College basketball: Xavier slam dunks past UConn as Alabama narrowly stays on top
Storrs, Connecticut - Xavier basketball finally earned the big victory they needed ahead of March Madness and once again denied UConn of their top spot in the Big East.
Xavier passed their test on the road against the UConn Huskies with flying colors – and slam dunks.
The Musketeers took down the UConn Huskies 82-79 on Wednesday and finally earned a much-needed Quad 1 victory, marking their 13th win in 14 games.
Firmly landing first in the Big East, the Musketeers' big win is significant for a number of reasons. Namely, impressing the NCAA tournament selection committee ahead of Selection Sunday.
Now that Xavier has at least one victory against a Quad 1 team, their chances of earning a top seed for March Madness are greater than any other team in the conference.
The Musketeers have never made a Final Four appearance but are projected to have the best shot to represent the Big East in this year's final rounds of play.
As the Huskies continue to struggle against fellow conference opponents, the nation's former No. 2 team won't play again until next Tuesday, and will most likely tumble out of the AP Top 25 rankings.
Xavier is set to face unranked Creighton on the road on Saturday at 12:15 PM EST.
The Crimson Tide narrowly win to remain the SEC's best, as the Volunteers also stay on top
By the grace of a block from the Crimson Tide's Noah Gurley and a missed shot by Bulldogs guard Eric Reed Jr, Alabama ended a tough night of basketball victorious.
The Crimson Tide's battle against Mississippi State on Wednesday included trailing all but nine minutes of the entire game, and finished with their top scorer Jahvon Quinerly only putting up 14 points.
With the 66-63 win, the Crimson Tide remains the best in the SEC, and along with Tennessee, are widening the gap between themselves and the rest of the conference field.
The Crimson Tide and the Volunteers lead the SEC No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, after Tennessee blasted Georgia 70-41 on Wednesday night. The teams are projected to earn the top-two seeds for the NCAA Tournament if they can continue their dominance on the court.
On Saturday, Alabama will travel to Oklahoma with a tip off scheduled for 2 PM EST, and Tennessee will host No. 10 Texas at 6 PM EST.
Cover photo: Collage: DYLAN BUELL / GETTY IMAGES & BRANDON SUMRALL / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP