Nov. 9, 2007

Box Score

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Sophomore guard Jerri Taylor decimated her career high by scoring 26 points and Amber Harris added 21 but it was not enough as the Xavier University women's basketball team dropped an 82-71 decision at Florida on Friday evening in Gainesville.  The matchup was the season opener for both squads.

With the loss, the Musketeers slip to 24-13 all-time in season openers and 10-9 when opening the season on the road.  XU is now 4-2 in season openers under head coach Kevin McGuff.  

Taylor's previous career-high was 14 points and she broke that mark on 10-of-24 shooting, including 3-of-6 from long range.  Taylor also dished-out four assists against only one turnover.  

Harris' 21 came on 8-of-15 shooting and she also buried a career-best four 3-pointers.  Freshman forward Megan Askew pulled down a team-high eight rebounds for the Musketeers.

Xavier led 32-31 at the break but the Gators used a decisive 16-4 run over a 5:20 stretch midway through the second half to take a commanding 58-45 with 9:40 remaining.  

Florida would extend that lead to as many as 16 points on a Marshae Dotson lay-up at the five-minute mark.  The Musketeers would not lie down though and battled back to within eight points, 77-69, at the 1:50 mark but UF's Brittany Thomas responded with a 3-pointer to ice the contest.    

XU was out-rebounded by a 43-to-39 count and 30-to-21 on the defensive glass.  Xavier held the Gators to 35.3 percent shooting in the first half but UF scorched the net at a 63.0 percent clip in the second half and was 13-of-14 from the charity stripe in the second stanza.  

Taylor scored the first five points of XU's 2007-08 season and the Musketeers led 5-1 after just 2:20.  The Gators would come back to take a 9-8 lead but two 3-pointers by Harris reclaimed the Xavier lead.  XU would extend the lead to as many as six points, 22-16, after Taylor buried a trey with 7:20 left in the first stanza. 

Florida would respond though, out-scoring the Musketeers by a 15-10 count over the remainder of the first half to shave five points of the XU edge.    

Dotson led the way for Florida with 14 points and nine rebounds.

The Musketeers will be back in action on Thursday, November 15 when the team returns to Cincinnati to take on Penn State.  Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Cintas Center and the contest will be broadcast on tape delay via ICRC-TV.