10 East Tennessee State W 68–66  10–1
    		  18 – Bluiett  7 – Tied  6 – Goodin  Cintas Center (10,432)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Dec 19, 2017*
    6:30 pm, FS1    		 No. 9 Marshall W 81–77  11–1
    		  16 – Kanter  13 – Kanter  4 – Marshall  Cintas Center (10,431)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Dec 22, 2017*
    9:00 pm, CBSSN    		 No. 9 at Northern Iowa W 77–67  12–1
    		  15 – Macura  9 – Gates  5 – Goodin  McLeod Center (6,355)
    Cedar Falls, IA
    Big East regular season
    Dec 27, 2017
    8:30 pm, FS1    		 No. 6 at Marquette W 91–87  13–1
    (1–0)    		  23 – Bluiett  6 – Bluiett  8 – Bluiett  BMO Harris Bradley Center (15,095)
    Milwaukee, WI
    Dec 30, 2017
    2:00 pm, FS1    		 No. 6 DePaul W 77–72  14–1
    (2–0)    		  19 – Macura  7 – Tied  5 – Macura  Cintas Center (10,436)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Jan 2, 2018
    7:00 pm, FS1    		 No. 5 Butler W 86–79  15–1
    (3–0)    		  21 – Bluiett  9 – Jones  4 – Macura  Cintas Center (10,609)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Jan 6, 2018
    12:00 pm, FOX    		 No. 5 at Providence L 72–81  15–2
    (3–1)    		  24 – Kanter  12 – Kanter  4 – Tied  Dunkin' Donuts Center (12,630)
    Providence, RI
    Jan 10, 2018
    8:00 pm, FS1    		 No. 10 at No. 1 Villanova L 65–89  15–3
    (3–2)    		  16 – Kanter  5 – Kanter  3 – Tied  Wells Fargo Center (12,765)
    Philadelphia, PA
    Jan 13, 2018
    2:00 pm, FOX    		 No. 10 No. 25 Creighton W 92–70  16–3
    (4–2)    		  22 – Bluiett  8 – Tied  6 – Goodin  Cintas Center (10,655)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Jan 17, 2018
    8:30 pm, CBSSN    		 No. 11 St. John's W 88–82  17–3
    (5–2)    		  23 – Bluiett  13 – Kanter  7 – Goodin  Cintas Center (10,224)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Jan 20, 2018
    2:30 pm, FOX    		 No. 11 at No. 19 Seton Hall W 73–64  18–3
    (6–2)    		  27 – Macura  5 – Tied  5 – Scruggs  Prudential Center (10,481)
    Newark, NJ
    Jan 24, 2018
    6:30 pm, FS1    		 No. 8 Marquette W 89–70  19–3
    (7–2)    		  15 – Goodin  10 – Bluiett  5 – Tied  Cintas Center (10,493)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Jan 30, 2018
    8:30 pm, CBSSN    		 No. 6 at St. John's W 73–68  20–3
    (8–2)    		  14 – Bluiett  6 – Gates  5 – Goodin  Carnesecca Arena (5,344)
    Queens, NY
    Feb 3, 2018
    6:10 pm, CBSSN    		 No. 6 Georgetown W 96–91 OT 21–3
    (9–2)    		  31 – Bluiett  10 – Gates  4 – Gates  Cintas Center (10,758)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Feb 6, 2018
    6:30 pm, FS1    		 No. 5 at Butler W 98–93 OT 22–3
    (10–2)    		  26 – Bluiett  6 – Tied  3 – Tied  Hinkle Fieldhouse (9,100)
    Indianapolis, IN
    Feb 10, 2018
    2:30 pm, FOX    		 No. 5 at Creighton W 72–71  23–3
    (11–2)    		  17 – Goodin  9 – Macura  4 – Bluiett  CenturyLink Center (18,257)
    Omaha, NE
    Feb 14, 2018
    9:00 pm, FS1    		 No. 4 Seton Hall W 102–90  24–3
    (12–2)    		  37 – Bluiett  7 – Bluiett  5 – Macura  Cintas Center (10,512)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Feb 17, 2018
    4:30 pm, FOX    		 No. 4 No. 3 Villanova L 79–95  24–4
    (12–3)    		  26 – Bluiett  8 – Marshall  12 – Goodin  Cintas Center (10,777)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Feb 21, 2018
    6:30 pm, FS1    		 No. 4 at Georgetown W 89–77  25–4
    (13–3)    		  21 – Marshall  7 – Tied  4 – Tied  Capital One Arena (8,012)
    Washington, DC
    Feb 28, 2018
    6:30 pm, FS1    		 No. 3 Providence W 84–74  26–4
    (14–3)    		  23 – Bluiett  6 – Bluiett  4 – Goodin  Cintas Center (10,715)
    Cincinnati, OH
    Mar 3, 2018
    12:00 pm, FS1    		 No. 3 at DePaul W 65–62  27–4
    (15–3)    		  22 – Bluiett  11 – Marshall  4 – Macura  Wintrust Arena (7,972)
    Chicago, IL
    Big East Tournament
    Mar 8, 2018
    12:00 pm, FS1    		 (1) No. 3 vs. (9) St. John's
    Quarterfinals    		 W 88–60  28–4
    		  27 – Bluiett  7 – Bluiett/Marshall  5 – Macura  Madison Square Garden (17,647)
    New York, NY
    Mar 9, 2018
    6:30 pm, FS1    		 (1) No. 3 vs. (5) Providence
    Semifinals    		 L 72–75  28–5
    		  18 – Kanter  12 – Marshall  3 – Tied  Madison Square Garden (19,812)
    New York, NY
    NCAA Tournament
    Mar 16, 2018*
    7:20 pm, TBS    		 (1 W) No. 3 vs. (16 W) Texas Southern
    First Round    		 W 102–83  29–5
    		  29 – Macura  6 – Tied  7 – Goodin  Bridgestone Arena (17,549)
    Nashville, TN
    Mar 18, 2018
    8:40 pm, TNT    		 (1 W) No. 3 vs. (9 W) Florida State
    Second Round    		 L 70–75  29–6
    		  17 – Macura  6 – Kanter  2 – 3 tied  Bridgestone Arena (17,552)
    Nashville, TN
    *Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. W=West.
    All times are in Eastern Time.

    Rankings
    Main article: 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings
    Ranking movements
    Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
    NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.
    Week
    Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Final 
    AP 17 15 15 21 13 10 9 6 5 10 11 8 6 5 4 (5) 4 3 3 3 Not released 
    Coaches 17 17 14 20 14 9 8 5 4 10 12 8 6 5 4 (1) 4 4 2 4 8
    • AP does not release post-NCAA tournament rankings

    References
    1. Greer, Jeff (March 27, 2018). "Louisville hires Chris Mack as new men's basketball coach". Courier Journal. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
    2. Borzello, Jeff (March 31, 2018). "Musketeers promote longtime assistant Travis Steele to head coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
    3. "Xavier Musketeers Basketball 2016–17 Schedule – Musketeers Home and Away – ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
    4. "2016–17 Xavier Musketeers Schedule and Results | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
    5. "Xavier out of Big East Tournament with 75–72 Creighton loss". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
    6. Staples, Andy. "Trevon Bluiett leads No. 11 Xavier's upset of No. 6 Maryland". SI.com. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
    7. "Xavier dismantles Florida State, headed to Sweet 16". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
    8. "Xavier stuns Arizona with late surge, advances to Elite Eight | FOX Sports". FOX Sports. 2017-03-24. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
    9. "No. 1 Gonzaga dispatches No. 11 Xavier to reach first-ever Final Four". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
    10. "Bluiett to test NBA Draft waters again, won't hire agent". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 2017-09-20.
    11. "Trevon Bluiett will stay at Xavier after considering NBA". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-09-20.
    12. Brennan, Patrick (May 22, 2017). "Kanter pulling out of NBA Draft, will play at Xavier". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
    13. "Arizona Tops Blue Ribbon's 37th Annual Preseason Rankings". Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. Retrieved 2017-09-20.
    14. "Big East Conference – Villanova Sits Atop Coaches' Preseason Poll Again". www.bigeast.com. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
    15. "Big East Conference – Villanova's Jalen Brunson Selected Preseason Player of the Year". www.bigeast.com. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
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