Zantt’s Career Day Engineers Comeback Victory Over Owls

Monday, December 21

CINCINNATI, OHIO

1 P.M.

Xavier University

9-2

Kennesaw State University

4-9

Kennesaw State

Xavier

Zantt’s Career Day Engineers Comeback Victory Over Owls

12.21.15 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Musketeers outscore Kennesaw State, 27-16, in the second half

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Senior Aliyah Zantt scored a career-high 24 points as the Musketeers erased an early 16-point deficit to post a 62-59 come-from-behind victory over Kennesaw State on Monday afternoon.

Xavier ended non-conference play with a 9-2 mark, including four straight wins. The Owls moved to 4-9 on the year.

The Musketeers outscored the Owls, 27-16, in the second half to post the comeback win. Tied at 52 with 7:06 left in regulation, Jenna Crittendon knocked down a three pointer to give the Musketeers their first lead since the opening basket of the game. Xavier never relinquished the lead and ended the game on a 12-7 run.

Kennesaw State's Kelly Dulkoski missed a three pointer as time expired as the Musketeers avenged a last-second loss in Georgia a year ago. The Musketeers are now 1-1 all-time against Kennesaw State.

Kennesaw State hit 11 of its first 16 shots, including two 3-pointers, to take an early 24-8 lead over the Musketeers at the 1:34 mark. The Owls hit 64.7 percent of their shot attempts in the first period to take a 24-12 advantage at the conclusion of the quarter.

Zantt scored 12 straight points for Xavier to open the second quarter as the Musketeers used a 12-3 run to get within three, 27-24. An Aareon Smith three pointer put the Owls up by six on the next possession as Kennesaw State maintained its double-figure lead for the remainder of the half, taking a 43-35 advantage into the locker room.

Zantt paced the Musketeers with 13 points at the break, while Briana Glover added 10. Kennesaw State held a 17-14 advantage on the glass with Jasmine McAllister leading the Owls with seven rebounds.

Zantt finished the game going 8-for-15 from the floor with three 3-pointers. She also added a team-high four assists and went 5-for-7 from the foul line.

Glover finished with 15 points, while Jada Byrd and Raeshaun Gaffney both added eight. The eight points were a career high for Byrd as the sophomore guard was 4-for-4 from the field.

The Owls held a 34-33 advantage on the glass, led by McAllister's game-high 15 rebounds. Gaffney led Xavier with seven rebounds as a total of nine Musketeers pulled down two or more rebounds in the win.

Xavier committed a season-low five turnovers, the fewest in a game since the Musketeers had four miscues against Temple on March 4, 2007. The Musketeer backcourt had zero turnovers on the day.

Smith led three Owls in double figures with 18 points on 6-for-13 shooting. Dulkoski added 14 points and Clara Young dished out a game-high eight assists. After shooting 56.7 percent from the floor in the first half, the Owls were held to a .261 field-goal percentage in the second stanza.

Xavier returns to action on Tuesday, Dec. 29 against BIG EAST foe Georgetown. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center.