Xavier basketball notebook: Musketeers Tip-Off on Friday, who is Sean Miller's starting 5?

After months of practices inside an empty Cintas Center, there is less than four weeks before the Xavier men's basketball team opens the 2023-24 season against Robert Morris in front more than 10,000 fans.

Who will make up Xavier's starting rotation? Will a roster filled with turnover yield immediate results, or will it take time to mesh? How does Xavier fare in the Big East? These questions will need time to be answered. Here are some thoughts.

More: Xavier basketball notebook: Observations from the Musketeers as fall practice continues

Who will Xavier start on opening night?

The strength of Xavier's team is in the backcourt. The Musketeers will be led by its group of guards, which has quality college basketball experience when you factor in Quincy Olivari's successful career at Rice and Dayvion McKnight's 1,000-point stint at Western Kentucky.

Xavier head coach Sean Miller has praised sophomore guard Desmond Claude all summer, saying he's made the biggest jump on the team. Claude, McKnight and Olivari should fill the guard spots.

Down low, North Texas transfer Abou Ousmane told The Enquirer that, "defense is the main purpose of the game and the way we're gonna win." Xavier coaches have applauded the 6-foot-10 forward's defensive intensity this summer, specifically at recent fall practices. He slots in at the 5.

More: 'Basketball is like a religion.' How the Brooklyn hoops scene shaped Xavier's Abou Ousmane

The 4 spot in the rotation looks to be up for grabs. Forward Kachi Nzeh was the lone freshman to start in the Bahamas, but that was before the addition of three international forwards.

Gytis Nemeiksa still has work to do on the offensive end but is simply one of the most physical players on defense. His contribution to Xavier will go beyond the box score. Lazar Djokovic has the height advantage (6-foot-10) and his ability to play above the rim on both sides of the ball is a strength. Give the edge to Nemeiksa right now, but it's a tough call.

It's worth noting that with so many new faces, there are still minutes to be had, especially for the Musketeers forwards. There's a good chance Xavier's opening night lineup is altered as the calendar drifts deeper into the winter.

Freemantle, Hunter expected to miss entire 2023-24 season

In an interview Wednesday with 700WLW's Lance McAlister, Miller announced publicly for the first time the previously reported news that Xavier is expected to be without Zach Freemantle and Jerome Hunter for the entire season.

"I think at some point we expect both Jerome and Zach to return to the court. I don't see it this season," Miller said. "In a sense, we suffered two season-ending injuries in the middle of our summer."

Hunter has dealt with an undisclosed medical condition since this summer and Freemantle underwent successful foot surgery in September.

How Xavier went global

Replacing Freemantle and Hunter, two of the pieces of a planned Big 3 for Xavier before they were sidelined, couldn't be done overnight. The Musketeers attacked the international talent pool and landed three players over a 52-day span.

It's been Miller's hope to expand recruiting internationally and a plan that was well-discussed in the athletic department between President Dr. Colleen Hanycz and Director of Athletics Greg Christopher.

"Have an ingredient that this game is international now. To be able to reach globally and build a percentage of our roster from all over the world," Miller said. "We have a good blend now and I think that's gonna be part of our fabric moving forward."

Previewing the Musketeers

Xavier basketball fans will have its lone opportunity to get a look at the men's and women's basketball programs at the Musketeer Tip-off, presented by Heartland Bank, on Friday.

The free event, which starts at 6:30 p.m. at Cintas Center, will feature a blue/white scrimmage for both the men's and women's teams. Overall, there are 17 newcomers to the basketball program with 10 on the men's side and seven on the women's. The 2023-24 "X-Shirt" will be available for purchase at the Xavier University All For One Shop inside Cintas Center, according to a press release.

The state of the Big East and way-too-early predictions

ESPN's Joe Lunardi released his latest 2024 NCAA Tournament Bracketology with less than a month before the regular season tips off.

Lunardi listed Xavier's as one of the First Four Out, meaning the Musketeers would fall just shy of reaching the NCAA Tournament in five months after going to the Sweet 16 a year ago.

Lunardi did sing the praises of the Big East, projecting three squads to hold a top 3 seed in the tournament (No. 2 Creighton, No. 2 UConn, No. 3 Marquette) along with No. 11 Providence, No. 11 St. John's and No. 5 Villanova.

At Xavier's Victory Parkway Preview Oct. 2, Miller said Jay Wright helped shape the Big East during his 21-year run at Villanova.

"I think all of us will forever be grateful for what he (Wright) did. He captivated college basketball, winning two national championships and cementing a lot of great stability in the league early on," Miller said.

Quick hits

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Xavier basketball notebook: Who will start for the Musketeers?