Pirates Top Musketeers on Senior Day

Sunday, February 21

Cincinnati, Ohio

2 P.M.

Xavier University

17-10, 8-8

Seton Hall University

20-7, 10-6

Seton Hall

Xavier

02.21.16 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Glover, Zantt pace Xavier with 13 points each

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball dropped its regular-season home finale on Sunday afternoon as Seton Hall escaped Cintas Center with a 72-67 victory.

Trailing by eight, 63-55, with just over five minutes left in regulation, the Musketeers (17-10, 8-8 BIG EAST) used a 12-4 run to tie the game at 67 on a pair of Aliyah Zantt free throws. An Aleesha Powell free throw on the following possession gave the Pirates (20-7, 10-6 BIG EAST) a one-point lead with 47 seconds on the clock.

Xavier attempted three shots on its next possession, but all three fell short as the Musketeers were forced to foul Seton Hall in the closing seconds. Tabatha Richardson-Smith sank four free throws down the stretch to seal the 72-67 victory.

Briana Glover and Zantt led four Musketeers in double figures with 13 points each. Glover scored nine of her points in the fourth quarter and Zantt scored all of her points in the second half. Maddison Blackwell and Raeshaun Gaffney both chipped in 10 points.

Xavier won the battle on the glass, 34-32, with Glover and Leah Schaefer leading the team with five each. Tiffany Jones pulled down a game-high 16 rebounds for the Pirates.

Xavier opened the game on an 11-4 run capped by a pair of Jenna Crittendon free throws to take its largest lead of the half. Seton Hall battled back to knot the game twice as the two teams were tied, 16-16, at the end of the quarter. All told, the first half had seven lead changes and four ties.

Seton Hall led by as many as nine points, 33-24, with 1:39 left in the first half before a pair of Marquia Turner three pointers made the score 33-30 at intermission. Turner led Xavier with nine points at the break.

Xavier held a 19-12 advantage on the glass at the half with Blackwell, Jada Byrd and Glover leading the Musketeers with three each.

The Musketeers hit 40.7 percent (22-for-54) of their shot attempts and went 19-for-24 from the foul line. Seton Hall posted a .396 field-goal percentage and went 21-for-25 from the charity stripe.

Powell scored a game-high 21 points for the Pirates to lead four Seton Hall players in double figures. Richardson-Smith chipped in 17 points.

Xavier returns to action at Villanova on Friday, Feb. 26. The game will be aired nationally on FOX Sports 1 at 9 p.m.