Xavier's New-Look Wings: What Tru Washington and Ruben Dominguez Bring to the Musketeers
If all goes according to plan, year two under Richard Pitino at Xavier will look a lot different than a season ago — and it will happen behind a transfer portal class that brings proven production to Cincinnati.
More equipped to spend in the portal this spring, Xavier added five players who averaged in double figures a season ago, and a sixth who put up just under ten points a game.
The headliner is point guard Chance Westry, who emerged at UAB last year after battling through injuries at both Auburn and Syracuse. Westry will be flanked by a pair of veterans at the two and three spots in sharpshooter Ruben Dominguez and a two-way piece in Tru Washington.
The 6’6 Dominguez came to Texas A&M with considerable acclaim, highlighted by an MVP performance at the 2019 FIBA World Cup playing for Spain. He wasted little time in making an impact at A&M, scoring 30 points (on 10 made threes) against Manhattan, going for 21 on seven threes versus Florida State, and then burying four more 3-pointers in an 18-point effort against Pittsburgh. Each of those efforts took place in the first month of the season.
The 23-year-old wing was a certified sniper for an Aggies team that reached the NCAA Tournament last year. He put up 10.2 points per game and shot 40% from three on 86 makes from long range. Dominguez did all of that while playing 23 minutes a night.
His shooting numbers are impressive:
A ridiculous 58% shooting on open jump shots
Ranking in the 100th percentile in shots from hand-offs
Coming in the 86th percentile on spot-up opportunities (123 possessions)
If last season at A&M is any indicator, Dominguez’s impact will come mainly from beyond the arc. Over 85% of his shots came from three, while 5.5% of his shots came at the rim. He had 48 assists and a very low Turnover Percentage of 4.8% (just 14 turnovers in 34 games, 27 of which he started).
Defensively, Dominguez provided little impact a season ago: 14 steals and 4 blocks on the year. Regardless, he figures to play significant minutes next season thanks to his ability to stretch a defense.
Defensive punch will come from Westry and Washington, the latter ranked in the 96th percentile in Steal Percentage at Miami last year, while averaging 1.8 steals per game. Opponents couldn’t score on him in isolation, shooting just 3-17 when being defended by him in those situations.
And while Dominguez provides little by the way of stress in the paint, the 6’4 Washington made 68% of his shots at the rim.
He averaged 11.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, while enjoying a career year beyond the arc (35%) and at the free throw line (74%). Washington was a 28% shooter beyond the arc as a freshman at New Mexico, and hit 32% from there a year later. He was a sub-70% shooter at the free throw line in each of those seasons.
Washington’s shooting on the right side of the floor was outstanding last year:
Washington brings both experience and a winning pedigree to Xavier. He started 19 games for a Miami team that won 26 times in 2025-26, reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Washington has played in the NCAA Tournament in all three of his collegiate seasons — the first two coming under Pitino at UNM. Pitino hailed Washington as an “elite” defender upon reuniting with him this spring. There was buzz around him joining Pitino last spring, but Xavier wasn’t in as strong a financial position compared to this year.
Washington never broke out for huge scoring nights, but was consistently in the 10-17 point range throughout the season.
While he’s not the pure knockdown shooter that Dominguez is, Washington brings value as both a spot-up scorer as a pick-and-roll ball handler on the offensive end.
Here’s a look at his scoring and playmaking ability in the NCAA Tournament:
If the Muskies start Westry (6’6), Washington (6’4), Dominguez (6’6), Jovan Milicevic (6’10), and LSU transfer Michael Nwoko (6’10), they’ll have great length and three players (Washington/Dominguez/Milicevic) who have been accounted for beyond the arc.
Contrary to 2025, Xavier struck early in the portal, and with a renewed financial commitment they built a roster far more capable of making an NCAA Tournament push in 2027. Washington and Dominguez will be critical pieces if they are to return to the big dance.