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X Shows Toughness on the Road at Rhody
By
Jay Skeldon,
2/18/2008
Don't look now, but the Musketeers have slowly transformed into a battle-tested road team. The latest test was the Rhode Island Rams on Monday night in a hostile, sold-out Ryan Center. No. 10 Xavier aced the exam by winning 81-77, marking the fifth straight road victory for X. Muskie senior Josh Duncan once again carried the team, scoring a team-high 23 points on a perfect 8-of-8 from the field including 3-of-3 from 3-point land. X has now won eight straight games, as it improves its record to 22-4 and 10-1 in the Atlantic 10. Meanwhile, the Rams fall to 20-6 overall (6-5 A-10).
This road win was far from easy as URI did not go down without a fight. The Rams fought back from a 10-point halftime deficit to briefly take the lead in the last stanza. But, Xavier regained the lead in the final two minutes -- a lead that it stretched to eight points, 69-61. The Rams clawed back and made the game interesting all the way to the wire; however, in the end, XU's seniors Duncan, Stanley Burrell, and Drew Lavender showed their gritty resolve and carried the team to victory.
In addition to Duncan's perfect night from the field, he also reeled in five boards and was a flawless 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
Burrell finished with nine points, seven assists, and six rebounds. Lavender, who nearly did not play due to an ankle injury and thumb injury, played through pain for 28 gutsy minutes of action at the point. The preseason All-American candidate scored eight points, dished two assists, and picked up two steals.
Other contributing Musketeers included B.J. Raymond (14 points), C.J. Anderson (9 points, 5 rebounds), Jason Love (8 points, 9 rebounds), and Derrick Brown (seven points).
Rhody was led by Parfait Bitee (25 points) and Will Daniels (23 points). URI's second leading scorer and 3-point specialist, Jimmy Baron, was held to just two points in 26 minutes of action.
Next up for the X-Men is a pesky and dangerous Duquesne 16-8 (6-5 A-10) squad on Thursday, February 21 at Cintas Center. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
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