Oct. 22, 2009

Complete A-10 Release

CINCINNATI - The Xavier University Musketeer men's basketball team, three-time defending Atlantic 10 Conference Regular Season Champion, has been selected second in the preseason poll for the 2010 Atlantic 10 men's basketball race. Three Musketeer players also earned preseason honors. The results came from a poll of the Atlantic 10's head coaches and selected media, which was released today during the annual Atlantic 10 Conference Men's Basketball Media Day.

Xavier, 27-8 overall last season, returns two starters from a team that reached the 2009 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. The Musketeers received 18 first-place votes and placed second in the preseason poll to Dayton, who received 33 of the 57 first-place votes cast.

The Musketeers are seeking to become the first A-10 program to win four consecutive regular season titles since Massachusetts captured five straight from 1992-96. One of just nine Division I programs to win at least 25 games in each of the last three seasons, Xavier is under the direction of first-year head coach and former two-time XU captain Chris Mack.

Musketeer guard Jordan Crawford, a 6-4 sophomore transfer from Indiana, was selected to the preseason Atlantic 10 Conference Third Team.

Xavier placed two players on the preseason Atlantic 10 Conference All-Defensive Team, 6-9 senior center Jason Love and 6-5 junior guard Dante' Jackson. XU led the Atlantic 10 and was ranked eighth in the nation in field goal percentage defense last season at 38.6 percent.

The complete Atlantic 10 Conference release, including preseason poll results and preseason honor squads, is attached in the 2010 Atlantic 10 predictions release. Musketeer fans will get their first look at Mack's first Xavier squad this weekend during XU's annual Musketeer Madness presented by Skyline Chili.

This weekend the Xavier men's and women's basketball teams will be hosting Musketeer Madness. Coming up this Saturday, October 24, Musketeer Madness is the tip-off event for the 2009-10 Xavier basketball season. This year's event is free to the public and features a Fan Fest on the plaza in front of Cintas Center starting at 5 p.m.

Fans will have the chance to get autographs from both the men's and women's basketball teams from 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. Other activities include inflatable games for the kids, a balloon artist, corn hole and much more. Skyline Chili and Trauth Dairy will be on hand to serve Cincinnati's favorite chili and ice cream and KISS 107 will be on hand featuring music and promotional activities. FOX Sports Ohio will also be at the event with promotional giveaways and activities.

The event will continue as both basketball teams will be introduced at 7 p.m. followed by intrasquad scrimmages. The Xavier band, cheerleaders and dance team will also be on hand to help kick off the season. Other activities include a three-point contest between Xavier students and Xavier basketball players as well as the annual slam dunk contest.

The XU men open the 2009-10 season with exhibition games against Rollins College on Tuesday, November 3 and Northern Kentucky University on Saturday, November 7. Both games will start at 7:30 p.m. and will be played at Cintas Center.