The Saint Xavier Cougars finished last year with a record of 19-13 and finished the season with a loss to Roosevelt University in the Semifinals of the CCAC Playoffs.
Last year’s team was lead by senior point guard Quinn Niego and sophomore guard/forward Jack Brody. Last year, Saint Xavier boasted a high-powered offense, scoring an average of 84.4 points per game and only allowing 79.6 points per game.
Since last year, Niego graduated alongside fellow offensive leaders, Niko Cahue and Jared Jones. SXU is lead this year by junior guard/forward Jack Brody, who was an honorable mention on the CCAC All-Conference Team last year, and senior guard Tyler Diehl.
The new look Cougars start the year off on Wednesday October 24th at the Shannon Center against Indiana University Northwest.
The Cougars played Indiana Northwest last year and defeated them 80-72. After a few games on the road, SXU will participate in the Trinity Christian Tournament in Palos Heights, Illinois.
The Cougars will play Lawrence Technological University and the Saint Louis College of Pharmacy there.
The Cougars then play a few more games before they play in the SXU Thanksgiving Classic at the Shannon Center on November 23rd and November 24th.
On November 23rd, the Cougars play East-West University, who they beat last year 105-84. On November 24th, the Cougars play Northwestern College.
Saint Xavier then finishes the calendar year with a three game homestand against Robert Morris University, Lincoln College, and Huntington University.
SXU starts 2019 by playing Governors State University on January 5th.
After a two game stretch where the Cougars play Trinity Christian College and Cardinal Stritch University, SXU starts a three-game homestand. During the homestand, the Cougars play St. Francis University (IL), Olivet Nazarene University, and Silver Lake College.
Saint Xavier will wrap up January by traveling to Davenport, Iowa to play Saint Ambrose University, and then by playing two games at the Shannon Center against Holy Cross College and Calumet College of St. Joseph.
SXU starts February in Deerfield, Illinois against Trinity International. SXU wraps up the year by playing Roosevelt University, Indiana University-South Bend, Judson University, and Robert Morris University.
The Cougars then begin their postseason schedule on February 19th in the CCAC Tournament.
SXU made it to the CCAC Semifinals last year. The Cougars have not made it to the CCAC Finals since the 2013-2014 season, where they defeated Cardinal Stritch University to win the CCAC.
If the Cougars win the CCAC, they will advance to the NAIA National Tournament. From there, the Cougars would have to win five games against some of the best teams in the country to win the NAIA National Championship.
The Cougars have never won the NAIA National Championship and have never even made the finals of the tournament. This year may be the year that the streak is broken though.
Despite losing key talent from last year, the SXU Cougars look like they’ll continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the basketball world.
Chris Leonchik
Sports Editor
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