NEW YORK ‒ A few months back, Xavier's men's basketball team was cutting down the nets in Madison Square Garden as champions of the National Invitation Tournament, and the Musketeers' future head coach was sitting in the stands watching.
That moment and what happens next isn't lost on Sean Miller.
But on Tuesday morning, Miller wasn't sitting in the stands.
He was front and center.
"Xavier's believed in me really two different times, right?" Miller told reporters on Tuesday morning during Big East Conference Media Day at Madison Square Garden. "Number one, gave me my first head coaching opportunity when my record was zero and zero. You always need that first person to believe in you. And then secondly, I have now had the opportunity for them to believe in who I am.
"And at a critical time for Xavier. We haven't been to the (NCAA) tournament in four years and we're in arguably the best conference in the country, certainly one of them, so it's a tall order and their belief in me makes me feel even better, if that was possible, about being back at Xavier living in Cincinnati ... I'm grateful to be back."
Miller's team was picked second in the Big East's preseason coaches poll. Jack Nunge and Colby Jones were both named preseason All-Big East first team.
"It's better that people say good things about your team and program ... there has to be a reason and I think in our case the returning talent is a big part of what gets everybody's attention and rightfully so," said Miller, who pointed to his team's depth and experience, while also relaying a message that his team needs to get better defensively to reach its full potential.
For all the predictions, changes, and what things might look like in five months, the one thing Miller's learned about his new team already might be the most important.
"You can always sense when a team is hungry. We haven't been to the tournament in four years and this is a group that's really hungry to change that," said Miller.
It's a smart, veteran group that's embraced a new system, Miller said.
"I think they recognize what I do and that is we have to be a more tough-minded defensive team. We're starting to dial in on that and if we accomplish that I think we'll have a chance to have a very good season," said Miller.
The season starts in three weeks and the rotation is a big question. Miller said he's got "around 10 players that could play in a game. I've never really played 10. I think sometimes you can take away from your starters if you try to play everybody."
Miller said at some point in the season Xavier will settle into an eight-man rotation, and that's dependent on health.
"If we do stay healthy, I think we have a good group of eight and if we dealt with foul trouble or injury, I think we have a chance to move that ninth guy over and he could be fine. Who those guys are, I wouldn't have an answer to it. I think I have a good understanding of our top five or six guys, but seven, eight and nine is remaining to be played out," said Miller.
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