Xavier 7th in the preseason AP Poll

The preseason AP poll is out and the best team in Ohio is nestled in the top 10 yet again. Fresh off a season in which they set records for highest position in both polls, duration of time near the tops of the polls, and spent significant time in the top 10, Xavier is ranked seventh by the members of the Associated Press to start this year. After last season ended with me crying in an empty parking lot with Xavier ranked ninth, their highest ever end of season rank, the Musketeers start this one with their highest ever preseason rank.

At this point it has become fair to assume that these rankings are for a team deprived of the services of Myles Davis. Short of the quick blurb about Myles needing to fix things before he rejoined the team, Coach Mack isn't talking about him, the players aren't talking about him, and Myles himself has remained silent on the situation. It would stand to reason that members of the national media would recognize that and not factor his play into their ranking of the Musketeers. Of course, someone voted for Ohio U, so maybe reason isn't the standard to which the voters should be held.

Here is the first poll of the year, with all the caveats that come with staking any hopes and or dreams to projections made before a ball has bounced in anger. The AP has three Big East teams ranked, with Villanova at fourth, Xavier at seventh, and Creighton holding down 22nd.