NCAA Basketball: 5 surprising 2020-21 Final Four contenders entering league play

Xavier Musketeers

The Xavier Musketeers are another team that went from no AP votes in the preseason to an undefeated run through non-conference play. The Musketeers have since received a reality check in Big East play.

After beating Marquette in an offensive shootout, Xavier went on the road to Creighton earlier in the week and lost 66-61, knocking Xavier from the ranks of the unbeaten. The Musketeers were held to just 25.0 shooting from three in the loss and attempted just seven free throws in the game.

Nevertheless, hope should still be high for the program. After squeaking by the likes of Bradley, Toledo, and Eastern Kentucky by a combined seven points, Xavier looked much sprier in a victory at Cincinnati and a blowout of Oklahoma. Those two teams are both NCAA Tournament caliber, even though the Bearcats have struggled out of the gate.

With Xavier already getting their road game against Creighton out of the way and Villanova on pause for the moment, the Musketeers have a chance to be the favorite in virtually every game they play from here on out. It’s a flip of where they were at the beginning of the year.

Xavier has never made the Final Four, though they did make the Elite Eight in 2017. Travis Steele has his program ahead of schedule right now and in a strange year, that could pay off with a historic postseason trip.