Coming into tonight, Xavier had won 6 in a row and re-established the momentum they had lost in their last road trip to a ranked opponent. After this game, the next two look even more daunting, not to mention vital, and questions abound about this team's ability to hang tough on te road against a focused and determined opponent.
Things began promisingly, with Xavier coming out of the gate firing on offense. Villanova was out of sync offensively to start and Xavier amassed a lead. The high water mark would come with 7:25 left, when Xavier would lead by 8 after a pair of Trevon Bluiett free throws.