Xavier’s notching a 3-0 record in exhibition play, capping it off with a 76-70 win over Kent State at Cintas Center on October 23rd. Forget that these wins don’t show up in any standings or boost their NCAA Tournament resume, because what happened on the court in October matters way more for this squad that is still figuring things out after a huge transfer portal haul.
Three Games, Three Wild Rides
The Musketeers didn’t just rack up wins; they got tested in ways that really show you what this new-look team is made of. Earlier in the month, against Dayton, they built a solid lead before the Flyers came roaring back, trimming the margin all the way down to just one point. Talk about keeping you on the edge of your seat! Then came a seriously impressive 86-70 road victory over Tennessee, a team that’s hit three straight Elite Eights and was picked No. 8 in the AP’s preseason Top 25 poll. Xavier actually had to rally from an eight-point deficit at halftime in Knoxville to pull that off. You saw Mike Nwoko (1) celebrating a bucket against Kent State, and you know that energy is crucial. Three games, three totally different scripts, three paths to victory. For a team stacked with newcomers, that kind of variety is priceless.
Finding Their Flow Before The Real Fight
Let’s be real, college basketball rosters are basically revolving doors these days, and Xavier’s no different. Integrating all those new players isn’t just about who can dunk or grab a rebound. It’s about building real chemistry, establishing who does what, and learning how to respond when the other team gets hot or you’re playing in a hostile environment. Second-year head coach Richard Pitino has been hyping up the depth of this Xavier roster, and these exhibitions gave us an early peek at how that translates. They even got a real test when freshmen Kalek House and Asher Elson missed multiple games. Now, three exhibition games won’t tell you everything about a team’s depth or if all the pieces fit perfectly when the stakes go up. But they offered a ton of valuable reps, especially for guys getting used to new teammates, a new system, or a bigger role than they’ve had before. You want proof? Think back to last year, when a home exhibition loss to Murray State felt like a full-blown “Danger Alert” before a 15-18 season and a last-place finish in the Big East. This year’s Kent State game wasn’t perfect, with Xavier not exactly handling business the way a Big East school should against a mid-major, but it was a far cry from that kind of early warning.
These victories might not count officially, but the lessons absolutely do. Xavier got 120 study minutes against three different opponents, all prepping them for the actual real test on Monday, November 2nd. That’s when they host Mount St. Mary’s in a game that actually goes on the record, and we’ll see how quickly those October lessons have sunk in.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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