Since Xavier came back from their 17-day break imposed by covid (in other programs), Muskies games have fallen into a familiar rhythm. Start off incredibly slowly, wake up late in the first half, battle to dig out of an early hole, hope to have enough gas left in the tank to finish late. Other than a perfunctory beating of Butler, each game has followed that basic pattern. X came up just short against Villanova, outlasted Creighton in a shootout, just held on against DePaul, and failed to survive at Marquette and against Providence.
A pattern has no doubt developed here.