Jan. 16, 2010
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - Chelsea Conner set a career-high with 11 points, which led La Salle Women's Basketball, however #14/12 Xavier had four players in double figures and cruised to a 73-47 victory at Tom Gola Arena Saturday afternoon in Atlantic 10 Conference action.
Conner set a career-high with four field goals made, including her first career three-point basket, and knocked down 2-of-2 from the foul line for her points. She added a career-high tying four rebounds and two assists, and blocked one shot in a career-high 24 minutes played.
Ashley Gale was the only other Explorer in double figures, as she had 10 points, to go with two assists and two steals.
Xavier was led by Amber Harris' seventh double-double of the season and fourth straight with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Ta'Shia Phillips and Tyeasha Moss each had 14 points, and Katie Rutan added 11 points off the bench.
Phillips also grabbed eight boards, while April Phillips had 10 rebounds and eight points as the Musketeers held a 50-29 rebounding edge, including 18 on the offensive glass turned into 24 second-chance points.
An early defensive battle in the first half saw Xavier score just six points through the first five minutes of the contest. However, the Explorers first basket - a Jamie Walsh three - did not come until the 15:05 mark and cut the Musketeer lead in half.
Rutan answered with a three before La Salle used Gale and Conner baskets to pull to within two at 9-7 at the 13:36 mark of the first half. The Explorers had two chances at the tie as they limited Xavier to just 2-of-7 from the floor, six of those shots from three, and three turnovers.
La Salle came up empty on both trips and the Musketeers then scored on four straight possessions in a 10-0 run. Dee Dee Jernigan and Rutan hit threes, Moss scored on a fast-break lay-up and April Phillips converted two free throws after missing on three consecutive offensive put backs.
In all, Xavier used a 22-4 run over a six-minute stretch to build a 20-point lead.
Tara Lapetina knocked down a pair of threes sandwiched around Antonia Gale and Ashley baskets as the Explorers cut their deficit to 15, her last with just 1:41 left before the break pulled them to 37-22.
Xavier (12-3, 2-0 A-10) would close out the first on an 8-0 run with Harris scoring four - then used six straight out of the locker room to push its lead to 29.
The Explorer deficit was as big as 36 before Ebonee Jones, who hit two and tied her season-high with six points, Danielle Callahan, and Conner closed the game with four three-point baskets.
Walsh, who is the all-time leader at the school in three-point baskets made, connected on another two extending her streak to at least one make in 13 straight games. She is just now two made threes shy of moving into the top 25 all-time for made threes in the conference.
La Salle (5-13, 0-3 A-10) will return to the court on Wednesday night when the Explorers host St. Bonaventure at Tom Gola Arena with a tip time of 7 PM.
