At this time of year we would usually be knee deep in player previews, just a couple weeks from Xavier’s first game. That isn’t the case at Banners this year. If you’ve been with us through the Covid summer and the end of last season, you know that covering college basketball is a thing that has happened in spurts around flattening curves, mask orders, hand washing ad infinitum, and the rest of what now passes for the new normal.
And a new normal it is. We won’t all gather at the Cintas this season. There may be nights when a handful of fans are in attendance and some media members fill our privileged seats around the court, but if that happens it won’t be the norm.