Xavier University Athletics
Desmond Claude Voted As The BIG EAST Most Improved Player
03.11.24 | Men's Basketball
Claude was on the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team last season.
CINCINNATI --- The BIG EAST Conference announced today that league coaches selected Xavier sophomore Desmond Claude as the 2023-24 BIG EAST Most Improved Player.
Claude is second on the team in scoring at 16.0 ppg. (11th in the BIG EAST), assists at 3.2 apg. (15th in the BIG EAST) and free-throw percentage at .792 (12th in the BIG EAST). From his freshman to his sophomore season, Claude improved his scoring from 4.7 ppg. to 16.0 ppg., rebounding from 2.5 rpg. to 4.1 rpg., assists from 1.8 apg. to 3.2 apg. and his assist-to-turnover improved from 1.24 to 1.50. In addition, his free-throw shooting improved dramatically from .571 (28-49) as a freshman to.792 (122-154) as a sophomore.
Claude, whose 36-point game at Georgetown on March 2 is the second-highest scoring total by a BIG EAST player this season, has 28 double-figure scoring games this season in 31 games compared with five in 35 games last season.
Claude, who has been selected on the weekly BIG EAST Honor Roll four times as sophomore, was a member of the 2022-23 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
No. 9 seed Xavier will face No. 8 seed Butler in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament on Wednesday, March 13 at 4 p.m. at Madison Square Garden. The winner of that game plays No. 1 seed UConn on Thursday at noon.
Claude is second on the team in scoring at 16.0 ppg. (11th in the BIG EAST), assists at 3.2 apg. (15th in the BIG EAST) and free-throw percentage at .792 (12th in the BIG EAST). From his freshman to his sophomore season, Claude improved his scoring from 4.7 ppg. to 16.0 ppg., rebounding from 2.5 rpg. to 4.1 rpg., assists from 1.8 apg. to 3.2 apg. and his assist-to-turnover improved from 1.24 to 1.50. In addition, his free-throw shooting improved dramatically from .571 (28-49) as a freshman to.792 (122-154) as a sophomore.
Claude, whose 36-point game at Georgetown on March 2 is the second-highest scoring total by a BIG EAST player this season, has 28 double-figure scoring games this season in 31 games compared with five in 35 games last season.
Claude, who has been selected on the weekly BIG EAST Honor Roll four times as sophomore, was a member of the 2022-23 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
No. 9 seed Xavier will face No. 8 seed Butler in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament on Wednesday, March 13 at 4 p.m. at Madison Square Garden. The winner of that game plays No. 1 seed UConn on Thursday at noon.
Players Mentioned
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