CINCINNATI– The Xavier women’s basketball team cruised to a 67-57 victory over Saint Louis on Wednesday night at Cintas Center. Senior Tyeasha Moss led the Musketeers with a game-high 23 points. The win gives the Musketeers a two-game win streak both overall and in Atlantic 10 action.
Xavier moves to 5-15 overall and 2-5 in Atlantic 10 play while Saint Louis falls to 7-15 on the season and 1-6 in the Atlantic 10.
Moss finished the night 10-of-16 from the field to go alongside her three assists. This marks the second consecutive game she has scored 20 points or more.
The Musketeers shot 51 percent (25-of-49) from the floor and 80 percent (16-of-20) from the charity stripe. The Billikens shot 40 percent (26-of-65) from the field and 36.4 percent (4-of-11) from the free throw line.
Junior Jessica Pachko scored in double-figures for the seventh consecutive game, scoring a career-high 21 points and grabbing six rebounds. Junior Amber Gray was one point and one rebound away from recording her first double-double as a Musketeer, scoring nine points and grabbing nine rebounds. Sophomore Shatyra Hawkes contributed six points and a game-high tying four assists.
Xavier went on a 14-1 run midway through the first half to jump out to a 27-13 lead over Saint Louis. During the scoring spurt Pachko scored six points, while Gray contributed four and Hawkes added a lay-up.
The Musketeers entered the half with its largest lead of the season at 18, 39-21. Moss led the way into the break with 16 points while Pachko had 11 points and five rebounds.
Moss scored her 1,000th point as a Musketeer with a made free throw for an old fashion three-point play at the 14:27 mark of the first half to give Xavier a 13-8 advantage.
The 39 points was also the most scored in the first half this season for the Musketeers. Xavier shot a season-best 56.7 percent (17-of-30) while holding Saint Louis to 29.0 percent (9-of-31). Saint Louis’ 21 points in the first 20 minutes is lowest point total allowed by Xavier this season.
Saint Louis went on an 8-0 midway through the second half to pull within 10 points after a jumper by Mallory Eggert at the 7:59 mark, but could not get any closer than eight as Xavier was able to maintain its lead after a strong first half performance.
The Billikens were led by Courtney Webb and Desirae Ball who both had 11 points while Janisha Daniels had a game-high tying four assists.
Up next for the Musketeer is a matinee match-up against Dayton on Sunday February 5. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m. at Cintas Center.
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