Musketeers Fall in Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout vs Bearcats

Sunday, December 15

Cincinnati, Ohio

1 p.m.

Xavier University

Cincinnati

Musketeers Fall in Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout vs Bearcats

12.15.24 | Women's Basketball

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Daniela López posted a team-high 13 points and seven rebounds

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball fell in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout vs Cincinnati, 60-48, on Sunday afternoon at Cintas Center.

The Musketeers moved to 4-6 on the year, while the Bearcats improved to 7-3.

Xavier closes non-conference action at the Raising The B.A.R. Invitational on Dec. 21-22 in Berkeley, Calif. The Musketeers play Temple at 11 p.m. ET on Dec. 21 at Haas Pavilion to open invitational action.

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Xavier hit 62.5 percent (5-for-8) of its shots to open the game, taking an 11-6 advantage at the 3:29 mark. The Bearcats scored five straight points to tie the game at 11-11 with just over a minute left in the first quarter. An Irune Orio free throw in the closing seconds gave the Musketeers a one-point lead (12-11) after 10 minutes of action.
Cincinnati scored five straight points to open the second frame, taking a four-point advantage (16-12) with 6:13 on the clock. The Bearcats led by as many as eight points (22-14) at the 2:42 mark. Xavier responded by closing the stanza on a 7-2 run, making the halftime score, 24-21. Daniela López led the Musketeers with nine points and five rebounds at the break.
Xavier regained the lead, 31-30, on a pair of Irune Orio free throws with 3:10 left in the third quarter. The Musketeers extended their lead to four points (36-32) on a Daniela López three pointer with 1:21 on the clock, forcing a Bearcat timeout. The Musketeers led by as many as six points (38-32) with 39 seconds left in the quarter before Cincinnati closed the frame on a 5-0 run, making the score 38-37.
The Musketeers led by three points, 45-42, with 7:03 left in regulation, but the Bearcats closed the game on an 18-3 run - pulling away for the victory. Cincinnati went 11-for-15 from the foul line in the fourth quarter.
Daniela López scored a team-high 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting. The guard pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. She now has nine career double-figure scoring games.
Meri Kanerva finished with 11 points, five assists and two rebounds. The five assists matches her career high (has posted five assists in a game three times this season). The freshman guard has now scored in double figures seven times.
Loren Christie added three points, six rebounds, three blocks and three steals.
Júlia Garcia Roig had nine points on 4-for-7 shooting in 21 minutes of action off the bench.
Petra Oborilova and Irune Orio both scored five points and combined for eight rebounds and five assists.
Xavier posted a .388 field-goal percentage (19-for-49) and went 5-for-18 from behind the arc. The Musketeers were also 5-for-9 from the foul line.
Xavier limited the Bearcats to their second-lowest field-goal percentage of the season (.321; 18-for-56). The Musketeers also held Cincinnati without a three pointer for the first time this season. Cincinnati went 24-for-30 from the foul line.
The Bearcats held a 19-4 advantage in points off of turnovers and scored 14 more second-chance points (17-3). Cincinnati also won the battle on the glass, 40-29, and scored four more points in the paint (28-24).
Xavier scored three more bench points (22-19) than the Bearcats.
All told, the game featured six ties and seven lead changes.