If Xavier is to gain its first Final Four berth, the Musketeers will have earned it.

Xavier (30-6) had to rally past stubborn seventh-seeded West Virginia 79-75 in overtime on Thursday in the NCAA West Regional semifinals in Phoenix. Now, the Musketeers will play UCLA (34-3), the top seed in the West, on Saturday in the regional final for the right to get to the Final Four.

Xavier will have to find a way to slow down UCLA forward Kevin Love, who is averaging 17.3 points and 10.6 rebounds a game, both team-leading figures.

The Bruins also pose a significant challenge in the backcourt as three guards are scoring in double figures. Junior Darren Collison is averaging 15.1 points and 3.8 assists a game while junior Josh Shipp has a 12.3 scoring average and sophomore Russell Westbrook is averaging 11.3 points a game.

UCLA won its 13th straight game Thursday night, 88-78 over Western Kentucky in the other regional semifinal behind Love's career-high 29 points and 14 rebounds. Forward James Keefe added 18 points and 12 rebounds in a reserve role.

XAVIER 79, WEST VIRGINIA 75 (OT): The Musketeers fell behind 71-65 early in overtime but outscored West Virginia 14-4 over the final 3:20 to win. B.J. Raymond connected on back-to-back 3-point field goals, the second with 30 seconds remaining, to put Xavier ahead for good, 78-74. Raymond, a senior guard, scored all eight of his points in overtime.

Senior forward Josh Duncan scored a career-high 26 points for Xavier and senior guard Drew Lavender dished out seven assists. Joe Alexander topped West Virginia (26-11) with 18 points and a game-high 10 rebounds and Da'Sean Butler added 16 points. Xavier, which led by 18 in one point at the first half, was 11 of 19 (58 percent) on 3-point field goal attempts while the Mountaineers were just 1 of 11 (9 percent).

NOTES

--F Josh Duncan scored a career-high 26 points, including making 9 of 10 shots from the free-throw line, despite picking up his fourth foul with 12 1/2 minutes remaining in regulation. Duncan's previous scoring best included 25-point efforts against Charlotte on Feb. 13, and Detroit in 2006-07.

--F C.J. Anderson had 12 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out in overtime. It was Anderson's third double-double of the season as he had 21 points and 11 rebounds against St. Bonaventure on Jan. 9 and 13 points and 10 rebounds against Duquesne on Feb. 21.

--G B.J. Raymond scored all eight of his points in overtime. He made a layup with 3:17 left to draw Xavier within 71-67 then hit consecutive 3-point field goals with 1:22 and 30 seconds remaining to put the Musketeers ahead for good at 78-74.

--With wins over Georgia and Purdue last week, Xavier established a school record for wins in a season (29). Xavier won No. 30 against West Virginia.

--Xavier's six losses all came against quality competition -- at Miami (Ohio) on Nov. 13, at Arizona State on Dec. 15, vs. Tennessee on Dec. 22, at Temple on Jan. 16, at Saint Joseph's on March 6 and vs. Saint Joseph's in the Atlantic 10 tournament semifinals.

COACH
Sean Miller, four years at school, three years in NCAA Tournament.

HOW THEY GOT HERE
The Musketeers started slowly in each of their first two NCAA tourney games, but beat Georgia and Purdue with their incredible depth as three different Musketeers reached double figures in Round 1 and four more hit for double digits in Round 2 vs. Purdue. The balance was there again in an overtime victory over West Virginia. Six players had at least eight points.

THEY'LL ADVANCE IF...: Stanley Burrell, the A-10's best on-the-ball defender who has been effective in limiting the effectiveness of stellar guards such as Indiana's Eric Gordon, Tennessee's Chris Lofton, Virginia's Sean Singletary and Dayton's Brian Roberts. Now he'll stick either Darren Collison or Josh Shipp of UCLA. Burrell's defense, and that of Josh Duncan against Kevin Love, are critical.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"They are so balanced that they are hard to defend." -- Purdue guard Chris Kramer, of the well-balanced Musketeers.

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