CINCINNATI — — Malik Messina-Moore‘s 16 points helped Xavier defeat Marist 66-62 on Monday.
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Xavier went into halftime leading Marist 29-19. Messina-Moore scored nine points in the half. Xavier turned a 10-point lead into an 18-point advantage with an 8-0 run at the start of the second half to make it a 37-19 lead. Wright scored 11 second-half points in the victory.
The Xavier Musketeers opened their 2025–26 season with a gritty 66–62 win over the Marist Red Foxes on Monday night at the Cintas Center. In a game that went down to the wire, the Musketeers used a late defensive surge and timely shooting to escape with the narrow victory.
Marist controlled much of the first half, relying on strong perimeter play from guards Isaiah Brickner and Patrick Gardner Jr. to take a 33–30 halftime lead. The Red Foxes shot 46% from the field before the break and capitalized on several Xavier turnovers to build early momentum.
Xavier, however, found its footing after the break. Junior forward Dayvion McKnight led the comeback effort, scoring 12 of his 18 points in the second half while adding 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Graduate center Zach Freemantle, returning from an injury that sidelined him last season, contributed 14 points and 8 boards, anchoring the Musketeers inside.
The turning point came midway through the second half when Xavier’s defense clamped down, forcing five consecutive empty possessions for Marist. Freshman guard Dailyn Swain provided an energy boost off the bench, nailing a key three-pointer and drawing a charge with just under three minutes left.
“We didn’t play our cleanest basketball, but we stayed together,” head coach Sean Miller said postgame. “Our defense down the stretch was the difference. You can build on that kind of toughness early in the season.”
Marist had one last push in the final minute. Trailing 64–62, Brickner’s driving layup rimmed out, and McKnight sealed the win for Xavier with two clutch free throws. The Red Foxes finished the night shooting 41% overall and 35% from three, while Xavier hit 44% from the field.
Messina-Moore shot 4 of 10 from the field and went 7 for 7 from the line for the Musketeers. Jovan Milicevic and All Wright both scored 14 points.
The Red Foxes were led by Rhyjon Blackwell, who posted 24 points. Marist also got 15 points and seven rebounds from Elijah Lewis. Jadin Collins-Roberts finished with 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Top Performers:
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Xavier: Dayvion McKnight – 18 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST
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Zach Freemantle – 14 PTS, 8 REB
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Dailyn Swain – 9 PTS, 3 STL
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Marist: Isaiah Brickner – 17 PTS, 5 AST
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Patrick Gardner Jr. – 13 PTS, 7 REB
“We played hard enough to win, just didn’t finish plays when it mattered most,” Marist coach John Dunne said. “I’m proud of the effort—we’ll learn from this.”
The Musketeers (1–0) now turn their attention to Toledo on Friday night, while the Red Foxes (0–1) return home to face Columbia.
Final Score: Xavier 66, Marist 62
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and Follow us on Asohij.com.
