The Xavier women’s basketball team (24-4, 12-0 Atlantic-10) overcame a five-point halftime deficit on Saturday to defeat Saint Louis 70-67 and extend its winning streak to 15 games.
Theresa Lisch, the A-10’s leading scorer, hit a 3-pointer with 2 minutes, 4 seconds left to give the Billikens (11-16, 5-7) a 64-61 lead. Xavier then went on a 7-0 run, center Ta’Shia Phillips delivered the dagger by tipping in a missed free throw to give the Musketeers a 68-64 lead with 18.5 seconds on the clock.
The Musketeers have used their recent momentum to climb to No. 16 in the ESPN/USA Today poll and No. 13 in the Associated Press poll. They have not lost a game since they were blown out by Arizona State (20-6, 12-2 Pac-10) on Dec. 21. The trio of Phillips, Tudy Reed and Jerri Taylor account for 35 of the team’s 66.8 points per game. Phillips, who averages a double-double (13.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg), is a strong candidate for A-10 Player of the Year.
‘ Xavier has two games remaining on its schedule before the A-10 Tournament. Tomorrow the Musketeers will travel to Philadelphia to take on a formidable Temple (18-8, 9-3) offense. The Owls average 67.7 points per game and have four players averaging in double figures. Xavier’s season concludes three days later when the Musketeers host lowly Fordham (8-19, 1-11). The Rams have lost four games in a row and 13 of their last 14. Their lone conference win of the season came against fellow A-10 cellar-dweller La Salle (10-17, 1-11) on Feb. 7.
A-10 picture unclear
With the Atlantic 10 Tournament just more than a week away, there are a few teams still jockeying for position.
Sitting at the top of the conference, Xavier is the only team to have a lock on their current position. There are ties for third, sixth, eighth and 10th. Temple, George Washington (17-10, 9-3) and Saint Bonaventure (19-8, 8-4) are all fighting for the final two spots in the top four, which would give them a first-round bye in the tournament. Temple and George Washington are currently tied for third, with St. Bonaventure a game behind.
The only way the Bonnies can secure a bye is if they win their final two games (which will be a challenge, as they end the season against second-place Charlotte) and either Temple or George Washington loses its final two games.
There is also a fight at the bottom of the standings for the final spot in the tournament. Rhode Island boasts a 2-10 conference record, while both La Salle and Fordham only have one conference win apiece. Fordham has the toughest remaining schedule, as the Rams would have to defeat Richmond (19-8, 7-5) and first-place Xavier to have any shot at the tournament. The Rams also have a formidable schedule against Duquesne and Dayton, while the Explorers will take on Duquesne and Massachusetts.
Players of the week
For the fourth time this season, Xavier sophomore Ta’Shia Phillips earned Atlantic 10 Player of the Week honors. She averaged 18 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in victories over George Washington and Dayton. Phillips was a force on both sides of the ball against the Colonials, tallying 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots. Three days later she posted her 13th double-double of the season against the Flyers by pouring in 18 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.
Sharing this week’s honors with Phillips is senior guard Kristi Little of Duquesne. Against UMass and Saint Louis, she posted averages of 15.5 points, nine assists, four rebounds and 3.5 steals. On Feb. 11 she scored a game-high 17 points and chipped in seven assists in a victory over the Billikens. Three days later she propelled the Dukes past the Minutewomen by posting her first double-double of the season. Little scored 14 points and tied a career high in assists, with 11.
Mike Mastone can be reached at [email protected].
