There’s nothing for a Xavier fan quite like an Elite Eight run. I can distinctly remember all of them: Lionel Chalmers, Anthony Myles, and getting Duked came before BJ Raymond burying a three pointer, West Virginia, and Bob Huggins in one beautiful screaming moment, and finally this year’s team of under turned overachievers jumping on the back of a still injured Trevon Bluiett and driving Sean Miller’s Buick within a game of the Final Four. That final step is coming, but until then, the three runs will be immortalized to Xavier fans.
But that overshadows one very important fact, last year’s Xavier team was better than this year’s iteration.