Transfer portal update: How are former Xavier Musketeers doing at their new schools?

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Every college basketball fan knows how much the transfer portal has changed the game since it first opened in Oct. 2018.

The transfer portal’s role in building a program expanded exponentially in 2021, when the NCAA began permitting athletes to transfer and play immediately without sitting out a year.

For better or worse, the portal has played a huge part in Xavier men’s basketball in recent seasons. In 2023, UTEP transfer Souley Boum was a first-team All-Big East selection in helping lead Xavier to the Sweet 16. Last season, Rice transfer Quincy Olivari set the Xavier single-season record for 3-pointers.

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Western Kentucky transfer Dayvion McKnight has started all 66 games for Xavier over the last two seasons. He ranks 26th in the NCAA in assist-to-turnover ratio this year. Indiana State transfer Ryan Conwell currently averages 16.3 points per game.

With every newcomer to Cintas Center looking to elevate their game in the Big East, there are even more who started with the Musketeers and moved on in search of a new opportunity. Right now, there are 14 former Xavier players suiting up for a different program across 12 conferences, including eight from last year’s 16-18 season.

Here’s how they’re doing.

Sasa Ciani (21) appeared in 31 games for Xavier during the 2023-24 season. He is now at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Sasa Ciani

One of three international additions for Xavier prior to last season, the 6-foot-9 forward averaged 2.5 points in 31 games (five starts) for the Musketeers before hitting the portal.

Now a starter at UIC, Ciani is averaging 11.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52.6% from the field. He has seven double-doubles. After an 11-point, 11-rebound performance in home loss to Bradley Jan. 11, Ciani greeted…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/transfer-portal-former-xavier-musketeers-172716649.html

Author : Cincinnati.com | The Enquirer

Publish date : 2025-01-31 17:27:00

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