The Associated Press included Xavier in its newest rankings Monday at No. 24, making it the last of the polls/ratings to deem the Musketeers top-25 timber.

        XU stood 23rd in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, the RPI and the Sagarin ratings. It's the Musketeers first appearance in the AP poll this season.

        Now there's just one more group to win over: the NCAA Tournament selection committee.

        Projections by Jerry Palm (College-RPI.com), Joe Lunardi (ESPN.com), Sportsline.com and SportingNews.com have XU as a No.8 seed. Coach Thad Matta said he figures XU should rate a No.5 or 6 seed if it wins the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

        “If we were able to do that, you've now won 20 of your last 22 games,” he said. “You've definitely put yourself in position to deserve a good seed.”

        XU (22-5) plays an A-10 quarterfinal at noon Thursday against the winner of Wednesday's Massachusetts-George Washington game. Junior center David West said the team is much more energized than at this point last winter, when XU went 0-3 in March.

        “Guys' confidence levels are a little bit higher; we're a little bit fresher mentally,” he said.

        “If we win games we're capable of winning and play the type of basketball we're capable of playing, there's no telling what this team can do.”

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It's unanimous: XU among top 25 XU's West favored to be named best in A-10

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