Harris, Musketeers Top Niagara, 82-78, on Wednesday Afternoon

Wednesday, December 8

Cincinnati, Ohio

12 p.m.

Xavier University

Niagara

Harris, Musketeers Top Niagara, 82-78, on Wednesday Afternoon

12.08.21 | Women's Basketball

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Freshman Aanaya Harris scored a season-high 20 points on 9-for-10 shooting

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Freshman Aanaya Harris led four Musketeers in double figures on Wednesday afternoon, scoring a season-high 20 points as Xavier topped Niagara, 82-78, in non-conference action at Cintas Center. The game was the team's annual Kids' Day game with an announced attendance of 2,268.

Xavier improved to 4-5 on the year, while the Purple Eagles dropped to 3-5.

FIRST HALF

• The opening quarter had 10 lead changes and three ties. Trailing 22-21, Shaila Beeler hit a basket with 32 seconds left in the quarter to give Xavier a 23-22 advantage. The Musketeers hit 61.5 percent (8-for-13) of their shot attempts in the opening frame.

• The second quarter had two ties with the last tie coming at 31-31 with 5:53 on the clock. Xavier finished the frame on a 15-4 run on 7-for-15 shooting, taking a 46-35 advantage into the locker room.

• Aanaya Harris led Xavier with 14 points at the break, while Kae Satterfield and Mikayla Hayes both added eight points. Nia Clark led the team on the glass with seven rebounds as the Musketeers held a 26-16 advantage on the glass.

SECOND HALF

• Niagara scored six unanswered points to open the second half, closing within five points (46-41) with 8:03 on the clock. Xavier outscored Niagara, 14-12, to end the frame on 6-for-9 shooting - taking a 60-53 advantage.

• The Musketeers outscored the Purple Eagles, 14-8, to open the fourth quarter - taking their largest lead of the game, 74-61. Niagara battled back to close within three points (78-75) with 1:13 left in regulation, but Xavier went on a 4-0 run to take an 82-75 lead with 13 seconds left on the clock.

• The Purple Eagles hit a three pointer in the closing seconds to make the final ledger, 82-78.

NOTABLES

• Aanaya Harris scored a season-high 20 points on 9-for-10 shooting. She added four rebounds and four assists.

• Kae Satterfield was two assists shy of a triple-double as the guard finished 14 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. She now has four career double-doubles and 13 career double-figure scoring games. The eight assists are also a career high. She finished the game 6-for-9 from the floor.

• Mikayla Hayes finished with 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting to go along with nine rebounds. The nine rebounds matched her career high. She added a team-high three steals to go along with two blocks. She now has five career double-figure scoring games.

• Mackayla Scarlett finished with a career-high 13 points in 29 minutes of action off the bench. She added two blocks and two assists.

• Nia Clark only scored two points, but she pulled down a career-high seven rebounds. She also had three blocks and five assists.

• Shaila Beeler had six points on 3-for-4 shooting to go along with six assists and one steal. Ayanna Townsend added nine points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

• Xavier won the battle on the glass, 43-33, and held a 22-13 advantage in fastbreak points. Niagara forced Xavier to commit a season-high 26 turnovers, converting the miscues into 27 points.

• Xavier posted a season-high 12 blocks, tied for the fifth most blocks in a game in program history. The last time the Musketeers had 12 blocks in a game was on Feb. 5, 2011 at Dayton (W, 70-66 OT). The 12 blocks are tied for the most in a BIG EAST game this season and ranked tied for seventh in the NCAA.

• The Musketeers posted a season-high .596 field-goal percentage (34-for-57), the highest field-goal percentage for Xavier since Feb. 11, 2018 vs DePaul (L, 73-72 - .600 field-goal percentage).

• Xavier dished out a season-high 25 assists in the win.

UP NEXT

• Xavier travels to Cincinnati on Sunday, Dec. 12 for the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. ET.

POSTGAME INTERVIEW