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Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
George Washington
By George! No. 7 Women's Hoops Throttles George Washington, 72-56
02.03.10 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2010
Box Score
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The frontcourt duo of Amber Harris and Ta'Shia Phillips combined to score 34 points on 16-of-20 shooting as the No. 7 Xavier University women's basketball team walloped George Washington, 72-56, on Wednesday evening at the Smith Center in our nation's capital. With the win, XU improves to 17-3 on the season and 7-0 in Atlantic 10 action. GW slips to 5-16 overall, 2-6 in the loop.
Prior to tonight's contest, XU had not won a game against GW at the Smith Center since January 2, 1998. The Musketeers are now 2-11 all-time against GW at the Smith Center and the team is 12-11 against the Colonials in the last 23 showdowns.
The Musketeers improved to 27-5 in the month of February over the last four years and have now won 21 of their last 22 regular season Atlantic 10 contests.
Harris led all scorers with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting. She also snatched seven rebounds and dropped three dimes. Ta'Shia Phillips added 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting while hauling in 11 boards. The double-double was Phillips' 45th of her career and the 11th she has posted this season.
Sophomore guard Tyeasha Moss came out of the gate on fire and ended the contest with 14 points, three rebounds and three assists. Moss was 4-of-8 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Freshman guard Katie Rutan was the fourth Musketeer in double-figures with 10 points on 3-of-6 shooting from long-range. Rutan connected on her 60th 3-point field goal this season to tie the school-record for most 3-pointers in a single-season by a freshman. Senior guard Dee Dee Jernigan added nine points and five boards. XU improved to 8-0 on the season when Jernigan tallies at least five rebounds.
The two teams exchanged blows early with both the Musketeer and Colonial offense were firing on all cylinders. Xavier made six of its first nine shots from the field and GW connected on five of its first 10 as XU led 13-10 at the 13:40 mark.
However, XU found took control and sprinted out to a governing 23-3 run over the next 6:10 to take a commanding 36-13 lead at the 7:30 mark. XU held GW to just 1-of-5 shooting during that span and forced five Colonial turnovers. Harris and Ta'Shia Phillips combined for 12 points during the decisive stretch and Rutan added a pair of 3-pointers.
XU was piping hot during the first half, connecting on 64.5 percent (20-of-31) from the field and making eight of its 15 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc. Moss set the tone early by nailing the first 3-pointers she looked at and she joined both Harris and Ta'Shia Phillips in double-figures during the first 20-minutes.
Xavier kept shoveling coal into the fire and extended the lead to 24-points, 48-24, at the break.
XU cooled off offensively in the second half but this one was never in doubt as the Musketeers cruised to the 72-56 win.
XU shot 50 percent on the night and won the battle of boards by a 39-to-29 margin.
The Musketeers are back in action on Sunday, February 7 when the team welcomes Richmond to Cintas Center. Game time is set for 4 p.m. and the contest will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
FUN FACT OF THE NIGHT: Both the Xavier men's and women's basketball teams went 20-of-31 (.645) from the field in the first half on Wednesday night. The men's team turned the trick at UMass.
