Myles Davis abruptly leaves Xavier 13 days after return from suspension

Not even two weeks after expressing excitement about returning from a 15-game suspension, Xavier’s Myles Davis apparently has experienced a change of heart.

The senior guard announced on Twitter that he’s leaving the Musketeers program even though this season is barely halfway over.

Davis’ departure is a surprise even though he had not made the immediate impact he expected to in his return from suspension. In Xavier’s back-to-back-to-back losses to Villanova, Butler and Creighton the past two weeks, Davis missed all eight shots he attempted, scored his only two points at the foul line and did not record a single assist.

That’s a far cry from last season when Davis averaged 10.8 points and 4.1 assists for a Musketeers team that won 28 games. The 6-foot-2 combo guard had been expected to boost a Xavier offense shooting an anemic 32.6 percent from behind the arc and ease some of the pressure on Edmond Sumner to be the Musketeers’ primary playmaker.

Davis’ suspension stemmed from an August incident in which he allegedly smashed his ex-girlfriend’s phone on the sidewalk and struck and dented the door of her car. He originally faced two misdemeanor criminal damaging charges, but he pleaded guilty to one reduced charge of disorderly conduct in November.

“I am excited about the opportunity to rejoin my teammates,” Davis tweeted after being reinstated to the team. “Before doing so, I want to apologize to everyone affected by my choices that I made. I am truly SORRY and I assure you this was the last thing I wanted to happen.

“I am appreciative of the chance to return for the remainder of my senior season. I am looking forward to playing my part in helping Xavier compete for a BIG EAST championship and much more. There isn’t any other place I’d rather be at to finish my college career.”

What could have changed in 13 days? Perhaps Davis was under the misguided notion that Xavier was better off without him.

When Davis returned to the team, the Musketeers were 13-2 and undefeated in Big East play, but they had yet to beat a surefire NCAA tournament-bound team. Thus it’s hardly fair to scapegoat Davis for Xavier’s current three-game losing streak that had a lot to do with the quality of competition the Musketeers faced.

Xavier may get back to its winning ways when it hosts Georgetown on Sunday, but the Musketeers’ ceiling is lower this season without Davis.

They’ll lack the depth, outside shooting and playmaking he could have provided had he been able to regain his rhythm and carve out a role with this team.

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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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