Jan. 19, 2008

Box Score |  Notes

CINCINNATI - Freshman standout Ta'Shia Phillips earned the tenth double-double of her career with 18 points and 13 rebounds while sophomore guard Amber Harris led the team in scoring with 19 as the Xavier University women's basketball team defeated Saint Joseph's, 71-53, on Saturday evening at Cintas Center. Xavier improves to 12-6 overall and 2-1 in the Atlantic 10.  Saint Joseph's slips to 10-8 on the year, and 2-1 in the league.

Ta'Shia Phillips' 18 came on 9-of-15 shooting and seven of her 13 boards came on the offensive glass.  She also blocked a game-high three shots.  Harris was a tidy 7-of-12 from the floor and she was only two rebounds shy of posting her 18^th career double-double.

Sophomore forward April Phillips scored a season-high 12 points as she connected on 6-for-8 from the charity stripe.  The 12 points were just two shy of a career high.  Junior forward Tudy Reed snared seven rebounds in 22 minutes of action, helping the Musketeers build a 40-to-26 advantage on the glass. 

Freshman guard Aly Byorick tied her career high with eight points and she was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line.  Junior guard Jerri Taylor managed to score only three points but she dished-out four assists and did not commit a single turnover. 

XU led by only one point, 10-9, after Jenna Loschiavo hit a 3-pointer at the 11:30 mark.  However, the Musketeers would clamp down defensively and held the Hawks scoreless for the next 8:10 and stormed out to a game-changing 14-0 run to seize a commanding 24-9 lead. 

Saint Joe's cut the lead to 10 points, 24-14 with 2:50 to go in the first stanza, after Amy Gillespie made back-to-back baskets.  However, XU used its full-court press to mount a 10-0 run and ended the half with a 34-14 advantage.  

Xavier led by as many as 22 in the early goings of the second half but the Hawks would whittle the XU edge to only 10 points, 56-46, after Sarah Acker made a couple free throws. 

However, Xavier squelched any hopes of an SJU comeback by scoring the next six points and cruising to the 71-53 win. 

The Musketeers held Saint Joe's to a chilly 34.6 percent (18-of-52) from the floor including a measly 25 percent (6-of-24) in the first half. 

XU also took care of business from the free throw line, shooting a season-high 79.2 percent (19-of-24) from the charity stripe.   

Xavier will return to action Tuesday, January 22 when they take on the Duquesne Dukes in Pittsburgh. Game time is set for 7 p.m. and fans can follow the action live via internet radio broadcast on GOXAVIER.com.