Musketeers open Lauren Hill Tipoff Classic with win over Evansville

Saturday, November 14

CINCINNATI, OHIO

1 P.M.

Xavier University

1-0

Evansville

0-1

Evansville

Xavier

Musketeers open Lauren Hill Tipoff Classic with win over Evansville

11.14.15 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Raeshaun Gaffney scored a game-high 18 points in the win

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Raeshaun Gaffney scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Xavier women's basketball team to a 65-57 win over Evansville on Saturday afternoon at Cintas Center. The contest was the first game of the first annual Lauren Hill Tipoff Classic.

Gaffney was the lone Musketeer in double figures as the junior was 7-for-21 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the charity stripe. She also added a team-high eight rebounds as the Musketeers held a 42-37 advantage on the glass.

Aliyah Zantt added nine points, while Leah Schaefer had eight points on 3-for-3 shooting to go along with five rebounds. Three different players had three assists in Briana Glover, Zantt and Marquia Turner.

The Musketeers hit 40 percent of their shot attempts (24-for-60) and were 15-for-17 from the foul line. Evansville finished the day hitting 31.7 percent of its shots (19-for-60).

Neither team led by more than two possessions in the first period with Xavier holding a 14-9 advantage with 1:24 on the clock. A Zantt three pointer with 2:34 left in the first half gave XU its first double-figure lead, 32-20. The Musketeers ended the half on a 9-2 run to take a 36-22 lead into intermission.

Zantt led all scorers with nine points at halftime. Gaffney added six rebounds as the Musketeers held a 23-17 advantage on the glass.

A Gaffney three pointer at the 5:53 mark in the third period gave Xavier its largest lead of the game, 41-23. Evansville chipped away at its deficit to get within four, 61-57, with 1:26 left in regulation before the Musketeers sealed the win by going 4-for-4 from the foul line to finish the game and hold on for the 65-57 win.

Sara Dickey led three Evansville players in double figures with 16 points on 6-of-18 shooting. She added a game-high 10 rebounds.

Xavier returns to action at Michigan on Thursday, Nov. 19. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.

NOTES: Xavier moved to 16-0 in home openers at Cintas Center… XU is now 21-13 all-time in season openers… the Musketeers have now won five straight in the series history with Evansville… XU now holds a 13-12 lead in the series history… Raeshaun Gaffney has now scored in double figures 17 times in her career.