Xavier University Athletics

No. 11 Seed Xavier Prepares For Friday Matchup With No. 6 Seed Illinois
03.20.25 | Men's Basketball
Musketeers are looking for a second-straight NCAA Tournament win.
MILWAUKEE, WIS. --- The No. 11 seed Xavier University Musketeers, 22-11 overall and 13-7 in the BIG EAST Conference, take on the No. 6 seed University of Illinois Fighting Illini, 21-12 overall and 12-8 in the Big Ten Conference, in the final game on Friday night at Fiserv Forum. The estimated tip time is 9:45 p.m. ET.
Xavier is coming off an 86-80 win over Texas in the NCAA First Four on Wednesday.
TV: CBS, including Local 12 in Cincinnati, with Kevin Harlan (pbp), Stan Van Gundy (analyst), Dan Bonner (analyst) and Lauren Shehadi (reporter).
Xavier Radio: 700 WLW-AM with play-by-play from Xavier Hall of Famer Joe Sunderman ('79) and analysis from XU all-time leading scorer and Hall of Famer Byron Larkin ('88). XU broadcast is also available on the Varsity Network and on Sirius XM.
National Radio: Westwood One with Noah Eagle (pbp) and Tom Crean (analyst)
Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com.
• Xavier is making its 30th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, 29 of which have come since 1983. XU has reached at least the NCAA Sweet 16 nine times, including seven times since 2008 (one of only 13 schools that can say that). XU advanced to the Elite Eight in 2004, 2008 and 2017.
• Xavier, 22-11, defeated Texas 86-80 in the NCAA FIrst Four on Wednesday night in Dayton.
• Xavier is 10-1 when it commits less than 10 turnovers, including seven in the Texas win.
• Xavier leads the BIG EAST in fastbreak points (ninth in the nation at 15.2 ppg.) and is second 3-point pct. (sixth in the nation at .391). Xavier is third in the BIG EAST in in free throw pct. (10th in the nation at .790) and assists per game (17th in the nation at 16.9 apg.).
• Xavier is third in the BIG EAST and 10th in the nation in free throw pct. at .790. XU has four players in the top 10 in the BIG EAST in free throw pct. Ryan Conwell (fifth at .822), Dailyn Swain (sixth at .810), Dayvion McKnight (seventh at .792) and Zach Freemantle (ninth at .765).
• Xavier graduate student Marcus Foster scored a Xavier career-high 22 points (16 in the second half) in the Texas win, while hitting 8-9 from the field, including 4-5 from 3-point range.
• Xavier graduate student Zach Freemantle and junior Ryan Conwell were voted All-BIG EAST by the league coaches. Freemantle is on the Second Team and Conwell is on the Third Team. Freemantle is on the NABC All-East District First Team and Conwell is on the Second Team.
• Xavier's Zach Freemantle leads the team in scoring (fifth in the BIG EAST at 17.2 ppg.) and rebounding (sixth in the BIG EAST at 7.0 rpg.). He is 10th on XU's all-time scoring list (1,744 points) and ninth on XU's all-time rebounding list (885 rebounds), one of only four players in XU's top 10 for career scoring and rebounding along with David West, Tyrone Hill and Romain Sato.
• Xavier's Ryan Conwell, who is seventh in the BIG EAST in scoring at 16.7 ppg., ranks third in the BIG EAST in 3-point pct. at .417 and second in 3-point field goals made at 3.0 per game. Conwell had a streak of five-straight 20-point+ games, culminating with a collegiate career-high 38 points with a collegiate career-high seven 3-pointers vs. Marquette on March 13.
• Xavier sophomore Dailyn Swain, who is third on the team in scoring at 10.5 ppg., has scored in double figures in 21 games, including 12 of the last 15 games.
• Xavier graduate student Dante Maddox Jr. was a big key to keeping XU close in the first half vs. Texas with his 10 points on 3-4 shooting (2-3 3-pointers) before halftime.
• Xavier graduate student Dayvion McKnight leads XU in assists at 4.3 apg. (seventh in the BIG EAST) and is fourth in the BIG EAST and 25th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.68.
Xavier is coming off an 86-80 win over Texas in the NCAA First Four on Wednesday.
BROADCAST AND LIVE STATS INFORMATION
TV: CBS, including Local 12 in Cincinnati, with Kevin Harlan (pbp), Stan Van Gundy (analyst), Dan Bonner (analyst) and Lauren Shehadi (reporter).
Xavier Radio: 700 WLW-AM with play-by-play from Xavier Hall of Famer Joe Sunderman ('79) and analysis from XU all-time leading scorer and Hall of Famer Byron Larkin ('88). XU broadcast is also available on the Varsity Network and on Sirius XM.
National Radio: Westwood One with Noah Eagle (pbp) and Tom Crean (analyst)
Live Stats: Media stats at Statbroadcast.com and fan stats at GoXavier.com.
X FACTORS
• Xavier is making its 30th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, 29 of which have come since 1983. XU has reached at least the NCAA Sweet 16 nine times, including seven times since 2008 (one of only 13 schools that can say that). XU advanced to the Elite Eight in 2004, 2008 and 2017.
• Xavier, 22-11, defeated Texas 86-80 in the NCAA FIrst Four on Wednesday night in Dayton.
• Xavier is 10-1 when it commits less than 10 turnovers, including seven in the Texas win.
• Xavier leads the BIG EAST in fastbreak points (ninth in the nation at 15.2 ppg.) and is second 3-point pct. (sixth in the nation at .391). Xavier is third in the BIG EAST in in free throw pct. (10th in the nation at .790) and assists per game (17th in the nation at 16.9 apg.).
• Xavier is third in the BIG EAST and 10th in the nation in free throw pct. at .790. XU has four players in the top 10 in the BIG EAST in free throw pct. Ryan Conwell (fifth at .822), Dailyn Swain (sixth at .810), Dayvion McKnight (seventh at .792) and Zach Freemantle (ninth at .765).
• Xavier graduate student Marcus Foster scored a Xavier career-high 22 points (16 in the second half) in the Texas win, while hitting 8-9 from the field, including 4-5 from 3-point range.
• Xavier graduate student Zach Freemantle and junior Ryan Conwell were voted All-BIG EAST by the league coaches. Freemantle is on the Second Team and Conwell is on the Third Team. Freemantle is on the NABC All-East District First Team and Conwell is on the Second Team.
• Xavier's Zach Freemantle leads the team in scoring (fifth in the BIG EAST at 17.2 ppg.) and rebounding (sixth in the BIG EAST at 7.0 rpg.). He is 10th on XU's all-time scoring list (1,744 points) and ninth on XU's all-time rebounding list (885 rebounds), one of only four players in XU's top 10 for career scoring and rebounding along with David West, Tyrone Hill and Romain Sato.
• Xavier's Ryan Conwell, who is seventh in the BIG EAST in scoring at 16.7 ppg., ranks third in the BIG EAST in 3-point pct. at .417 and second in 3-point field goals made at 3.0 per game. Conwell had a streak of five-straight 20-point+ games, culminating with a collegiate career-high 38 points with a collegiate career-high seven 3-pointers vs. Marquette on March 13.
• Xavier sophomore Dailyn Swain, who is third on the team in scoring at 10.5 ppg., has scored in double figures in 21 games, including 12 of the last 15 games.
• Xavier graduate student Dante Maddox Jr. was a big key to keeping XU close in the first half vs. Texas with his 10 points on 3-4 shooting (2-3 3-pointers) before halftime.
• Xavier graduate student Dayvion McKnight leads XU in assists at 4.3 apg. (seventh in the BIG EAST) and is fourth in the BIG EAST and 25th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.68.
Players Mentioned
PRESS CONFERENCE | Richard Pitino (9-22-2025)
Monday, September 22
2025-26 Meet the Musketeers: Pape N’Diaye
Thursday, August 21
2025-26 Meet the Musketeers: Malik Messina-Moore
Tuesday, August 19
2025-26 Meet the Musketeers: Filip Borovicanin
Thursday, August 14