The set-up: Xavier opened the season ranked 7th in the AP's preseason poll but when PG Edmond Sumner (14.3 PPG and 4.3 APG) was lost for the season at the end of January, the Musketeers'season beagn to unravel. The team lost six in a row from Feb. 11 through Mar. 1 but a pair of wins in the Big East tourney (one over Butler), allowed 21-13 Xavier to claim one of the last at-large berths (11-seed). Maryland opened the year at No. 25 but in games through Jan, was 20-2, including 8-1 in Big Ten play. However, a 4-6 finish left Maryland as a No. 6 seed.

Xavier: Sumner was a terrific complement to Trevon Bluiett (18.1 & 5.8), Xavier's best player. Fellow guard J.P. Macura (14.5 & 4.4) has picked up some of the scoring slack but Xavier misses Sumner's ball-handling skills with freshman Quentin Goodin (4.8 & 3.2 APG) taking over the point guard spot. Xavier's best frontcourt player is the 6-9 Gaston, who averages modest totals of 7.9 PPG and 6.4 RPG).

Maryland: The Terps are led by junior guard Trimble (17.0-3.7-3.7) but it's hard to make a case form him living up to expectations this year. He took himself out of the 2016 draft to improve his standing but he's had an inconsistent season. The rest of Maryland's main contributors are freshman. There is guard Cowan (10.5-3.9-3.7) and a pair of 6-7 players, Jackson (10.4 & 6.1) and Hueter (9.0 & 5.0).

The pick: Both teams are lucky to be here but both own historically strong programs. Two competing streaks are on the line, as Maryland has won at least one game in 12 straight NCAA Tournament appearances dating back to 1998. As for Xavier, the Musketeers have won eight straight neutral-site games in Florida, including six in a row here in Orlando. Xavier's undoing here in March will likely be its lack of a dominant post player, but that will not be the case against a small and young (outside of Trimble) Maryland team. Xavier is a 10* play.