Amid the at times soap operatic drama unfolding with Cincinnati Basketball. Xavier Basketball head coach Travis Steele now stands as a beneficiary to the chaos in Clifton.

After a season culminating with Xavier and Cincinnati missing out on the NCAA Tournament. Steele and recently ousted Cincinnati head coach John Brannen were facing a pressure packed off-season. However, Steele has a less turbulent dilemma on his hands compared to Cincinnati. Steele’s big dilemma remains having Xavier earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Something the Xavier Musketeers haven’t done in Steele’s three seasons as head coach. With the caveat that there was no NCAA Tournament in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though Xavier likely wouldn’t have qualified if the tournament took place.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati has to rebuild it’s program. After a rather ugly season and start to the off-season. Brannen and Cincinnati now face a spring and summer packed with potential legal feuding. As Brannen strives to repair his reputation; while Cincinnati tries to dodge paying him his buyout. While Wes Miller-who was hired as Cincinnati’s next head coach last Wednesday- faces a flaming hot mess.

Miller’s leaving UNC Greensboro Basketball to take on Cincinnati’s head coaching job. He’s tasked with rebuilding a roster currently in tatters. Through trying to land recruits and wooing players that entered the transfer portal into returning. After six players, including four freshmen entered the transfer portal last month. The end of the spring semester next month adds urgency for Miller recruiting-wise. Though Miller received good news in that regard on Friday. With Mike Saunders Jr. announcing he will stay with Cincinnati; after previously entering the transfer portal.

Xavier did not have a cascade of players entering the transfer portal. Unlike Cincinnati, Xavier’s 2020-21 freshman class didn’t bolt for the transfer portal. Sophomore KyKy Tandy announced he’s returning to Xavier last week. After entering the transfer portal last month. While Paul Scruggs will return for a fifth year at Xavier; utilizing an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic.

Steele is in a fortunate position in two particular ways. First, he publicly seems to have a good relationship with Xavier’s athletic department and players. Thanks to his experience as an assistant at Xavier before becoming the head coach. Helping the Xavier Musketeers stick together through a difficult year. A lack of rapport between John Brannen, his teammates and Cincinnati Athletic Director John Cunningham played a significant role in Brannen’s firing.

Brannen barely had a chance to develop strong relationships at Cincinnati. Good rapport doesn’t get built up easily in two years. The disruptions prompted by COVID-19 didn’t help Brannen or Cincinnati one bit. The pandemic zapped some opportunities for Brannen to build that rapport. Prompting or adding to a stressful environment for players; which likely played a role in players decisions to transfer.

Second, Xavier is a winning program that’s relatively patient with their coaches. Cincinnati’s fans are the same way most of the time; UC fans were more patient with John Brannen than UC itself. Partly because both schools are used to seeing coaches leave for higher profile jobs. Xavier hasn’t fired a men’s basketball head coach in over 40 years. The last head coach Xavier fired was Tay Baker in 1979. Despite no NCAA Tournament appearances in three years. Steele wont break that streak next season with an NCAA Tournament appearance.

Patience could ware thin though for Xavier fans with another March Madness snub next year. However, the chaos at the University of Cincinnati takes the heat off Steele. While Wes Miller is left to clean up the wreckage in Clifton. Left in the wake of a rough month for the Bearcats. It’s a clean up that is expected to take years to complete. Leaving Xavier in a good position to be the best program in Cincinnati; heading into next season.