'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Xavier Musketeers finished the 2023-24 college basketball season with a 16-18 record and failed to make it to the NCAA Tournament. As a consolation, Xavier was invited to the National Invitation Tournament but lost to Georgia in the first round.
The lessons of the 2023-24 season were still in coach Sean Miller's mind, so he assembled a competitive roster that would contend in the Big East and possibly make the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Here's an inside look into Xavier's 2024-25 campaign, from the biggest games to the players to watch out for.
Xavier's biggest games of the 2024-25 season
Xavier will have five notable nonconference games this season. The school will play Wake Forest on Nov. 16 for the Skip Prosser Classic at Cintas Center. It will be the eighth encounter between the two teams, with the Musketeers leading their head-to-head 4-3.
Trending
Sean Miller and his men will travel to Fort Myers, Florida, to face South Carolina on Nov. 25 in the Fort Myers Tip-Off. Xavier will meet either Michigan or Virginia Tech on Nov. 27.
Up next for the Musketeers is the clash against TCU on Dec. 5 as part of the Big East-Big 12 Battle. Xavier is ahead 1-0 in its men's basketball head-to-head.
Xavier concludes its nonconference slate against Cincinnati on Dec. 14 as part of the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout. It will be the 21st time both teams meet, with the Musketeers leading the series 14-6.
The final Big East schedule is yet to be released, but the teams might likely follow a 20-game double-round setup.
Top Xavier players to watch out for in the 2024-25 season
#1. Zach Freemantle
Zach Freemantle played just 22 games for Xavier in the previous season, averaging 15.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. The forward shot 58.5% from the field and 65.3% from the free-throw line.
Freemantle hopes to play a complete season for the Musketeers to help out in the postseason.
#2. Marcus Foster
Marcus Foster is coming off a breakout season for the Furman Paladins, where he tallied 17.0 ppg, 7.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
Foster only played 24 games but was used on the floor for an average of 31.3 minutes per game. The point guard shot 42.5% from the field and 81.3% from free throws last season.
#3. Ryan Conwell
Ryan Conwell played 38 games for Indiana State and averaged 16.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.5 apg and 1.1 apg last season. The guard helped the Sycamores make the NIT Championship against Seton Hall.
Conwell shot 48.2% from the field, including 40.7 from the 3-point line, and 85.5% from the free-throw line.
Predictions for Xavier's 2024-25 season
Xavier will be a mix of returnees and transfers determined to return to the NCAA Tournament. Marcus Foster and Zach Freemantle are expected to lead the Musketeers' offense, but other players can also contribute significantly. They are Ryan Conwell, Dayvion McKnight and Dante Maddox Jr.
They can make surprises in the Big East with an unpredictable lineup and could win at least 18-20 games this season.
Will Xavier make it to the 2025 NCAA Tournament? Let us know your views in the comments section.
Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey - who is NCAAW's highest-paid coach? Find out here
