22. Xavier (11-1)
Consider the case of Xavier, one of those fantastic mid-major programs that kept producing good head coaches for other teams. They’ve played a real role since joining the new Big East back in 2013 and this could be another NCAA Tournament team that can pull of a deep run when March rolls around.
The Musketeers really struggled shooting the ball from outside early in the season, but that didn’t stop them from picking up a big early win over Ohio State. As the season has progressed, they’ve also added wins against Virginia Tech and Oklahoma State, both coming away from home. Double-digit losses are troubling, but when they’ve come to unbeaten Iowa State and a solid Villanova squad, they become a bit more forgivable. With their defense playing great in recent weeks, Xavier had won seven straight games before dropping that game to the Wildcats earlier this week.
We’ve already seen the talent of the Big East, but the combination of Jack Nunge, Colby Jones, and others has produced a Xavier team capable of making a run this season. The ratings systems really love Xavier, even with those two rough losses, and this defense looks like it can handle some of these Big East teams. The conference race will not be easy and Xavier will certainly be tested down the stretch, but this team looks almost unbeaten at home and has played some fantastic ball all over the country.