Men's Basketball Hosts Ferris State In Exhibition Opener On Friday

Friday, November 5

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Ferris State

Men's Basketball Hosts Ferris State In Exhibition Opener On Friday

11.04.21 | Men's Basketball

Game Notes

Musketeers looking to welcome back a big crowd to Cintas Center.

By: Tom Eiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI --- Xavier hosts NCAA Division II power Ferris State University on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Cintas Center. The Musketeers are expecting the largest crowd in the building since before the start of the pandemic.

THE MATCHUP

2021-22 EXHIBITION OPENER
XAVIER UNIVERSITY MUSKETEERS
VS.
FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS
Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 at Cintas Center (10,224)

TV, RADIO & LIVE STATS

Television: None.
Radio: None.
Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com.

X FACTORS

• Xavier is playing its lone public exhibition game against NCAA Division II Ferris State, the alma mater of Zach Hankins, who started for XU as a grad transfer in the 2018-19 season. He led Ferris to the 2018 NCAA Division II National Championship.

• Xavier opens the 2021-22 regular season with a four-game homestand. Xavier hosts Niagara on Tuesday, Nov. 9 for Opening Night.

• Xavier fourth-year head coach Travis Steele welcomes back each of his top seven scorers from last season. XU finished 13-8 in a Covid-shortened 2020-21 season.

• Xavier has earned its share of national attention. CBS Sports picked Xavier No. 25 in its preseason rankings, while XU checks in at No. 32 in The Field of 68 countdown.

• Xavier fifth-year senior Paul Scruggs was a unanimous choice on the 2021-22 preseason All-BIG EAST First Team by league coaches. Scruggs was Blue Ribbon First Team and Athlon Second Team All-BIG EAST. 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.

• Xavier's Paul Scruggs was selected by ESPN analyst Dick Vitale as a preseason Fifth Team All-American. In addition, 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.

• Xavier sophomore Colby Jones was named by Jon Rothstein as one of the top breakout players for this season, while junior Jack Nunge made his list of top under the radar transfers. Nunge transferred to Xavier from Iowa.

• Xavier junior Zach Freemantle, who led XU in scoring at 16.1 ppg. and rebounding at 8.9 rpg., is sidelined by injury. He was named preseason All-BIG EAST First Team.

STEELE PRESSER