Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Gonzaga University
Xavier Faces Off Against Gonzaga in Elite Eight Matchup on Saturday
03.24.17 | Men's Basketball
Winner earns a spot in the NCAA Final Four
SAN JOSE, Calif. - No. 11 seed Xavier takes on No. 1 seed Gonzaga in the West Regional Final on Saturday at 6:09 p.m. ET. The winner earns a berth in the Final Four. The game will be broadcast on TBS, 700 WLW-AM and Westwood One.
 |
THE MATCHUP |
No. 11 Seed Xavier University Musketeers (24-13, 9-9 BIG EAST)
No. 1 Seed Gonzaga University Bulldogs (35-1, 17-1 WCC)
NCAA TOURNAMENT WEST REGIONAL FINAL
Saturday, March 25, 2017 at 6:09 p.m. ET (3:09 p.m. PT)
SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.
|
|
TV AND RADIO |
Television: TBS with Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Chris Webber (analysis) and Lewis Johnson (reporter)
Xavier Radio: 700 WLW-AM with the call coming from a pair of Xavier Hall of Famers: Joe Sunderman ('79) and XU all-time leading scorer Byron Larkin ('88).
National Radio: Westwood One with play-by-play from Kevin Kugler and analysis from Jim Jackson.
|
|
X FACTORS |
• Xavier is playing in its third Elite Eight, including 2004, 2008 and 2017.
• Xavier has made it to at least the Sweet 16 six times in the last 10 years, one of only nine schools that have been to at least six since 2008.
• Xavier is playing in its fourth straight NCAA Tournament and its 11th in the last 12 years; only eight schools have been to at least 11 of the last 12 tournaments.
• Xavier eighth-year head coach Chris Mack has led XU to seven NCAA Tournaments in eight years, including four Sweet 16 appearances. This is his first Elite Eight.
• Xavier is 8-1 this season in neutral site games.
• Xavier, 24-13, has its fourth straight 20-win season and its 11th in 12 years.
• Xavier junior Trevon Bluiett, First Team All-BIG EAST and All-BIG EAST Tournament, leads the BIG EAST in scoring at 18.7 ppg. and is 10th in rebounding at 5.6 rpg.
• Xavier's Trevon Bluiett has 19 games with 20 points or more this season, including all three NCAA games. He has averaged 25.0 ppg. in this year's NCAA Tournament.
• Xavier's Trevon Bluiett is 15th on XU's all-time scoring list with 1,575 points, while fellow junior J.P. Macura is 50th with 1,036 points.
• Xavier's J.P. Macura is 2nd on the team in scoring (16th in BIG EAST at 14.3 ppg.).
• Xavier freshman Quentin Goodin has averaged 5.5 apg. for his 16 straight starts at point guard, including a career-high nine assists in the NCAA win over Maryland.
• Xavier senior Malcolm Bernard scored a career-high 15 points in the win over Arizona, all of which came in the second half. He added six rebounds.
• Xavier junior Sean O'Mara has been XU's second-leading scorer in the NCAA Tournament at 12.3 ppg.; XU is 8-1 this season when O'Mara scores in double figures.
• Xavier has a list of 100 consecutive men's basketball seniors that have graduated dating back to the 1985-86 school year.
