Shaune McLaughlin capped an Explorer 10-0 run in the first half.

Jenna Graber hit three three-pointers in the contest.

Crista Ricketts scored 13 points off the Explorer bench.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Sophomore Carlene Hightower (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Prendergast) scored a game-high 23  points, her fifth straight game in double figures, but it was not enough to help the La Salle University Women's Basketball team to a victory as visiting Xavier defeated the Explorers, 70-62, in Atlantic 10 action Sunday afternoon at Tom Gola Arena.

 

With La Salle trailing by 18 (62-44) with three minutes left in the contest, Hightower led an Explorer charge back into the game. She scored 13 of LaSalle's final 18 points in a span of 2:20, which included her knocking down three three-point baskets. Her final make cut the Xavier lead to just six points, however the Explorers ran out of time in its effort to complete the comeback.

 

Xavier (17-7, 8-5 A-10) had four players reach double figures, led by the Musketeers' Wooden Award candidate Tara Boothe, who recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Suntana Granderson scored 16 and had seven boards, Michele Miller had 14 and eight, and Miranda Green added 13 and eight assists.

 

La Salle (11-12, 7-5 A-10) used a 10-0 run early in the first half to jump out to a nine-point lead, as Hightower scored six points in the stretch. When senior Shaune McLaughlin (Somers Point, NJ/Mainland Regional) scored with 13:11 left in the first half, the Explorers were ahead 12-3.

 

The Musketeers started to chip into the lead and after Granderson hit back-to-back three-point baskets, the first one tying the game and the second, with 2:44 left before intermission, gave Xavier a lead it would take into the break.

 

The Explores were able to hold Boothe, the Atlantic 10's leading scorer (20.6 PPG) to just two made free throws in the first half and she was 0-for-7 from the field.  However, after junior Jenna Graber (Clarksburg, NJ/Peddie School) tied the game up at 26 early in the second half, Boothe started to get her points. She scored eight of Xavier's next 13 points to push the Musketeer lead into double figures.

 

The Musketeers slowly increased their lead to 18 thanks to 60.0 percent shooting in the second half, and after Green hit two free throws with 3:02 left in the game, it looked like they would cruise to victory.

 

The Explorers did not make it easy for Xavier to walk away with a win, forcing them into three turnovers and hitting four threes in all, but the Musketeers held off the comeback by hitting 6-of-8 free throws down the stretch.

 

Graber finished with nine points, while junior Crista Ricketts (Douglasville, PA/Daniel Boone) added 13 points.

 

The Explorers return to action Friday, when they travel to George Washington with the tip scheduled for 7 PM.