Xavier University Athletics
BIG EAST Conference Coaches Pick Xavier Third And Name Two Musketeers Preseason All-League
10.19.21 | Men's Basketball
Big East announces preseason selections as part of its annual Media Day.
NEW YORK --- The Xavier University Musketeers were picked to finish third in the 2021-22 BIG EAST Conference race in the preseason poll of league coaches. The announcement was made as part of the annual BIG EAST Basketball Media Day at Madison Square Garden in New York.
In addition to the preseason poll, the coaches selected both fifth-year senior Paul Scruggs and junior Zach Freemantle to the 2021-22 preseason All-BIG EAST First Team. Scruggs was a unanimous first-team selection. Both Scruggs and Freemantle earned 2020-21 BIG EAST Second Team honors.
Head coach Travis Steele welcomes back each of his top seven scorers from last season, including Freemantle and Scruggs. Freemantle led XU in scoring at 16.1 ppg., which ranked fifth in the BIG EAST, and led the entire league in rebounding at 8.9 rpg. Scruggs led the BIG EAST and was 20th in the nation in assists at 5.7 apg., while ranking second on the team and 11th in the BIG EAST in scoring at 14.0 ppg.
There has been plenty of national attention for the Musketeers this preseason. CBS Sports picked Xavier No. 25 in its preseason rankings, while XU checks in at No. 32 in The Field of 68 countdown. Scruggs was selected by ESPN analyst Dick Vitale as a Fifth Team All-American. Yesterday, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced that Scruggs is among the 20 Watch List candidates for the 2022 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. Named after Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy, the annual honor now in its 19th year recognizes the top point guards in Division I men's college basketball.
Freemantle is listed as a preseason First Team All-BIG EAST selection by Blue Ribbon Basketball Yearbook and Athlon Yearbook, while Scruggs is Blue Ribbon First Team and Athlon Second Team.
Steele also welcomes back 2021 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team selection Colby Jones and senior Nate Johnson, one of the nation's top 3-point shooters who missed the home stretch last season due to injury. Jones made the list of Jon Rothstein's top 20 breakout players for the 2021-22 season. In all, Xavier welcomes back nine scholarship letterwinners, including four starters from last year's team, and welcomes four talented newcomers.
2021-22 Preseason Coaches' Poll
1) Villanova (10) - 100
2) Connecticut (1) - 84
3) Xavier - 76
4) St. John's - 73
5) Seton Hall - 68
6) Butler - 60
7) Providence - 45
8) Creighton - 38
9) Marquette - 26
10) Georgetown - 25
11) DePaul - 10
First-place votes in parentheses.
2021-22 BIG EAST Preseason Honors
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Collin Gillespie, Villanova, G, Gr., 6-3, 195, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.
BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year
Aminu Mohammed, Georgetown, G, Fr., 6-5, 210, Temple Hills, Md.
Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Nate Watson, Providence, C, Gr., 6-10, 260, Portsmouth, Va.*
Julian Champagnie, St. John's, G-F, Jr., 6-8, 215, Brooklyn, N.Y.*
Jared Rhoden, Seton Hall, G-F, Sr., 6-6, 210, Baldwin, N.Y.
Paul Scruggs, Xavier, G, Sr., 6-4, 196, Indianapolis, Ind.*
Zach Freemantle, Xavier, F, Jr., 6-9, 216, Teaneck, N.J.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
R.J. Cole, Connecticut, F, Gr., 6-1, 185, Union, N.J.
Tyrese Martin, Connecticut, G, Sr., 6-6, 215, Allentown, Pa.
Posh Alexander, St. John's, G, So., 6-0, 200, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Justin Moore, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-4, 210, Fort Washington, Md.
Jermaine Samuels, Villanova, F, Gr., 6-7, 230, Franklin, Mass.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Chuck Harris, Butler, G, So., 6-2, 190, Ashburn, Va.
Adama Sanogo, Connecticut, F, So., 6-9, 240, Bamako, Mali
*Unanimous selection
In addition to the preseason poll, the coaches selected both fifth-year senior Paul Scruggs and junior Zach Freemantle to the 2021-22 preseason All-BIG EAST First Team. Scruggs was a unanimous first-team selection. Both Scruggs and Freemantle earned 2020-21 BIG EAST Second Team honors.
Head coach Travis Steele welcomes back each of his top seven scorers from last season, including Freemantle and Scruggs. Freemantle led XU in scoring at 16.1 ppg., which ranked fifth in the BIG EAST, and led the entire league in rebounding at 8.9 rpg. Scruggs led the BIG EAST and was 20th in the nation in assists at 5.7 apg., while ranking second on the team and 11th in the BIG EAST in scoring at 14.0 ppg.
There has been plenty of national attention for the Musketeers this preseason. CBS Sports picked Xavier No. 25 in its preseason rankings, while XU checks in at No. 32 in The Field of 68 countdown. Scruggs was selected by ESPN analyst Dick Vitale as a Fifth Team All-American. Yesterday, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced that Scruggs is among the 20 Watch List candidates for the 2022 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. Named after Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy, the annual honor now in its 19th year recognizes the top point guards in Division I men's college basketball.
Freemantle is listed as a preseason First Team All-BIG EAST selection by Blue Ribbon Basketball Yearbook and Athlon Yearbook, while Scruggs is Blue Ribbon First Team and Athlon Second Team.
Steele also welcomes back 2021 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team selection Colby Jones and senior Nate Johnson, one of the nation's top 3-point shooters who missed the home stretch last season due to injury. Jones made the list of Jon Rothstein's top 20 breakout players for the 2021-22 season. In all, Xavier welcomes back nine scholarship letterwinners, including four starters from last year's team, and welcomes four talented newcomers.
2021-22 Preseason Coaches' Poll
1) Villanova (10) - 100
2) Connecticut (1) - 84
3) Xavier - 76
4) St. John's - 73
5) Seton Hall - 68
6) Butler - 60
7) Providence - 45
8) Creighton - 38
9) Marquette - 26
10) Georgetown - 25
11) DePaul - 10
First-place votes in parentheses.
2021-22 BIG EAST Preseason Honors
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Collin Gillespie, Villanova, G, Gr., 6-3, 195, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.
BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year
Aminu Mohammed, Georgetown, G, Fr., 6-5, 210, Temple Hills, Md.
Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Nate Watson, Providence, C, Gr., 6-10, 260, Portsmouth, Va.*
Julian Champagnie, St. John's, G-F, Jr., 6-8, 215, Brooklyn, N.Y.*
Jared Rhoden, Seton Hall, G-F, Sr., 6-6, 210, Baldwin, N.Y.
Paul Scruggs, Xavier, G, Sr., 6-4, 196, Indianapolis, Ind.*
Zach Freemantle, Xavier, F, Jr., 6-9, 216, Teaneck, N.J.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
R.J. Cole, Connecticut, F, Gr., 6-1, 185, Union, N.J.
Tyrese Martin, Connecticut, G, Sr., 6-6, 215, Allentown, Pa.
Posh Alexander, St. John's, G, So., 6-0, 200, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Justin Moore, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-4, 210, Fort Washington, Md.
Jermaine Samuels, Villanova, F, Gr., 6-7, 230, Franklin, Mass.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Chuck Harris, Butler, G, So., 6-2, 190, Ashburn, Va.
Adama Sanogo, Connecticut, F, So., 6-9, 240, Bamako, Mali
*Unanimous selection
Players Mentioned
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