Xavier University Athletics
Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1983
- Class:
- 1959
Joe Viviano, a member of the XU Basketball Hall of Fame and two-time Team MVP (1958 and 1959). was nicknamed "Mr. Dependable" during his playing days. The 6-5 forward's inside play was a big part of the NIT teams of 1957 and 1958. He was named Second Team All-NIT in 1958.
Viviano led the Musketeers in scoring his junior year (18.1 ppg.) and senior year (17.0 ppg.) while also leading the team in rebounding with a 12.6 rpg. mark as a junior.
It was his junior year that Viviano's inside play and great shooting touch guided the Musketeers to the 1958 National Invitation Tournament Championship with a 78-74 overtime win over Dayton. The year before, he led Xavier to a 20-8 season and a second-round game in the NIT.
His coach at the time, Jim McCafferty, said, "He had a super touch, but the best thing about him was his first step. He had a very quick first step and could just about get by anyone, once he took that first step."
Viviano was also a great shooter and a real thinker on the court. He was often used to bring the ball inbounds or to break the press. A couple of times against Bradley in the NIT he beat the press against another forward, set up and drilled the jump shot.
His junior year, the Louisville St. Xavier product hit 44.5% from the field and pulled down 378 rebounds. He was also voted to many all-opponent teams and was named to the All-Midwest Team by Dell Magazine. His senior year he was the team's co-captain with fellow Hall of Famer Hank Stein.
Viviano, who now ranks 24th on the Xavier all-time scoring list with 1,338 career points, finished his career as the school's all-time leading scorer. He also ranks seventh on the all-time rebounding list with 906 rebounds, for a 10.9 rpg. average. His season total of 544 points (18.1 ppg. average) in the 1957-58 season ranks 25th in Xavier history.
After graduating from Xavier, Viviano was selected in the tenth round of the 1959 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals.
VIVIANO'S XAVIER CAREER STATS:
| YEARS | GAMES | FGM-FGA | PCT. | FTM-FTA | PCT. | REB | AVG | PTS | AVG |
| 56-57 | 28 | 134-321 | .417 | 101-138 | .732 | 284 | 10.1 | 369 | 13.2 |
| 57-58 | 30 | 211-474 | .445 | 122-167 | .731 | 378 | 12.6 | 544 | 18.1 |
| 58-59 | 25 | 162-378 | .429 | 101-124 | .815 | 244 | 9.8 | 425 | 17.0 |
| Career | 83 | 507-1,173 | .432 | 324-429 | .755 | 906 | 10.9 | 1,338 | 16.1 |
