Is Xavier the Cinderella of This Year's Big Dance?

The Xavier Musketeers made it to the elite eight of the NCAA tournament last year but to return this year they will have to knock off the number 1 seed in the East, the Pittsburgh Panthers. Xavier advanced to the Sweet Sixteen with a 60-49 victory over Wisconsin. The Musketeers struggled at the end of the regular season finishing 5-5 and have surprised many of the experts with the way they have bounced back. Xavier was awarded a number 4 seed but that was based on victories early in the year and many pundits picked them to lose in the second round (including President Barack Obama.)

During the postgame news conference carried live on Newsradio 700 WLW in Cincinnati, Xavier guard B.J. Raymond said it was the Musketeers' experience that helped them survive in the college basketball tournament. "We've been there before. Last year we were down to Georgia by 10 points at the half and we just needed to calm down and do what we do," Raymond said. He says it was the Xavier defense that led them to victory over the Badgers.

Xavier will have to play defense just as well when they take on Pittsburgh in round 3 Thursday night. Pitt is the number one seeded team in the East but struggled in the first two tournament games against East Tennessee State University and Oklahoma State. Pittsburgh is big and strong and will pose a great challenge for Xavier which has never beaten a number one seed in the NCAA tournament. After Sundays game on 700WLW, Xavier coach Sean Miller said his team is well aware that the competition gets tougher the deeper you get into March Madness. "Every level you jump it becomes increasingly difficult," Miller said to reporters after the Wisconsin win. Xavier has been listed as a 7 point underdog according to the Vegas oddsmakers.

There is an interesting sidelight to Millers team making the Sweet Sixteen. The Musketeers face Millers alma mater. He was the point guard for Pitt and led the team to the NCAA tournament three times in the late '80s and early '90s. Miller is still the all time assists leader at Pittsburgh and looks forward to taking on his former team for the first time as a head coach. Miller has now led the Musketeers to four straight NCAA appearances and has more wins in the tournament than any coach in Xavier history.