Following Xavier’s 66-62 season-opening win over Marist, first-year head coach Richard Pitino told the media that his team would “be in many close games this year.”
Three days later, Xavier was in another dogfight at Cintas Center, but the Musketeers prevailed with a 74-69 victory over Le Moyne.
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Xavier has won its first two buy games, though it’s been anything but pretty. The Musketeers trailed by as many as seven in the first half, ran into foul trouble early in the second, but once again made enough plays down the stretch.
Xavier improves to 2-0 for the 18th consecutive season.
Xavier pulls away late to defeat Le Moyne
Oddsmakers listed Xavier as a 24.5-point favorite Thursday night, but the new-look Musketeers struggled to put away Le Moyne, which is in its third season as a Division I program.
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Xavier led for over 30 minutes of game time but couldn’t put it in cruise control in the second half as Le Moyne was able to hang around with pivotal buckets.
Xavier Musketeers head coach Richard Pitino coaches in the first half of the NCAA game at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 6, 2025.
Le Moyne cut the Xavier lead to 67-64 with 2:30 remaining before a pair of Anthony Robinson free throws and a bucket by Roddie Anderson gave the Musketeers a 71-64 lead with 1:38 remaining.
Xavier got a pair of stops on the defensive end and finished it off at the free-throw line.
Malik Messina-Moore ignites offense again
For the second consecutive game, the lid was on the basket early for Xavier’s offense before Malik Messina-Moore removed it. The Montana transfer was 4-of-6 from three-point range for 14 points in the first half.
Xavier Musketeers guard Malik Messina-Moore (1) hits a jump shot in the first half of the NCAA game at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 6, 2025.
Messina-Moore led a trio of Musketeers in double figures with 17. Tre Carroll had 11 for the second consecutive game and Anderson had 15. Xavier was just 10-of-30 from the field in the second half but Anderson had 12 over the final 20 minutes, including several key drives to the bucket.
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Xavier lets it fly against Le Moyne
The scouting report on Xavier’s offense wouldn’t mention a team that is dangerous from beyond the arc. Xavier was a combined 9-of-41 from the perimeter in an exhibition loss to Murray State and Monday’s win over Marist, but the Musketeers let it fly with success against Le Moyne.
Xavier made 11 of its first 15 three-point attempts against the Dolphins as the Musketeers turned an early seven-point hole into a seven-point lead (43-36) at the intermission. Starting guard All Wright and Isaiah Walker hit a pair of treys and backup center Pape N’Diaye connected from the top of the key.
Xavier Musketeers guard All Wright (3) hits a 3-point basket in the first half of the NCAA game against Le Moyne Dolphins at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati on Nov. 6, 2025.
Xavier was just 2-of-8 from 3-point range in the second half.
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Xavier’s defense struggles against Le Moyne
Xavier’s defense had a great first half against Marist in the season opener and a dreadful second half. Which one would show up against Le Moyne?
Unfortunately for Pitino, it was the latter as the underdog Dolphins opened up a 19-12 lead and shot a blistering 61.9% from the field in the first half. Xavier did turn 10 early takeaways into 15 points, but Le Moyne got whatever it wanted near the rim with 22 points in the paint (to Xavier’s six).
What’s next for Xavier Musketeers?
Xavier (2-0) wraps up a three-game homestand to open the season Nov. 10 when Santa Clara makes the cross-country trip to Cintas Center for an 8:30 p.m. tip.
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It will be a nice litmus test for Xavier against a West Coast Conference club that has sustained success. Herb Sendek’s Broncos have won 20-plus games in four consecutive seasons and rank just outside the top 100 in KenPom.
Xavier has its first true road game of the season Nov. 14 when the Musketeers visit Iowa.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Xavier Musketeers analysis of win over Le Moyne, 2-0 start
