There is still a lot to be determined when it comes to Xavier’s postseason.
We know the Musketeers will wrap up the regular season against Providence at Cintas Center on Saturday, March 8, then compete in the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
Xavier is right on the cut line for an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. Typically, bubble teams who just miss out on March Madness are picked for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), an event the Musketeers won in 2022 and appeared in last spring.
This year, however, if the bubble doesn’t break its way, Xavier could be destined for the desert for a new college basketball postseason tournament.
WATCH: Breaking down Xavier’s Big East road win over Seton Hall
Xavier saw its 21-point win get trimmed to as little as three in the second half Sunday but escaped Prudential Center with a win over Seton Hall.
What is the College Basketball Crown?
Announced in April 2024, the College Basketball Crown, a 16-team postseason tournament launched by Fox Sports and AEG for teams that missed the NCAA Tournament, will debut this year.
The inaugural basketball tournament will be held from March 31-April 6 in Las Vegas at MGM Grand Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena. Games will air on FOX and FS1.
Which teams are invited to the College Basketball Crown?
The College Basketball Crown will give automatic bids to the top two teams from the Big East, Big 12 and Big 10 that did not get selected to the NCAA Tournament.
The additional at-large spots will be selected by a committee.
The Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East each agreed to participate in the College Basketball Crown.
“We are confident that the formidable capabilities of FOX Sports, AEG, and their event partners will translate into a high-quality postseason opportunity for our coaches, players and school,” Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman said in a statement.
With four Big East teams (No. 7 St. John’s, No. 21 Marquette, Creighton and UConn) looking like locks for the NCAA Tournament, it leaves Xavier as the top remaining squad.
A Crosstown Shootout in Las Vegas?
A Las Vegas version of the Crosstown Shootout is a possibility. Like Xavier, UC is currently on the NCAA Tournament bubble but helped its chances after Tuesday’s win over Baylor.
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi had Xavier and UC each in his “Next Four Out” in a Wednesday morning update.
Lunardi has eight Big 12 teams invited to the NCAA Tournament.
DRatings.com, which does NIT bracketology, currently projects Xavier as a No. 1 seed in the NIT and UC as a No. 2 seed. But it’s unclear if the top two Big 12, Big East and Big Ten teams can opt-out from the College Basketball Crown or if they are required to play.
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