Men's Basketball Ranked No. 17 In Preseason USA Today Coaches Poll

Men's Basketball Ranked No. 17 In Preseason USA Today Coaches Poll

10.19.17 | Men's Basketball

XU was ranked 18th in the final poll last season.

By: Tom Eiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - The Xavier University men's basketball team is ranked number 17 in the preseason USA Today Sports coaches poll, which was announced today.

Xavier, 24-14 overall last season, is coming off an NCAA Tournament Elite Eight run. The Musketeers were ranked number 18 in the 2016-17 final postseason USA Today Sports coaches poll.

Head coach Chris Mack has six returning letterwinners from last year's squad led by the senior duo of 6-6 All-America candidate Trevon Bluiett and 6-5 J.P. Macura, who were both named to the five-member 2017 All-West Regional Team. The third senior is 6-10 Sean O'Mara, one of the heroes of last season's Elite Eight run off the bench. Junior 6-8 forward Kaiser Gates came on strong late in his sophomore year and is expected to battle for a starting spot. Graduate transfer Kerem Kanter, a 6-10 forward who played at Wisconsin-Green Bay, is expected to be a major contributor as well.

The two other returning starters in addition to Bluiett and Macura are 6-4 point guard Quentin Goodin and 6-9 post man Tyrique Jones, who started as freshmen. Xavier also adds a star-studded recruiting class that includes Elias Harden, a 6-5 guard from Pebblebrook High in Mableton, Ga., Naji Marshall, a 6-7 forward from Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va., and Paul Scruggs, a 6-3 guard from Prolific Prep in Napa, Calif., who played as a junior at Southport High School in his native Indianapolis.
The preseason Associated Press Poll is slated to be announced on November 1.