Xavier Hosts Eastern Michigan Friday Night
Xavier opened 1-0 with a 97-52 win over Mount St. Mary's, while Eastern Michigan also started 1-0 after a 71-70 win over Coastal Carolina.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Basketball
Xavier hosts Eastern Michigan in Cincinnati on Friday night. Xavier defeated Mount St. Mary's 97-52 on Monday, while Eastern Michigan defeated Coastal Carolina 71-70 the same day.
Why it matters
Both teams opened the season 1-0, and Xavier's size and depth in its first game set up a test against an Eastern Michigan squad with far fewer tall players. The matchup offers an early read on how each team handles its strengths in a head-to-head game.
Xavier won the rebounding battle 56-33 and recorded 26 assists on 35 made field goals in its 97-52 win over Mount St. Mary's. Eastern Michigan went 10-21 last season, while Xavier finished 15-18.
The players
Xavier
Xavier is a private Jesuit university in Cincinnati that competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the Big East Conference.
Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan is a public university in Ypsilanti, Michigan that competes in NCAA Division I in the Mid-American Conference.
The details
Xavier used its size and depth to win the rebounding battle and score more second-chance points and points in the paint, employing 10 players for at least 15 minutes each. Eastern Michigan has three players taller than 6-foot-6, compared with 10 on Xavier's roster.
Timeline
Monday: Xavier defeated Mount St. Mary's 97-52 and Eastern Michigan defeated Coastal Carolina 71-70.
Friday: Xavier hosts Eastern Michigan in Cincinnati.
Season Trajectory
Early-season results in NCAA Division I men's basketball are often used to gauge roster depth and rotation strength before conference play begins. Xavier's 1-0 start and Eastern Michigan's 1-0 start place both programs at the same early mark in a long season.
Xavier's 10 players of at least 6-foot-6 and the rebounding edge it showed Monday give it a visible size advantage against an Eastern Michigan team with three such players. Fans and fantasy managers can track whether that edge holds against a stronger opponent.
The takeaway
Both teams start 1-0, so Friday's game will show early whether Xavier's size advantage translates into a lasting edge. Watching how each team uses its rotation will reveal more than the opening scores did.
What happens next
Xavier hosts Eastern Michigan on Friday night in Cincinnati.
Further reading
For more college hoops coverage, see Basketball on Wisevoter.
