Blackwell Leads Second-Half Comeback at Providence

Wednesday, December 28

Providence, R.I.

7 p.m.

Xavier University

9-3 (1-0)

Providence

8-4 (0-1)

Xavier

Providence

Blackwell Leads Second-Half Comeback at Providence

12.28.16 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Season Stats (PDF)Box Score (PDF)

Musketeers defeat Friars, 54-51, in BIG EAST opener

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Maddison Blackwell scored 13 second-half points to lead the Xavier women's basketball team to a come-from-behind victory, 54-51, at Providence on Wednesday night.

The Musketeers (9-3, 1-0 BIG EAST) trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half before posting the comeback. The Friars moved to 8-4 (0-1 BIG EAST) with the loss.

Xavier has now won five straight in the series, moving to 6-1 all-time against Providence.

NOTABLES

• Maddison Blackwell paced the Musketeers with 15 points and nine rebounds. She was 7-for-13 from the floor with 13 points in the second half.

• Senior Raeshaun Gaffney added 11 points and six rebounds. Classmate Leah Schaefer chipped in nine points on 4-for-6 shooting to go along with seven rebounds.

• Kindell Fincher scored nine points on 3-for-8 shooting with all nine points coming in the second half. The sophomore guard was 3-for-5 from the floor in the second half with two 3-pointers.

• Xavier held a 39-36 advantage on the glass. The Musketeers also posted a 16-6 advantage in second-chance points.

• The Musketeers held the Friars to only 51 points and a .382 field-goal percentage. Providence entered the game averaging 70.6 points per game with a .457 field-goal percentage.

FIRST QUARTER

• Maddison Blackwell opened the game with a basket to give the Musketeers an early 2-0 lead. Providence responded by going on a 9-0 run on 4-for-6 shooting, taking a 9-2 advantage at the media timeout. The Friars hit 50 percent (7-for-14) of their shot attempts in the first quarter to lead, 16-7, at the break.

SECOND QUARTER

• Raeshaun Gaffney hit a three pointer to open the quarter, but Providence scored four straight points to take its first double-figure lead of the game, 22-12, at the 5:45 mark. The Friars again hit 50 percent of their shot attempts to build a 28-16 halftime advantage.

• Raeshaun Gaffney led Xavier with eight points at the half, while Maddison Blackwell added four. Providence held an 18-16 advantage on the glass.

THIRD QUARTER

• Xavier outscored Providence, 18-7, to get within one, 35-34, at the 2:23 mark on a Marquia Turner layup. The Friars closed the quarter on a 3-0 run to make the score, 38-34, at the end of the quarter.

• Xavier hit 41.2 percent of its shot attempts. Kindell Fincher had seven points and knocked down two 3-pointers.

FOURTH QUARTER

• Xavier hit 44.4 percent of its shot attempts in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Friars, 20-13. The Musketeers tied the game twice in the quarter before a Raeshaun Gaffney three pointer at the 2:28 mark gave Xavier its first lead since the opening minute of the game, 48-47.

Xavier maintained its lead for the remainder of the contest and sealed the win with back-to-back free throws from Marquia Turner with four seconds on the clock. Blackwell scored nine points on 4-for-6 shooting in the quarter.

UP NEXT

• BIG EAST action continues at Creighton on Friday, Dec. 30 at 8 p.m. ET. The game will be aired on the BIG EAST Digital Network.