Xavier's David West shoots over
Miami defenders Jason Grunkemeyer, right, and Mike
Ensminger.
AP Photo/Tony
Tribble)
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CINCINNATI (AP) (Nov. 18, 2000) -- Center David West scored
17 points and had 13 rebounds and guard Romain Sato added 13
points to lead Xavier to a 68-54 victory
over Miami University in the Musketeers' first game in their new
arena Saturday.
Forward Kevin Frey added 12 for Xavier.
Xavier (1-0) played its first official game in the new
Cintas Center before a crowd of 10,250.
Miami (0-1) now has lost its last two season-openers
after winning seven of its previous eight. The Xavier
victory evens the series between the two rivals at
44-44.
Xavier's Kevin Frey
and Miami's guard Doug Davis fight for a loose ball in the first half in
Cincinnati.
(AP Photo/Tony Tribble)
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Rich Allendorf scored 14 points to lead the RedHawks.
Julius Johnson added 12 and Doug Davis scored 10 in his
first game after transferring from Michigan
State.
Sato, a freshman from the Central African Republic playing in his first collegiate game, led all scorers in the first half with 13 points as the Musketeers opened up a
38-21 halftime lead. His 3-pointer with just less than 13 minutes left in the first half cut Miami's six-point lead, its largest of the game, in half and sparked a 12-4 run
that gave Xavier the lead for good.
Sato scored 10 of his first-half points and West made nine in the last 13 minutes of the half. Xavier's harassing man-to-man defense forced the RedHawks into 12
first-half turnovers, nine during the decisive last 12 minutes in which the Musketeers took charge.
The Musketeer defense also forced the RedHawks into a .424 shooting percentage, including 2-of-16 from 3-point range.