After a 17-day layoff due to COVID-19 issues, Xavier's men's basketball team returns to action Friday night (8:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1) at Butler's Hinkle Fieldhouse, and one prevailing question will follow the Musketeers.
Will there be rust?
Despite being healthy, Xavier's hasn't played since a Dec. 21 loss at Villanova because its last two scheduled opponents – Connecticut and Georgetown – ran into COVID issues and couldn't play.
As opposed to last season, the difference this time around for Xavier was the team wasn't quarantined and separated from each other. Although the Musketeers were unable to play basketball games, they still had workouts and practices, and they were together, not isolated in different rooms for weeks on end like last season.