Xavier Musketeers NCAA Basketball Betting
Yes, you will read our projected finish correctly. We are aware of what Dan Hurley and UConn have accomplished over the last two years, but we think Sean Miller at Xavier has put together one of the best offseasons in the sport. Miller landed seven elite transfers, kept three key guards on the roster, and brought back two contributors from 2022-23 who missed all of last season due to injury. This roster has everything it needs to reach the Final Four if it stays healthy.
Dayvion McKnight (12 ppg, 4 rpg, 5 apg) is the most important returner among those who played last season. McKnight, who transferred in a year ago from Western Kentucky, had a great first season for the Musketeers, showing his prowess as a three-level scorer, elite playmaker, and solid defender. Now heading into year two at Xavier, We think we see another rise from McKnight, one that catapults him into Big East Player of the Year conversation with Ryan Kalkbrenner, Kam Jones, and Kadary Richmond. Alongside McKnight, rising sophomores Trey Green (6 ppg) and Dailyn Swain (5 ppg) return. Green will likely be the backup point guard behind McKnight, while Swain should be involved in the rotation on the wing, an elite athlete and defender.
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Also returning to the Xavier lineup, albeit after a year-long absence, are forwards Zach Freemantle (15 ppg, 8 rpg in ’23) and Jerome Hunter (8 ppg, 4 rpg in ’23). Freemantle’s return is the one that really gets me excited, as this is virtually a transfer of a guy who averaged 15 & 8 in the Big East. Freemantle has missed portions of two seasons now due to left foot injuries, but if he stays healthy, he will be extremely impactful for Xavier. In 2022-23, when Freemantle last played, Xavier had a top-10 offense in the sport, and that was in large part to Freemantle. An extremely efficient scoring big, Freemantle runs the floor in transition and gets to his spots much more often than his defenders. When he draws doubles, he easily turns out of them. We feel confident that with Freemantle back, the Xavier offense will be one of the sport’s best.
Hunter will be cleared for all basketball activities on September 24th, so while his recovery timeline is a bit behind Freemantle’s, he should still have an impact on the rotation in the frontcourt. This team will have depth, and that’s a very important thing to have with a fast-paced and high-flying offense.
The Musketeers did lose their fair share of contributors from last season, though, with seven players headed out the door. In the backcourt, the duo of Quincy Olivari (19 ppg, 6 rpg) and Desmond Claude (17 ppg, 4 rpg) both departed. The Xavier frontcourt lost Abou Ousmane (7 ppg, 6 rpg), Gytis Nemeiksa (5 ppg, 4 rpg), Lazar Djokovic (3 ppg), Sasa Ciani (3 ppg), and Kachi Nzeh (3 ppg).
Miller’s seven-man transfer class was maybe the best in the sport in my eyes, filling in everything this team needed to be set up for success. Beginning with my two projected starters in the backcourt next to McKnight, the Musketeers bring in Indiana State transfer Ryan Conwell (17 ppg, 6 rpg at Indiana State) and Furman transfer Marcus Foster (17 ppg, 8 rpg at Furman).
Ryan Conwell and Indiana State took college basketball by storm last season, though Conwell didn’t get the spotlight that Robbie Avila had for much of last season. For those unfamiliar with Conwell, he has all the abilities to be a top player in the Big East, with the ability to score at all three levels and a top contributor a year ago for the Sycamores both defensively and on the glass.
Miller is trying to prove that you can go home again. He stands a good chance of success.
Latest NCAA Tournament Results
| YEAR |
RESULT |
| 2023 |
Lost Sweet Sixteen vs. (2) Texas 71–83 |
| 2018 |
Lost Second Round vs. (9) Florida State, 70–75 |
| 2017 |
Lost Elite Eight vs. (1) Gonzaga, 59–83 |
| 2016 |
Lost Second Round vs. (7) Wisconsin, 63–66 |
| 2015 |
Lost Sweet Sixteen vs. (2) Arizona, 60–68 |
| 2014 |
Lost First Four vs. (12) NC State, 59–74 |
| 2012 |
Lost Sweet Sixteen vs. (3) Baylor 70–75 |
2024-2025 NCAA Basketball Top Teams
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