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Xavier Basketball: 2023-24 season preview for the Musketeers

By Jerran Anderson

Mar 23, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Xavier Musketeers on the scoreboard during practice day at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 23, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Xavier Musketeers on the scoreboard during practice day at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Big East logo (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images).
The Big East logo (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images). /

Schedule Outlook

Nov. 6 – Robert Morris

Nov. 10 – Jacksonville

Nov. 13 – @Purdue (Gavitt TipOff Games)

Nov. 17 – Washington (Continental Tire Main Event)

Nov. 19 – San Diego State/St. Mary’s

Nov. 24– Bryant

Nov. 27 – Oakland

Dec. 1 – Houston (Big East-Big 12 Battle)

Dec. 5 – Delaware

Dec. 9 – Cincinnati (Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout)

Dec. 16 – Winthrop

Dec. 20-Mar. 9 – Big East Conference Play

March 13-16 – Big East Conference Tournament

The Xavier Musketeers have an opportunity to make some noise with their non-conference schedule. They’ll kick things off against Robert Morris and Jacksonville University at home before traveling to Purdue for their lone road game of the season against the Boilermakers in the Gavitt TipOff Games. The Musketeers have won all four meetings with the Boilermakers, with their most recent meeting dating back to 2012, where Xavier won 63-57 at Purdue.

After that, the Musketeers will head to Las Vegas for the Continental Tire Main Event where they’ll open against the Washington Huskies. It will be their first time in school history hosting the Huskies. If they win that meeting, they’ll potentially face San Diego State on the 19th if they get through St. Mary’s.

Xavier returns home on Nov. 24 to face the upstart Bryant Bulldogs, which should be a good test for them. After Oakland on Nov. 27, they’ll host Houston in the Big East-Big 12 Battle. It will also be the Musketeers’ first meeting with the Cougars.

Things cool down in the final three games of the non-conference slate with Delaware, Cincinnati and Winthrop, though their annual rivalry game with the Bearcats is always challenging. Xavier has won four games in a row including last year’s meeting, 80-77 and is unbeaten at home in the rivalry.

Big East regular-season action begins on Dec. 20 and given their schedule, Xavier should be well prepared for it. It’ll be a task to win 15 games again, especially without Freemantle or Hunter but projecting them to win 10 wins isn’t completely out of the question.

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