Xavier Basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Musketeers
Schedule outlook
The schedule for Xavier basketball will kick off on Nov. 9 against Niagara at home followed by another home contest against Kent State on Nov. 12 before the Gavitt TipOff Games.
The Musketeers will have their hands full on Nov. 18 in their opening contest of the Gavit TipOff Games, though they’ll play both games at home. It is just the third all-time meeting between the teams with both teams owning one win apiece so far. Their last meeting came on March 17, 2007, when the Buckeyes won 78-71.
In their second game of the Games, they’ll face Norfolk State on Nov. 21. It will be the first time the two teams meet in their program histories.
After that, they’ll switch gears to another event with the NIT Preseason NIT Tip-Off in Barclays Center from Nov. 24-26. They’ll open things up against Iowa State then square off against Memphis/Virginia Tech, depending on the results.
Xavier basketball will return home on Dec. 1 to host Central Michigan then hit the road again in the Big East/Big 12 Battle as they’ll face Oklahoma State (Dec. 5). It will be their first time meeting Oklahoma State as well.
They’ll return home on Dec. 8 to host Ball State then it will be must-see TV as they host their rival, Cincinnati, in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout in the Cintas Center. The Musketeers have won the last two meetings and three of the last four meetings.
In their final non-conference game on the schedule, the Musketeers will host Morehead State before heading into Big East basketball action. First, there’s Marquette at home on Dec. 18, then Villanova on the road on Dec. 21, and UConn at home on Dec. 28 to close out December.
Xavier basketball opens the month of January on the road against Georgetown (Jan. 4) followed by Butler (Jan. 7) in two early tests. They’ll return home to face Villanova (Jan. 12) again then host Creighton (Jan. 15).
Three of the next four games in Big East basketball play come on the road with DePaul (Jan. 19) and Marquette (Jan. 23), home against Providence (Jan. 26) then back on the road against Creighton (Jan. 29) to close out the month.
They’ll open February at home against Butler (Feb. 2) and DePaul (Feb. 5) then face Seton Hall (Feb 9) on the road. St. John’s comes at home on Feb. 16 then UConn on the road on Feb. 19 and Providence as well on Feb. 23.
Two of their final three games come at home starting with Seton Hall on Feb. 26, St. John’s is the final road conference game on March 2, followed by their final home game against Georgetown on March 5.
The Big East Conference Tournament will run from March 9-12 at Madison Square Garden.