SAN JOSE – Xavier had one final practice Tuesday prior to departing for San Jose and the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, and the session likely took the form of so many dozens that had come before it during the 2016-17 season.
Until the end of practice. That’s when a ladder appeared and was placed below one of the nets in the Kohlhepp Family Auxiliary Gym.
The Xavier coaching staff employs all manner of pads for rough-and-tumble rebounding drills, basket plugs and other tools.
Ladders, though? That’s not part of the typical repertoire.
“We were kind of confused,” Xavier junior guard J.