Big East Basketball: Updated WTE power rankings for 2022-23 season
By Joey Loose
4. Xavier
The last year was an unusual one for Xavier, but it’s one that has fans excited for the future. The season was a bit of a disappointment, as coach Travis Steele lost his job back in March, but the team did come together and win the NIT a few weeks later. The Musketeers landed former coach Sean Miller, bringing one of the best names in the coaching carousel to the Big East, giving even more optimism for this upcoming season.
A good chunk of last year’s team returns, led by forward Jack Nunge (13.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg last year) and guard Colby Jones (11.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg). Forward Zach Freemantle and guard Adam Kunkel are also back, while former UTEP guard Souley Boum adds depth and shooting to the lineup. The future seems bright as well for the Musketeers with the addition of 4-star guards Kam Craft and Desmond Claude.
Xavier looks to be in good shape for this season, especially riding the momentum of Sean Miller’s arrival and last year’s NIT championship. There’s the expectation that the Musketeers take a big step forward and should make their first NCAA Tournament since having a 1-seed back in 2018. They have the pieces to make noise in the Big East, and having Miller replace Steele looks like quite a big upgrade for this program.