Xavier’s Zach Freemantle Is Set to Be One of the Unexpected Heroes of the NCAA Tournament

The NCAA Tournament is known for unexpected heroes, and Xavier’s Zach Freemantle is set to be one of them this Friday.

The NCAA Tournament is known for unexpected heroes, and Xavier’s Zach Freemantle is set to be one of them this Friday.

The 99th leading scorer in the nation during the 2024-25 regular season at 17.3 points per game, Freemantle is projected by Dimers' data analysts to finish second among all players in March Madness First Round scoring on March 21, 2025.

According to the projections, Freemantle will put up 22.9 points against Illinois, trailing only New Mexico’s Donovan Dent, who is expected to lead the tournament in scoring that day with 23.4 points in the Lobos' matchup against Marquette. Dent was already a proven scorer in the regular season, ranking eighth in the nation at 20.6 points per game, making his performance less of a surprise.

However, Freemantle’s leap from 99th to No. 2 in projected PPG makes him one of the most intriguing names to watch in Friday’s slate of games.

Adding to the intrigue, his Xavier teammate Ryan Conwell—who ranked 126th in the country in scoring at 16.8 points per game—is projected to have a breakout game as well, with an estimated 22.2 points against Illinois, ranking him third among all First Round players.

Friday’s March Madness First Round projected player stats (3/21/25)

Top 20 projected scorers:

Player | PPG

Donovan Dent (New Mexico) 23.4

Zach Freemantle (Xavier) 22.9

Ryan Conwell (Xavier) 22.2

Myles Bridges (Mississippi State) 21.8

Jaylen Williams (Stanford) 20.9

Kellan Grady (Ohio State) 20.4

Markquis Harris (Kansas State) 19.9

Damon Balderson (Cal State Fullerton) 19.7

Hunter Cattoor (Florida State) 19.4

Complete Boxscore Projections:

A full breakdown of March Madness First Round player projections for Friday, March 21, 2025, featuring expected top scorers, rebounder and playmakers based on Dimers' analytics. Xavier’s Zach Freemantle is projected to finish second in scoring, despite ranking 99th in the nation during the regular season.Dimers Pro

With these projections, the Xavier vs. Illinois matchup could end up featuring two of the top three scorers of the entire First Round, despite neither player ranking inside the top 75 in regular-season scoring. Meanwhile, Dent and the Lobos will look to ride his scoring ability into the next round.

March Madness First Round schedule – Friday, March 21, 2025

Early Afternoon Games

No. 14 Cal State Fullerton (+6.5) at No. 3 Michigan State, Total: 131.5

No. 12 Mississippi State (+1.5) at No. 5 Stanford, Total: 134

Late Afternoon Games

No. 13 Iona (+9) at No. 4 Ohio State, Total: 136

No. 11 Penn State (+3) at No. 6 Purdue, Total: 131

Afternoon Games

No. 7 Texas (+1) vs. No. 10 UT Martin, Total: 135

No. 2 Marquette (+7.5) vs. No. 15 New Mexico, Total: 134

Evening Games

No. 8 Maryland (+7) at No. 9 Purdue, Total: 132

No. 5 Duke (+4) at No. 12 FIU, Total: 136

Late Night Games

No. 3 Xavier (+4) at No. 11 Illinois, Total: 133

No. 6 Kansas State (+8) at No. 13 Montana State, Total: 130

College basketball bettors using these stat projections are advised that BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook are both offering $150 in bonus bets to new users in eligible states, while Bet365’s $150 promo has emerged as the most popular college basketball betting deal among local Xavier and Illinois fans.

As March Madness tips off, keep an eye on Freemantle and Conwell—two players primed to exceed expectations in a tournament where anything can happen.

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