Xavier Women Win A Thriller 69-66 Over USC

Amber Harris hit a contested layup with 38 seconds left and grabbed a crucial rebound to extended  Xavier's winning streak to 22 regular season games.

Xavier's last loss was to Stanford in the regional finals of the NCAA Tournament last March.

Harris matched her career high with 28 points.  She also scored 28 nine days ago against Louisville.

Her last two points put Xavier in the lead but they had to survive a shot by USC's Briana Gilbreath with 20 seconds left.  The Trojan's Jackie Corral chased down the rebound but Ashley Corral, couldn't get the follow up to fall with eight seconds left, Harris's grabbed the ball four her 14th rebound to clinch the game.

"It seemed like the ball was up there for a minute.  I just wanted to get that ball. She had a good look at the basket but God was on our side," Harris said.

USC went to his leading scorer, Gilbreath with the game on the line.  Gilbreath a career-high 26 points and had 12 rebounds.

"What a great game by Briana," USC coach Michael Cooper said.  "I would have liked to see her last shot fall but wow, what a game.  Whenever you can take the number four team in the country to the end as under manned and not as tall, you have to be pleased with the effort."

USC fell to 4-3 with two of the losses to top five teams.  They lost to Duke on the road 79-50.

"It was a matter of knocking down shots," Gilbreath said.  "I felt comfortable.  They came into our house last year and that game went to overtime.  It was a great game but we weren't scared."

Xavier is now 7-0 and won its last three by large margins.

"We're still a long way from being the basketball team that we're capable of being," Xavier coach Kevin McGuff said.  "A game like this will help us get there.  I was a great basketball game.  The difference was Ta'Shia (Phillips) and Amber inside."

Phillips scored 20 points and muscled down 16 rebounds.

The Musketeers played its fourth game without outside shooting specialist, Katie Rutan.  Her absence was felt with a 1-for-17 (5.9%)shooting performance from 3-point range.  The Musketeers shot 37.1 percent from that range coming into the contest.

"We miss Katie," Harris said.  "But Tyesha Moss and Special Jennings usually hit three's on a daily basis."

Xavier used its inside game with Harris and Phillips and put USC's post players, Cassie Harberts and Kari LaPlante in foul trouble. LaPlant fouled out and Harberts, who averaged 10 points per game was limited to 26 minutes and finished with four fouls.

USC had its way on the outside shooting 38.1 percent of its 3-point shots.

"We struggled on defense," Harris said.  "All of their points came from the outside."