Busting Brackets
Fansided

Big East Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2022-23 season

By Connor Wilson

Mar 2, 2022; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; Creighton Bluejays center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) and guard Trey Alexander (23) celebrate a basket against the Connecticut Huskies in the second half at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 2, 2022; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; Creighton Bluejays center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) and guard Trey Alexander (23) celebrate a basket against the Connecticut Huskies in the second half at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 12
Next
Colby Jones Adam Kunkel Xavier Musketeers (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Colby Jones Adam Kunkel Xavier Musketeers (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

4. Xavier Musketeers

Projected Starters

G: Souley Boum (UTEP)

G: Adam Kunkel

F: Colby Jones

F: Zach Freemantle OR Jerome Hunter

F: Jack Nunge

Xavier Basketball has followed a trend each of the past two seasons and it’s not a good one. The Musketeers always start off red hot and collapse in February/March. In 2020-21, they started the season 11-2 and ended 13-8, and missed the NCAA Tournament. Last season, they started 14-3 and went into Selection Sunday 18-13, and missed the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Travis Steele was fired after the Big East Tournament loss to Butler and the Musketeers went on to win the NIT.

After the NIT victory, the school announced that Sean Miller would return to Cincinnati as head coach after leading the Musketeers from 2004-09. Coach Miller is losing three guards from last year’s squad and gaining three new ones. Departed are the graduated Paul Scruggs and Nate Johnson, as well as Dwon Odom who followed Coach Steele to Georgia St. The newcomers include two freshmen and one transfer. The transfer is Souley Boum, who averaged over 18 PPG last year at UTEP. The freshmen, Desmond Claude and Kam Craft are both expected to contribute as well.

Since only three players are leaving, the Musketeers have a similar squad to last season. Colby Jones is a breakout candidate on the perimeter for Coach Miller and Adam Kunkel is likely to enter the starting five after being the sixth man last year. The dynamic duo inside of Jack Nunge and Zach Freemantle form what is arguably the best front court in the conference, but news broke recently that Freemantle is suspended indefinitely. If he isn’t active before the season, look for one of Jerome Hunter, Dieonte Miles, or Cesare Edwards to fill his spot.

So, with Coach Miller back in the fold, can the Musketeers finally break their “curse” and make the NCAA Tournament? I believe they do. Behind Nunge and Jones (and Freemantle if/when he plays), Xavier is shaping up to be one of the best teams in the conference and will receive national attention because of this. Bookmark this: The Xavier Musketeers will make the NCAA Tournament in 2022-23.

Home/Big East