Xavier rolls to 79-50 win over Massachusetts
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tu Holloway scored 19 points and Kenny Frease added 16 to lead a balanced Xavier offense as the Musketeers notched their biggest win of the season, a 79-50 Atlantic 10 Conference romp over Massachusetts on Wednesday night.
Mark Lyons scored 15 points, Dante Jackson added 11 and Jamel McLean had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds as the Musketeers (10-5, 2-0) extended their A-10 homecourt winning streak to 33 games, one short of the conference record set by Temple from Dec. 10, 1987, through Feb. 19, 1991.
Xavier can tie the record with a win Saturday over Dayton.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Musketeers, who lost their last two games going into conference play, have won their first two A-10 games by 27 and 29 points, respectively. Xavier won 72-45 at Rhode Island on Sunday.
Anthony Gurley scored 12 points to lead Massachusetts (9-6, 1-1), which has lost six straight to Xavier.
The Minutemen haven't beaten the Musketeers in Cincinnati since Jan. 9, 2001, Xavier's first Cintas Center loss.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gurley, the only Minuteman to reach double figures, has scored at least 12 points in each game this season.
Massachusetts, the A-10's worst 3-point shooting team at 27.9 percent going into the game, shot 26.1 percent (6 of 23) while setting a season-low in points for the second consecutive game.
The Minutemen scored 55 in their five-point win over Dayton at Massachusetts on Sunday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Xavier took advantage of Massachusetts' poor shooting and ball-handling to take a 35-18 halftime lead.
The Minutemen's six first-half field goals were just one more than the five 3-pointers made by the Musketeers. Holloway scored 10 points during Xavier's 21-4 run in the last 8 minutes of the first half.
Massachusetts missed its last five shots and committed three turnovers going into halftime.