BYU actually has more common ground with Xavier than differences. BYU was founded in 1875 by Mormons and named after an early LDS Church president. Xavier is a private Jesuit university, founded in 1831 and named after St. Francis Xavier, who although a Spaniard, received his education in Paris and started the Jesuit Order in Paris in 1540.

In 1925, the Rev. Francis J. Finn, a member of the board of trustees, suggested they call Xavier's teams the Musketeers — not to be confused with television's Mouseketeers. The nickname referred to the chivalrous guards of the king of France.

Xavier has had 20 20-win seasons in 25 years; BYU has had 15.

BYU has won more than one game in the NCAA Tournament just once; Xavier has won more than one game twice.

Xavier is 11-17 all-time in NCAA play; BYU is 11-24. Xavier is on its 18th NCAA appearance, BYU its 22nd.

And both teams have guys on the All-Romantic Names Team: Xavier has Drew Lavender and Jason Love; BYU has Mike Rose and coach Dave Rose.

Still, even among teams so similar, awareness is hard to come by. Asked what he knows about BYU, Xavier's Stanley Burrell noted that the Cougars play in the Mountain West and that their biggest rival is Utah.

"That's pretty much about it," he said.

Asked what he knows about Xavier, other than this year's basketball team, Ainge said, "Hardly anything at all."

"It's all about national TV exposure," he added.

Which makes this a perfect time to get rediscovered.

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