After its second 3-0 start in three seasons, the Xavier Musketeers received their first litmus test of the young season Saturday afternoon.

Playing in the Skip Prosser Classic against Wake Forest, Xavier passed that test by building an early double-digit lead through its defense and using its offense in the second half to hold off the Demon Deacons, 75-60.

"I thought today was overall our best performance," Xaiver head coach Sean Miller said for the second straight game.

Xavier is now 6-3 all-time in the event (5-3 against Wake Forest), which honors Skip Prosser, who served as the head coach at Xavier from 1994-2001 before leaving for Wake Forest. Prosser passed away in 2007.

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Observations from Xavier Musketeers’ win over Wake Forest in Skip Prosser Classic

Xavier able to grind out a win in second half

There were times Saturday where the Skip Prosser Classic had the feel of an old-school Big East game. Both defenses were great at playing tough in the paint and physical on the perimeter during half-court sets that often ventured deep into the shot clock.

Wake Forest cut Xavier’s lead to six three times over the first 12 minutes of the second half but the Musketeers’ offense, despite some sluggish periods, was able to find an answer in one way or another.

Zach Freemantle helped provide the spark with a pair of game-changing plays. His flashy finish in transition stopped a brief Wake Forest spurt to give Xavier a 56-44 lead. A few possessions later, Freemantle's and-1 after a baseline skirmish extended the lead to 61-46.

Freemantle finished with 11 points and tied Dailyn Swain with a team-high six rebounds. Ryan Conwell started slow from the perimeter (2-of-8) but hit two crucial triples in the final five minutes to help Xavier pull away. Conwell had a game-high 21 points while Dayvion McKnight joined him in double figures with 13.

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Second half was battle of attrition at Cintas Center

Xavier had been flirting with putting triple digits on the scoreboard both in the preseason and in the early portion of the non-conference slate, but Wake Forest was able to make the Musketeers work for every point on Saturday.

Xavier led by 10 at the half but opened the second half by missing its first four shots before a Conwell 3-pointer at the 16-minute mark.

While Wake Forest's defense started strong in the second half, it struggled to find momentum on the offensive end and slowly drifted into foul trouble that allowed Xavier to go 19-of-22 from the stripe.

Wake Forest shot better in the second half (13-of-23), but Xavier forced 18 turnovers, many at crucial spots in the second half, to thwart any chance of a comeback.

"That's the track we're on," Miller said of the defensive effort. "Not only right now but as a program. You want to be able to be good on both defense and offense and not reliant on just one."

Xavier’s offense got early production for halftime lead

Xavier’s offense was coming off back-to-back 94-point outings, but faced its toughest test against a Wake Forest squad that ranked No. 59 in the nation in efficiency last season.

It was far from Xavier’s most efficient first half, but the Musketeers had several players contribute in the box score to build a double-digit lead. Marcus Foster opened the game with back-to-back 3-pointers to give Xavier a 9-5 lead. Jerome Hunter also connected twice from distance.

Eight different Musketeers tallied a point in the opening stanza to give Xavier a 34-24 advantage at the intermission. John Hugley was the ninth Xavier player to crack the scoresheet with a pair of free throws early in the second half.

Hunter Sallis presented big challenge for Xavier defense

Wake Forest guard Hunter Sallis, a first-team all-ACC selection last year and NBA Draft hopeful next spring, won’t be the last elite scorer the Musketeers will face this season, but he is the first.

Miller didn’t veer from his usual man-to-man defense, but Xavier’s depth allowed Sallis to be met by multiple Musketeers pressuring the Demon Deacons’ leading scorer all over the floor. Sallis started 1-of-4 from the field and Xavier forced him into three turnovers, including a Swain steal that led to a Maddox dunk on the other end as part of a 10-0 run.

Sallis finished with a team-high 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Guard David Cosby was the only other Demon Deacon in double figures, finishing with 13. Outside of Cosby (3-of-5), Wake Forest went just 2-of-12 from 3-point range and starting guard Cameron Hildreth was held to a season-low two points.

Hildreth and Sallis were the focal point of Xavier's defense Saturday.

"We had to be able to defend them without fouling and try to make the game difficult on both guys. I think we did that," Miller said.

Xavier’s defense sets the tone

A Xavier defense that has been highlighted by peaks and valleys through the first three games of the season opened Saturday’s affair with its best half of the year.

Feeding off its home-court advantage from a raucous Cintas Center, the Musketeers were swarming Wake Forest’s half-court possessions, tallying deflections and taking the ball away.

Over the first 20 minutes, Xavier held Wake Forest to just 9-of-24 from the field and forced nine turnovers.

"I thought our team in the beginning really fed off the energy of our home court," Miller said.

What’s next for Xavier Musketeers?

Xavier will finish its five-game homestand to begin the year against Siena on Wednesday. The Musketeers will leave Cincinnati for the first time for the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Monday, Nov. 25.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Big East basketball: Xavier is 4-0 after beating Wake Forest