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Messina-Moore Leads Xavier Past Le Moyne in Unexpected Thriller
By
Musketeer Madness,
11/6/2025
The Xavier Musketeers survived an unexpected scare at the Cintas Center before before a crowd of 9,480 on Thursday night, relying on a standout performance from guard Malik Messina-Moore to fend off a tenacious Le Moyne Dolphins squad, 74-69. Expected to coast against the fledgling Division I opponent, Xavier (2-0) found itself in a tense battle down the stretch, unable to shake free of the Dolphins, who mounted a late charge fueled by spectacular three-point shooting. While the Musketeers ultimately secured the win to remain undefeated, the close contest served as an early-season gauge that illustrated the need for improvement in their defensive consistency.
Malik Messina-Moore set the tone early for the Musketeers, establishing himself as the offensive engine for the night. The guard poured in 14 of his team-high 17 points in the first half, helping Xavier build a manageable 43-36 lead heading into the break.
He was ably supported by Roddie Anderson III, who finished with 15 points, and a crucial 11 points from forward Tre Carroll. In a game where offense was paramount, Xavier's balanced attack was essential, complemented by forward Filip Borovicanin’s strong presence on the glass, as he hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds.
The visiting Le Moyne Dolphins proved to be a pesky opponent that fought until the end. Guard Trent Mosquera delivered a phenomenal performance that repeatedly stunned the home crowd, scoring a game-high 20 points on the strength of a scorching 6-for-11 effort from beyond the arc. Mosquera’s timely shots kept the heavily outmatched Dolphins (1-1) believing throughout the night.
Deng Garang added 15 points while Jakai Sanders chipped in 13. As a team, Le Moyne was incredibly efficient, shooting 52.9% from the floor.
Despite the comfortable lead at halftime, Xavier’s defense was unable to consistently contain Le Moyne in the second half. The Dolphins continued their impressive shot-making, preventing the Musketeers from delivering the decisive run everyone expected.
Le Moyne’s ability to score consistently and take advantage of Xavier's lapses turned the game into a nail-biter, forcing the highly-favored Musketeers to play their full rotation and grind out a victory that, on paper, should have been a blowout.
The Musketeers never trailed in the second half, but the pressure intensified as Le Moyne cut the deficit to five points with under three minutes remaining. In crunch time, Xavier relied on veteran leadership and smart offense.
Though the offensive flow became choppy, Messina-Moore and Anderson III made the necessary plays, attacking the paint and converting clutch baskets and free throws in the final minute to halt Le Moyne’s momentum and seal the narrow victory, avoiding what would have been a catastrophic upset.
While they escaped with the win, this performance raises questions about Xavier’s consistency against opponents they should dominate. The Musketeers move to 2-0 on the season, but they will need to address their defensive focus immediately before facing more demanding competition on their schedule.
Next up for Xavier is Santa Clara whom the Musketeers play host to on Monday, November 10. Game time is set for 8:30pm on FS1.
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