Quick Notes:
- Final Score: Xavier 68, Santa Clara 87
- I think the title does it well from a Xavier stance. Pitino and co. have their work cut out for them the rest of the year. For Santa Clara, this was a massive win, and one that helps bolster their NC SOR. If they can keep this up, an at-large is in the picture for them.
- Santa Clara improves to 3-0. Xavier falls to 2-1.
- Cintas Center, Cincinnati, OH | Attendance 9,830
- Date: 11/10/2025
Santa Clara Dominates from Start to Finish Against Xavier
To be very honest, Santa Clara was the better team from the opening tip. Xavier never led, and the Broncos held control for 38:46 of game time. There was never a real stretch where Xavier looked poised to make this competitive.
The Musketeers’ lack of offensive rhythm — a recurring issue all season — reached a breaking point. Too many possessions stalled around the perimeter, with little to no penetration into the defense. Combine that with Santa Clara’s superior athleticism, and the result was a one-sided affair. The Broncos imposed their will from start to finish, while Xavier never mounted a serious response.
Santa Clara’s Balanced Attack
Santa Clara was led by Elijah Mahi, who posted 18 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists with a block and just one turnover. Christian Hammond added 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, plus 2 steals.
Also scoring in double figures were Brenton Knapper, Sash Gavalyugov, and Allen Graves. Graves recorded an impressive double-double with 11 rebounds (5 offensive) to go with his scoring output. Despite battling foul trouble, he dominated inside against a Xavier frontcourt that provided little resistance.
Anderson and Carroll Carry the Load for Xavier
Xavier had just two players in double figures. Roddie Anderson exploded for a career-high 29 points, along with 3 rebounds and 3 assists. He drew 11 fouls and went 12-of-16 from the free-throw line, despite having five shots blocked.
Tre Carroll contributed 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists, going 6-for-6 from the line. Beyond those two, Xavier got minimal help — Filip Borovicanin (9), Anthony Robinson (4), Isiah Walker (4), and Jovan Milicevic (1) rounded out the scoring.
The Big Problem
After the Le Moyne game, it was clear that Xavier’s big men needed to show more — and tonight proved why. The trio of Milicevic, Robinson, and Pape N’Diaye combined for just 5 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 0 steals, and 4 blocks, while committing 6 fouls and drawing only 4.
When your entire interior rotation produces numbers like that, it’s almost impossible to compete — especially against a potential at-large NCAA Tournament team like Santa Clara.
More From Moore?
Malik Messina-Moore, Xavier’s best shooter, finished without a single field-goal attempt. His stat line — 0-1 from the line, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 2 turnovers in 20:50 — is almost unbelievable for a player of his caliber.
To be fair, Santa Clara’s defensive game plan made it extremely difficult for him to even touch the ball, much less find clean looks. Still, Xavier’s staff has to do a better job scheming him into the offense. Expect Pitino and his staff to address that quickly.
Key Stats that Decided the game:
Points off Turnovers: Santa Clara 20, Xavier 15
Points in the Paint: Santa Clara 52, Xavier 22
Second Chance Points: tied @ 16
Fast break points: Santa Clara 15, Xavier 20
Bench Points: Santa Clara 30, Xavier 5.
Final thoughts:
Santa Clara was picked to finish fourth in the WCC this year, however, the WCC is very strong with key members Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s providing a lot of that strength, but teams like Santa Clara and San Francisco are at-large hopefuls. Santa Clara has started the season looking like a mid-major at-large candidate.
For Xavier, they were picked low in the Big East, however, this version of Xavier is going to struggle to win any games in the physical Big East conference. Both the coaches and players need to take a long look in the mirror before returning to practice on Tuesday.
What’s Next
- Xavier will now travel to play Iowa at Iowa on Friday night at 7:00 on FS1 .
- Santa Clara will travel home to play Nevada on Saturday at 7:00 ET on ESPN+.
MISC Game Notes:
Of note, Mier Panama got his first minutes of the year, and while he was rusty, he was able to show flashes of athleticism, which this team desperately needs.
I’ve been attending X games for 10 years… I do believe that’s the most empty I’ve ever seen that arena.
