The last time Xavier men's basketballopened a season with an exhibition win over the Dayton Flyers, the Musketeers ended up making the NCAA Tournament after posting a losing record the year prior.
The same stars have aligned this year as Xavier, coming off a 15-18 season to open the Richard Pitino era
, began the 2026-27 campaign with an 82-76 outdoor exhibition win over Dayton in the CareSource Invitational at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on Oct. 7.Like most exhibition games, the final score is the least important takeaway. It was the first
of three exhibition games for a roster that is dealing with injuries and trying to gel in the final few weeks before the final score takes top priority in November.
Here's how Xavier graded out in Wednesday's win.
Xavier Musketeers grades for exhibition win over Dayton in CareSource Invitational
Offense
Grade: A-
Xavier shot 50% from the field and averaged 1.188 points per possession against Dayton, a few numbers the Musketeers will take anytime they're on the court. Xavier didn't have to battle the sun like UC and Ohio State did in the first game of the day and only had to worry about a slight breeze in the second half.
Xavier had 36 points in the paint. The Musketeers had 36 or more points down low just eight times all of last year. Xavier scored 76.8% of its points from the paint or the free-throw line.
The only thing hurting Xavier's offensive grade was its struggles against Dayton's full-court pressure, though the Musketeers were shorthanded without Rolyns Aligbe and Asher Elson, and freshman guard Kalek House got banged up early. Xavier committed 14 turnovers, leading to 18 Dayton points.
Even when shots weren't falling or the offense was out of rhythm, Xavier was able to get to the free-throw line 35 times. The entire offensive box score is a full 180 from last season, when the Musketeers relied heavily on its long-distance attack with a record-setting year from downtown while struggling to apply pressure at the rim and get to the line (17.8 attempts per game).
That helped Xavier handle the game pressure as Dayton trimmed a 17-point lead to as little as a point. The Musketeers were able to answer each time Dayton grabbed momentum and led for all but 36 seconds Wednesday night.
Defense
Grade: B-
This grade is anchored by Xavier's strong start on the defensive end. Xavier held Dayton to just 29 points on 10-of-23 shooting in the first half and forced 11 turnovers.
The second half was a different story as Dayton shot 76.2% from the field, scored 20 points in the paint and knocked down six triples. The Flyers didn't miss a shot (9-for-9 start) in the second half until the 10:44 mark. Overall, though, Dayton shot nearly 60% from the field and got to the free-throw line 30 times.
Xavier was fortunate players had unlimited fouls Wednesday for a few reasons. Two Muskie starters (Mike Nwoko, Chance Westry) combined for 16 fouls, but each still got to play a big role. Plus, Dayton couldn't take advantage at the charity stripe, going 9 for 18 in the second half and just 56.7% for the game.
Xavier did force 16 turnovers (which led to 16 points at the other end) and got crucial stops in crunch time. Dayton got to within a point (64-63) with 8:37 left. Xavier then allowed just two field goals over the next six-plus minutes as it pulled away.
Rebounding
Grade: B+
There's arguably no bigger statistic when it comes to Xavier's beefed-up interior and how the Musketeers are better suited for the physicality that comes with Big East play.
Rebounds were scarce Wednesday with both offenses shooting over 50% from the field, but Xavier did win the rebounding battle 31-26. Last season, the Musketeers were 8-2 when they won on the boards and 7-16 when they were outrebounded. Xavier did not allow a second-chance point.
You can throw a grain of salt in this statistic with Nwoko's foul trouble. He committed nine fouls but was still able to play 32 minutes and grab 11 of Xavier's 31 rebounds. No other Musketeer had more than three.
Most Valuable Player
Mike Nwoko: Yes, the nine fouls stick out like a sore thumb. However, Nwoko was effective on both ends of the floor in posting a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double. He was just 4-of-11 shooting but got to the free-throw line 13 times.
Player to watch
Gabriel Pozzato: Pozzato made his long-awaited Xavier debut after missing all of last season due to a knee injury. He also missed a lot of the summer, so he was eased back into the rotation, playing 14 minutes. He attempted just two shots, but they showcased his versatility with a deep 3-pointer from the wing and a poster dunk in the second half. Defensively, he used his reach to record two of Xavier's eight steals.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Grading Xavier Musketeers outdoor exhibition win over Dayton Flyers
