The Xavier Musketeers may have played their way into an at-large bid to the 2012 NCAA Tournament by advancing to the championship game of the 2012 Atlantic 10 Tournament, but for the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, Sunday's game represents their only chance of landing a spot in the Big Dance. Both teams are also in unfamiliar positions as they prepare for Sunday's game. For the Musketeers, who have made the NCAA Tournament in 10 of the past 11 years, being firmly on the bubble is a bit of unknown territory. The Bonnies, meanwhile, haven't been this close to a tournament birth since they last made the field of 64 in 2000.
It's been a rousing tournament for the upstart Bonnies, who have defeated the St. Joseph's Hawks and the Massachusetts Minutemen by a combined seven points. Xavier meanwhile skated to a one point victory over the Dayton Flyers before defeating the St. Louis Billikens by seven points on Saturday. The Musketeers and Bonnies met once this season, way back on January 14, when Xavier came out on top by a score of 77-64. In that game, guard Mark Lyons picked up a struggling Tu Holloway with 21 points and five assists.
Game date/time: Sunday, March 11, 12:00 p.m. CT
Location: Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
TV: CBS
Odds: Xavier by 3
For more on this matchup and the impending March Madness season, check out SB Nation's college hoops news hub. Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more Billikens recaps, previews and news updates. Click here for more on the 2012 Atlantic 10 Tournament.
It's been a rousing tournament for the upstart Bonnies, who have defeated the St. Joseph's Hawks and the Massachusetts Minutemen by a combined seven points. Xavier meanwhile skated to a one point victory over the Dayton Flyers before defeating the St. Louis Billikens by seven points on Saturday. The Musketeers and Bonnies met once this season, way back on January 14, when Xavier came out on top by a score of 77-64. In that game, guard Mark Lyons picked up a struggling Tu Holloway with 21 points and five assists.
Game date/time: Sunday, March 11, 12:00 p.m. CT
Location: Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
TV: CBS
Odds: Xavier by 3
For more on this matchup and the impending March Madness season, check out SB Nation's college hoops news hub. Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more Billikens recaps, previews and news updates. Click here for more on the 2012 Atlantic 10 Tournament.