Xavier was a finish away from beating Gonzaga, Duke and Indiana.
The hallmark of a good team is the ability to put other good teams away. That's how you win big games and build a postseason résumé.
Xavier had not showcased that ability prior to Saturday night's win over West Virginia.
"It's our best win of the season. It was an important game for our team," Xavier head coach Sean Miller said. "We as a group did a great job of fighting to the end."
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It wasn't exactly the performance Xavier needed, but it was close.