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Xavier Pulls Away From Eastern Michigan, 76-53
By
Musketeer Madness,
11/7/2026
Xavier overcame a sluggish start and used a dominant second-half shooting performance to defeat Eastern Michigan 76-53 on Friday night at Cintas Center, improving to 2-0 on the young season. Chance Westry scored a team-high 13 points off the bench, while Filip Borovicanin added 10 as the Musketeers secured their second consecutive double-digit victory.
The Musketeers faced early adversity when Eastern Michigan jumped out to a 7-0 lead, prompting a Xavier timeout less than three minutes into the contest. The Eagles maintained their advantage through the opening minutes, but Xavier gradually found its offensive rhythm and turned a difficult beginning into a 34-25 halftime lead. The Musketeers then outscored Eastern Michigan 42-28 after intermission to complete the 23-point victory.
Xavier's offensive transformation in the second half proved decisive. After shooting just 35.7% from the field in the opening 20 minutes, the Musketeers connected on 19 of 27 attempts after halftime, a remarkable 70.4% shooting performance. Xavier finished the game shooting 52.7% overall despite struggling from beyond the arc, where it converted only 3 of 14 attempts (21.4%). The Musketeers instead relied heavily on interior scoring, accumulating 52 points in the paint.
Westry provided an important spark off the bench, making four of seven field-goal attempts and four of five free throws in 21 minutes. Borovicanin was efficient in the starting lineup, converting five of seven shots while collecting four rebounds and distributing four assists. Mike Nwoko contributed nine points, six rebounds and two steals, while Jovan Milicevic added nine points and four rebounds.
Xavier's reserves played a major role in the victory, combining for 40 points. Nikos Chitikoudis delivered a perfect 4-for-4 shooting performance on his way to nine points and six rebounds, while Gabriel Pozzato chipped in eight points and four steals. Kalek House added six points and a game-high seven assists, helping Xavier finish with 15 assists on 29 made baskets.
Defensively, the Musketeers pressured Eastern Michigan into 22 turnovers and converted those mistakes into 25 points, compared with just four points off turnovers for the Eagles. Xavier recorded 14 steals and limited Eastern Michigan to 27.6% shooting, including just 7-for-34 (20.6%) in the second half. Eastern Michigan held a 39-33 rebounding advantage, but its inability to protect the basketball or consistently convert scoring opportunities undermined that edge.
Emanuel Richards led Eastern Michigan with 13 points and eight rebounds, while Jaiden Martin contributed 12 points on four three-pointers. Mohammad Habhab added 11 points and seven rebounds. The Eagles shot 6-for-23 from three-point range and managed only 16 points in the paint against Xavier's interior defense.
With victories over Mount St. Mary's and Eastern Michigan to open the regular season, Xavier has established momentum heading into its next matchup against Detroit Mercy on Tuesday, November 10, at 7 p.m. at Cintas Center. The Musketeers will look to build on their defensive intensity and improved second-half execution while seeking more consistent perimeter shooting.
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