On deck for the Dogs:

No. 3 seed Xavier Musketeers (27-6), Atlantic 10 regular-season champions

• The history: Fourth-year coach Sean Miller, 39, has led the Musketeers to the NCAA tournament three consecutive years. They have made seven of the past eight tournaments. In 2007, Xavier had No. 1 seed Ohio State down by nine with 2:54 left, but the Buckeyes tied the game on a long 3-pointer with two seconds left and won in overtime. In '04, under former coach Thad Matta (Miller was an assistant), Xavier lost to Duke in the Elite Eight in Atlanta after beating Louisville, Mississippi State and Texas to get there.

• The team: Xavier embodies the team concept. No players average more than 12 points, but six average 10 or more. Forward Josh Duncan (6-feet-9) leads with an 11.7-point average. Forward Derrick Brown (6-8) averages 10.7 and is one of four players averaging 4.5 or more rebounds (6.6) as the Musketeers are No. 19 nationally in rebounding margin (plus-6). They are No. 31 nationally in field goal defense (40.3 percent), No. 13 in 3-point percentage (39.9) and No. 18 in free-throw percentage (75.0). The roster lists nine players 6-6 or taller, although point guard Drew Lavender is 5-7.

• The school: Xavier, a Catholic men's institution, was founded in 1831. It became a Jesuit school in 1840, and women were first admitted in 1969. It has a liberal arts orientation with an enrollment of about 6,700.

• Where: Cincinnati

• RPI/strength of schedule: No. 9/No. 24

• Big wins: Kent State (by 13), Indiana (by 15), Kansas State (by 26), Virginia (by 38) and at Auburn (by 23)

• Bad loss: At Miami of Ohio (by 2) in the second game of the season

• Of late: The Musketeers have won 19 of their past 22, losing only to Philadelphia's Temple and St. Joe's, and to St. Joe's in the A-10 semifinals. Other losses were to Tennessee and at Arizona State.

• Graduates of note: Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning, Disney vice president John Dreyer, U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Lloyd Ward, James Posey of the Boston Celtics and David West of the New Orleans Hornets.

— Matt Winkeljohn