NCAA Basketball: Updated way-too-early 2019-20 top-25

23. Xavier Musketeers

Xavier missed the NCAA Tournament during this past season but they showed tremendous improvement over the course of the year. It was just Travis Steele’s first year as the head coach of the program but he seems to have quickly gained the trust of the roster. There is clearly still room for him to develop as a head coach but it is reasonable to expect that the Musketeers will return to the Big Dance during this coming campaign. This is thanks in large part to the returns of several key players, although they might get some strong contributions from freshmen as well.

Quentin Goodin, Naji Marshall, and Paul Scruggs, all of whom averaged in double-figures per game a year ago, will be the leaders on the court. Marshall, most notably, should be in line for potentially landing on the All-Big East First Team for his tremendous skill level. In addition, the program is bringing in the No. 24 overall recruiting class in the nation. This group includes five top-200 prospects, including dangerous combo guard KyKy Tandy and highly-touted center Zach Freemantle.

Due to their returning star power at the top and young depth, it seems likely that the Musketeers will be a top-half team in the Big East during this coming season. And with the majority of the league expected to be strong, that will be no easy feat. It seems as though the top eight teams will all be competing for NCAA Tournament bids. Xavier should dance safely if all goes according to plan.