Feb. 22, 2007

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CINCINNATI - 11-time Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week Amber Harris notched her 10^th double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds and blocked her NCAA record-tying 119th shot to lead the Xavier University women's basketball team past Fordham, 64-48, on Thursday afternoon at Cintas Center.  With the win, the Musketeers improve to 22-7 on the year and 11-3 in Atlantic 10 action.  Fordham slips to 3-24, 1-12. 

XU's 22 regular-season wins marks the third most in program history.  Xavier's winning streak is now at six games, marking the Musketeers longest winning streak since the 2003-04 season.

Harris' 16 came on an efficient 8-of-14 from the floor and she also blocked six shots on the afternoon running her season total to 119 rejections, tying the NCAA record for a freshman.  Oklahoma's Courtney Paris blocked 119 shots during the 2005-06 season. 

Harris now has 479 points this season, tying the XU freshman scoring record set by Tara Boothe in 2002-03.  She has also snared 254 boards on the season, tying the Xavier freshman rebounding record. 

Senior guard Suntana Granderson buried four 3-point field goals and scored 12 points, dished-out four assists and registered three thefts. 

Senior forward Joei Clyburn pulled down 10 rebounds and was one point shy of her sixth double-double.  Clyburn was a spotless 7-of-7 from the charity stripe and dropped three dimes.  Sophomore guard Jerri Taylor tied her career high with 11 points and was 5-of-10 from the floor. 

The Rams cut Xavier's 29-18 halftime lead to four points, 34-30, on the strength of a 6-0 spurt that was capped by an Annie Zopf driving lay-up with 13:20 left in regulation. 

However, Xavier seized control of the game with a decisive 20-6 run over the next 6:40 to take a commanding 54-35 lead with 6:40 to go.  The run was capped by a Granderson 3-pointer and was spurred by seven points from Taylor. 

XU turned the ball over only six times on Thursday, marking the fewest miscues XU has committed since Kevin McGuff took over for the 2002-03 season.  Xavier out-rebounded Fordham by a 42-to-39 count but held an 18-to-12 edge on the offensive glass and our-scored the Rams 18-4 in second chance points. 

The Musketeers were cold from the floor vs. Fordham, shooting only 34.3 percent (23-of-67) but 16 of those 23 buckets came via the assist.  XU held the Rams to 32.7 percent (17-of-52) shooting.  

Fordham led 7-4 when Beth Troutt nailed one of her three first-half 3-pointers but Granderson buried a long-ball of her own, giving XU a 9-7 lead it would not relinquish at the 16-minute mark. 

The Rams would cut the Xavier lead to 13-12 at 8:40 but the Musketeers ended the half on a 13-6 run, capped by a Miranda Green runner as time expired, to take a 29-18 lead at the break. 

The Musketeers will conclude their regular season on Sunday, February 25 when the team welcomes Rhode Island to Cintas Center.  Game time is set for 2 p.m. and senior day festivities, honoring Joei Clyburn, Suntana Granderson, Miranda Green, DeAnna Mason and Michele Miller, will follow the contest.