Xavier Selected Third In Coaches’ Preseason Poll; Three Musketeers Earn Preseason Honors

Xavier Selected Third In Coaches’ Preseason Poll; Three Musketeers Earn Preseason Honors

10.23.24 | Men's Basketball

McKnight, Freemantle and Conwell Earns Preseason All-BIG EAST honors.

By: Tom Eiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI --- The Xavier University Musketeers were picked third in the BIG EAST Conference preseason poll, which was voted on by the league coaches. In addition, the coaches selected graduate students Dayvion McKnight and Zach Freemantle to the preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team and junior Ryan Conwell to the preseason All-BIG EAST Third Team.

All of the preseason predictions and honors were released as part of today's BIG EAST Conference Basketball Media Day at Madison Square Garden in New York. Head coach Sean Miller, Conwell, Freemantle, McKnight and graduate student Jerome Hunter are at MSG representing the Musketeers.

Last season Xavier had six freshmen and only one returning letterwinner on the active roster. This year XU has 0 scholarship freshmen. "We had to become older, more experienced, tougher and more physical than last year," said Miller.

McKnight finished second in the BIG EAST and 19th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.06 last season. He was third on the team in scoring at 12.4 ppg. but averaged 15.0 ppg. over the last 18 games. He was sixth in the BIG EAST in assists at 4.8 apg.

Freemantle, who missed the entire 2023-24 season, has made a healthy return from foot surgery. Freemantle led XU with 17 points in its charity exhibition game win at Dayton on Sunday. Freemantle, who was named 2020-21 Second Team All-BIG EAST and 2020-21 BIG EAST Most Improved Player, averaged 15.2 ppg. and 8.1 rpg. for the first 22 games of the 2022-23 season before missing the final 15 games.

Conwell, who transferred to Xavier from Indiana State, earned 2023-24 Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year and MVC Second Team honors while leading his team to the finals of the 2024 NIT. He was eighth in the MVC in scoring at 16.6 ppg., while ranking second in the MVC in 3-point field goals with 109 (2.87 per game), fifth in 3-point percentage (.407) and fifth in free-throw percentage (.855).

Xavier returns two starters from a team that reached the 2023 NCAA Sweet 16 team in Freemantle and Hunter, who both had to sit out last season. Hunter had cardiac issues and a torn Achilles tendon that kept him out last season. Sophomores Dailyn Swain and Trey Green were both on last season's BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.

Xavier has seven transfer newcomers, although one of them (Lassina Traore) suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier this month and underwent successful surgery on Monday. Of the six healthy transfers, five of them will play this season (Roddie Anderson III will redshirt) and all of the others are expected to play key roles: Conwell, Cam Fletcher, Marcus Foster, John Hugley IV and Dante Maddox Jr.

Coaches' Preseason Poll
1) UConn (10)   100
2) Creighton      84
3) Xavier           82
4) Marquette (1) 74
5) St. John's      70
6) Providence    54
7) Villanova       44
8) Butler           36
9) Georgetown 25
10) Seton Hall   24
11) DePaul        12
First place votes in parentheses

BIG EAST PRESEASON HONORS

PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, C, Sr., 7-1, 270, Florissant, Mo.

PRESEASON FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Liam McNeeley, Connecticut, F, Fr., 6-7, 210, Richardson, Texas

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Alex Karaban, Connecticut, F, R-Jr., 6-8, 225, Southborough, Mass.
Kam Jones, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-5, 205, Memphis, Tenn.
Bryce Hopkins, Providence, G-F, Sr., 6-7, 220, Oak Park, Ill.
Kadary Richmond, St. John's, G, Gr., 6-6, 205, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Eric Dixon, Villanova, F, Gr., 6-8, 265, Willow Grove, Pa.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
Pierre Brooks, Butler, F, Sr., 6-6, 200, Detroit, Mich.
Jahmyl Telfort, Butler, F, Gr., 6-7, 240, Montreal, Quebec
Deivon Smith, St. John's, G, Gr., 6-0, 175, Decatur, Ga.
Zach Freemantle, Xavier, F, Gr., 6-9, 227, Teaneck, N.J.
Dayvion McKnight, Xavier, G, Gr., 6-0, 190, Shelbyville, Ky.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM
Aidan Mahaney, Connecticut, G, Jr., 6-3, 185, Lafayette, Calif.
Steven Ashworth, Creighton, G, Sr., 6-0, 175, Alpine, Utah
Jayden Epps, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-2, 190, Norfolk, Va.
Wooga Poplar, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-5, 197, Philadelphia, Pa.
Ryan Conwell, Xavier, G, Jr., 6-4, 215, Indianapolis, Ind.