One of the pervasive questions surrounding this game was whether or not Xavier - a team that distinctly did not set out to participate in this tournament - could match the energy and effort that Cleveland State would bring to the game. It wasn’t necessarily implied by anyone in charge, but it was heavily inferred by fans of the program that Travis Steele’s employment status could hinge on the answer.
In the early going, it looked a lot like Coach Steele might need to update the ol’ resume. Just 95 seconds into the game, Xavier was 0-1 from the floor and Paul Scruggs (12/4/4) already had three turnovers.