2023 College Basketball Preview: Xavier Musketeers

The college basketball season is almost two weeks away, and here at FTN Bets we have you covered for what promises to be another thrilling year of upsets and incredible finishes. I will be taking you around the country with a betting preview of the major conferences and mid-major teams. I recap the betting trends from last season, list projected starters, preview the season, identify a key player and reveal how I’m backing or fading each team.

Let’s continue our preview with the Big East. Despite a midseason slump that saw Connecticut lose five of six games, head coach Danny Hurley always believed in the ceiling for his talented Huskies team. Connecticut ended the regular season winning eight of their last nine games, before suffering a two-point semifinal loss to eventual Big East Tournament champion Marquette. The top teams in this conference are exceptionally strong and compare favorably with any other conference, the Big 12 included. Connecticut and Marquette are top-20 teams this season, with Villanova, Creighton and Xavier rostering fantastic talent. Villanova was the dominant Big East team for a decade, with three Final Four appearances in a four-year span from 2015-2018. Last season, Creighton fell by one point, 57-56, to San Diego State in the Elite Eight. 

Can the Big East return a team, or two, the Final Four? 

Here’s our betting preview for the Xavier Musketeers.

Xavier Musketeers Betting Preview

Conference: Big East
Head Coach: Sean Miller (2nd season)
2022-2023 Record: 27-10 (15-5)
ATS: 19-17-1
O/U: 23-13-1
Projected Starters: G Dayvion McKnight; G Desmond Claude; G Quincy Olivari; F Gytis Nemeiksar; F Abou Ousmane; 

Preview: It was a great first season back at Xavier for head coach Sean Miller, but it could have been even better with some better injury luck. Miller was head coach from 2004-2009, until he joined the Arizona Wildcats for 13 seasons. The Musketeers return a solid 63.1% of their minutes from last year, including three of their top four leading scorers, and the results showed. Xavier was 17-4 overall and 9-1 in the Big East until forward Zach Freemantle was lost for the season against Creighton on January 28. Xavier was known for tough defense and rebounding, but it was their incredible offensive prowess that teams couldn’t match. They lost a ton in the offseason, only returning only 34% of their minutes. However, four solid transfers will keep the offense rolling, especially Rice sharpshooter Quincy Olivari. 

Key Player: Dayvion McKnight

McKight was an explosive two-way player for Western Kentucky, averaging 16 PPG, 5 RPG, while generating 1.8 SPG. A superior free throw shooter and tough shot maker, McKnight’s game also owns a true change of pace, and he’s fearless driving the ball to rim with force. Sean Miller teams are better with a strong point guard (see Souley. Boum), and that’s what Xavier has reloaded with the dynamic McKnight. 

Projection:. The Musketeers joined the Big East Conference in 2013-2014 and only had two top-3 finishes prior to last season. They could have very well won the regular season and conference tournament title if Freemantle was healthy. McKnight and Olivari are fantastic transfers, and their bench will be deeper than last season with North Texas’ Abou Ousmane and two solid freshmen in Trey Green and Dailyn Swain. Miller is a great coach, and this team won’t have the fanfare from last year, but it could actually be better. The key is the health of Freemantle and Jerome Hunter. Freemantle will miss at least the start of the season after recovering from surgery for his oft-injured foot. Hunter is still out with an undisclosed medical injury, and there has not been an update on his return. 

How I’m betting Xavier: Love that over/under number from last season. Xavier plays at a pace that few can match, and McKnight should love playing in this system. Olivari is accustomed to this style and is hoping for his prolific shooting to transfer. One big betting stat: Xavier was 11-3 to the over in the non-conference last season. The Musketeers style puts a premium on scoring, which takes a huge hit without Freemantle and Hunter. I’m fading Xavier early until we receive more info on their potential return.