Nov. 17, 2006

Box Score

CINCINNATI -- Senior guard Michele Miller scored a game-high 22 points helping lead the Xavier University women's basketball team to a 79-50 victory over the Western Carolina Catamounts in the first game of the National City Xavier Invitational. This was the second win of the season for the Musketeers, while Western Carolina's record is now set at 1-2.

Miller's 22 came on 7-of-13 shooting, including a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line. Miller also pulled down six rebounds.

Two other Musketeers scored in double figures. Freshman forward Amber Harris racked-up 13 points and chased down seven rebounds while senior guard Suntana Granderson scored 10 points.

Senior center DeAnna Mason led with a team-high nine rebounds, for the second consecutive game.

Western Carolina trailed by seven at the half, 36-28. XU widened the gap, 38-28, when Suntana Granderson drove in for a lay-up within the first 20 seconds of play. Western Carolina's Lauren Powell tried to bring the Catamount's back by scoring five points in a 51 second span to bring the score to 42-34. This eight point gap is the closest the Catamounts would get to the Musketeers for the remainder of the game.

Xavier defense locked down after Western Carolina's Chevon Keith sank a jumper bringing the score to 52-38. Over the next 7:31 span Western Carolina would be held to five points. The Musketeer's victory was clenched by a three-point field goal made by Maureen Hester as the shot clock expired bringing the score to 73-47 with 3:50 remaining.

The Musketeers won the battle of the boards edging out the Catamounts 45-40. XU shot 42.4 (28-66) percent for the game while holding the Catamounts to 28.3 (17-60) percent shooting for the game. XU doubled up Western Carolina in assists with 12.

Catamount sophomore guard Lauren Powell led Western Carolina in scoring, bringing in 15 points making 3-3 from the charity stripe. Junior Guard Ashley Pellom also scored in double figures with 10 points.

XU opened up the game with impressive defense holding Western Carolina to three points until the 13:42 mark. The Catamounts' defense responded by holding Xavier scoreless for 3:27. The Musketeer offense finished strong bringing home seven points over the last 3:31 ending the half at 36-28.

The Xavier University women's basketball team will return to action tomorrow, November 18th playing in the championships round of the National City Xavier Invitational. Xavier will face Loyola Marymount at 4 p.m.

Xavier Musketeers Women's Basketball

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