Xavier Musketeers offseason primer: NCAA transfer portal opens Monday
The fast-paced nature of the NCAA Tournament brings the highest of highs and lowest of lows.
Forty-eight hours after an emotional comeback at UD Arena in the First Four, Xavier felt the other side of March Madness when its season ended in a loss to Illinois at Fiserv Forum.
"That's the amazing nature of this tournament: you win, there's no better feeling and you lose, God, it's terrible," Xavier head coach Sean Miller said.
There are few breaks in the college basketball calendar as the offseason approaches just as rapidly.
Now it's up to Xavier brass to quickly turn the page to building for next season.
When does the NCAA transfer portal open?
The NCAA transfer portal officially opens Monday. In October, the NCAA shortened the transfer portal window for the second consecutive year. The new window for the portal is just 30 days (down from 45) and it will close April 22.
Last spring, Xavier added seven players through the portal after its worst season in nearly 30 years. Xavier will be adding through the portal again, largely to replace some of the seven players who are out of eligibility.
Who will Xavier lose from the 2024-25 roster?
Xavier's roster ranked No. 2 in KenPom in average Division I experience (3.54 years). That was an asset during the season, when veteran players led the charge from the bottom of the Big East to the NCAA Tournament.
It also makes the end even more difficult to digest. Xavier will lose several key pieces from the roster that took the floor against Illinois in Milwaukee.
Leaving Xavier is Zach Freemantle, Jerome Hunter, Dayvion McKnight, Marcus Foster, Dante Maddox Jr., Brad Colbert and Bob Nunge.
Add it up, it's three starters and five usuals in Miller's eight-man rotation. Freemantle was a second-team All-Big East selection and just finished one of the best careers in Xavier history. McKnight was the perfect fit for Miller's up-tempo offense over the last two seasons. Foster was the hero against Texas in the First Four.
Maddox went from bench to breakout as Xavier's best scorer off the bench. Hunter spent three resilient seasons with the Musketeers and went to the NCAA Tournament twice.
Who can return to Xavier Musketeers in 2025-26?
Xavier will still have a solid foundation to build on next season if those with eligibility stick around.
In the backcourt, Ryan Conwell averaged 16.5 points and buried 99 3-pointers in his first season since coming over from Indiana State. Roddie Anderson III has been waiting patiently in the wings after redshirting this season.
Down low, John Hugley IV, Dailyn Swain, Cam Fletcher and Lassina Traore can return.
Traore would be the biggest piece in the frontcourt. He averaged a double-double at Long Beach State in 2024 and was going to start at center before suffering a season-ending knee injury in October.
Swain showed flashes of being a go-to player, as evidenced by his 27-point, 8-rebound effort in the loss to Illinois. He is the second-leading returning scorer behind Conwell at 11 points and added 5.5 rebounds.
Of course, nothing is set in stone. With the end of each season, Xavier will have 1-on-1 interviews with each player, and in some cases, difficult discussions will be had where its best if a player moves on.
On the other hand, a player with eligibility could still look for a new home for a variety of reasons from playing time, scheme fit to NIL opportunities.
Xavier has a pair of 4-star recruits coming to campus
Xavier had plenty of room to operate in the portal last season after its only recruit, Centerville's Jonathan Powell, was released from his National Letter of Intent (NLI) in May and later joined West Virginia.
Xavier will have two true freshmen on next year's roster after signing 4-star recruits Nyk Lewis and Jayden Forsythe in November.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What to know as offseason begins for Xavier Musketeers basketball
| 2d 9:53 AM ET ago |
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