Does Xavier Have the Best Backcourt in College Basketball

Two games into the 2016-17 NCAA basketball season is too early to make blanket statements, but the Xavier Musketeers have the best backcourt in the country.

The unit is led by 6'6" junior Trevon Bluiett. Bluiett led the Musketeers in scoring last year as a sophomore. He led the team in field goals as well as three pointers. Counting a hot start to his current season, Bluiett has averaged double figures each of his three seasons at Xavier and has improved each season as well. He isn't a big assist man but has good rebounding numbers, especially for a guard, and has that three-point shot. In the early going this year, he has even improved his one weakness, shooting a scalding 46.4 percent from the floor. That will likely come down as competition picks up, but raising his touch from 42 percent, where it's hovered the past two years, is vital.

Beside Bluiett is another 6'6" guard with perhaps even higher upside: Edmond Sumner. Sumner showed major flashes in his only full season thus far in college. The potential even put him on first-round NBA Draft radars. Scouts love his athleticism and ability to attack the rim. In his two games this year, the potential is oozing out as Sumner is averaging 18.5 points, 4.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.0 steals while shooting 61.9 percent from the floor. Two games is essentially meaningless in terms of final-season numbers, but that doesn't make it less fun to observe the box scores in mid-November. Sumner is a main reason why Xavier is seen as one of the best teams in their conference entering this season.

Bluiett and Sumner are enough to put Xavier in the discussion as having one of the best backcourt pairings, but the Musketeers have more to offer, mainly because they routinely started four guards a game last season. J.P. Macura is a third guard starting games this season, and he is looking to take full advantage of being on the court at the jump. Macura, standing 6'5", has a deep shot in his repertoire yet is incredibly efficient from the floor. Shooting 47 percent from the floor with a nearly 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio a season ago, Macura is the type of player who makes the most of his opportunities. Despite a lowish usage rate, he easily outpaced his teammates in offensive rating last year. It wasn't even close.

The man who was third in offensive rating in 2015-16 is Myles Davis. Davis was a standout two sport athlete in high school who has actually drafter by the Chicago Cubs in the 7th round of the MLB draft. Davis is the hinge that flips Xavier to legitimately having the best backcourt in the country. Unfortunately for everyone involved, Davis is suspended indefinitely stemming from actions off the court involving his former girlfriend. Davis recently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, perhaps opening the door for a return to the basketball court prior to conference play.

If Davis makes it back onto the court and into the starting lineup for the Musketeers, they are almost unable to be guarded on the perimeter. Davis started 33 games last year, leading the team in assists. He completes the quartet if and when he is able to play again.