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Xavier downs Southern Illinois to end skid

Dec 25, 2011 - 9:40 PM Honolulu, HI (Sports Network) - Tu Holloway scored 21 points while Mark Lyons and Andre Walker each posted double-doubles to help No. 14 Xavier snap a three-game skid with an 87-77 victory over Southern Illinois.

The Musketeers (9-3) dropped three in a row in the wake of their infamous fight with Cincinnati on December 10, including losses to Long Beach State and Hawaii that forced them into Sunday's seventh-place game of the Diamond Head Classic.

Lyons totaled 17 points and 10 rebounds, Walker added 13 and 10 and Travis Taylor scored 13 points to help Xavier get back on track.

Xavier made 14 more free throws than Southern Illinois attempted, going 36- of-48 at the stripe.

Dantiel Daniels logged 22 points for the Salukis (3-8), who had given up an average of 58.5 points over their first eight games prior to allowing 84.3 points per contest in their three-game skid at Stan Sheriff Center.

At the end of tight first half, Holloway hit a jumper and three-pointer on consecutive possessions to give the Musketeers 42-36 lead heading to the locker room.

Lyons, in his second game back from a suspension stemming from the aforementioned fight, converted a three-point play to complete an 11-3 run 5 1/2 minutes into the second half.

The spurt pushed the Xavier's lead to 57-45, and the closest Southern Illinois got from there was four, 68-64, following Daniels' layup and foul shot with just under nine minutes left.

The Musketeers responded with eight of the next 10 points, though, and cruised the rest of the way.

Game Notes

Xavier freshman and third-leading scorer Dezmine Wells returns from his four- game suspension against Gonzaga on December 31...Southern Illinois shot 16- of-22 from the foul line...Seck Mamadou posted 12 points and 10 rebounds in defeat...Holloway handed out a game-high seven assists.