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The first USA Today Coaches Poll came out yesterday and the Xavier Musketeers occupied the eighth spot on the list. That's up from 11th to end last season after something unpleasant that I don't want to talk about knocked the Musketeers out in the second round. Xavier lost James Farr, Remy Abell, and Jalen Reynolds, but has added a good deal of new incoming talent to fit in alongside finally eligible transfer RaShid Gaston. Here's the pool in its entirety, with the big question just after:
| RANK | TEAM | RECORD | POINTS | 1ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke | 0-0 | 792 | 27 |
| 2 | Kansas | 0-0 | 721 | 1 |
| 3 | Villanova | 0-0 | 700 | 1 |
| 4 | Kentucky | 0-0 | 695 | 2 |
| 5 | Oregon | 0-0 | 620 | 1 |
| 6 | North Carolina | 0-0 | 614 | 0 |
| 7 | Virginia | 0-0 | 596 | 0 |
| 8 | Xavier | 0-0 | 552 | 0 |
| 9 | Michigan St | 0-0 | 544 | 0 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | 0-0 | 487 | 0 |
| 11 | Arizona | 0-0 | 468 | 0 |
| 12 | Indiana | 0-0 | 435 | 0 |
| 13 | Gonzaga | 0-0 | 371 | 0 |
| 14 | Louisville | 0-0 | 367 | 0 |
| 15 | Purdue | 0-0 | 324 | 0 |
| 16 | Connecticut | 0-0 | 239 | 0 |
| 17 | Syracuse | 0-0 | 224 | 0 |
| 18 | West Virginia | 0-0 | 204 | 0 |
| 19 | St. Mary's | 0-0 | 203 | 0 |
| 20 | UCLA | 0-0 | 185 | 0 |
| 21 | Maryland | 0-0 | 153 | 0 |
| 22 | Texas | 0-0 | 124 | 0 |
| 23 | Creighton | 0-0 | 113 | 0 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | 0-0 | 85 | 0 |
| 25 | Cincinnati | 0-0 | 75 | 0 |
| Others Receiving Votes: Florida State 65; Iowa State 56; California 43; Miami (Fla.) 35; Dayton 34; Oklahoma 33; Seton Hall 24; Texas A&M 22; Notre Dame 18; San Diego State 17; Virginia Tech 16; Wichita State 15; Southern California 14; Butler 14; Ohio State 12; Florida 11; Clemson 11; Colorado 11; Michigan 10; Pittsburgh 7; Georgia 6; Virginia Commonwealth 6; Yale 6; Chattanooga 5; Washington 4; Nevada 3; Kansas State 3; Arkansas 2; Davidson 2; Valparaiso 2; Southern Methodist 1; Utah 1. | ||||
Eighth is great and it lands Xavier up there with two other Big East teams. The big question about this, and any other poll right now, is whether it figures for Myles Davis being on the roster. If Xavier is 8th with Myles Davis, I fear this poll isn't worth much of anything. There is no current sign that points to Myles being ready to take the floor when the season starts. If this poll has Xavier without Myles than this could truly be a season to remember for the Musketeers.