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Late first-half burst helps Xavier finally solve Indiana

Nov 25, 2007 - 5:26 AM HOFFMAN ESTATES, Illinois (Ticker) -- B.J. Raymond and Xavier did not need long to cement their first win over Indiana.

Raymond scored 12 of his 19 points in the first half as the Musketeers used a burst before halftime to post an 80-65 victory over the eighth-ranked Hoosiers in the championship game of the Chicago Invitational Challenge on Saturday.

C.J. Anderson also had 19 points and Josh Duncan added 12 and 10 rebounds for Xavier (4-1), which defeated the Big Ten Conference school for the first time in nine meetings. The previous two meetings had been close, with the Musketeers losing both by three points or less including overtime last year.

It was the first regular-season tournament title for Xavier since capturing the BCA Classic in 2003.

Indiana, which absorbed its first loss of the season, made it tight early, trailing just 25-24 after a layup by Jamarcus Ellis with 5:23 remaining.

However, Xavier took off thereafter, going on a 15-5 run that closed out the first half. Raymond had two baskets during the burst, including a bank shot as time expired after grabbing a full-court heave.

Holding a 40-29 advantage at the break, that margin held up for the Musketeers especially since Hoosiers sensation freshman Eric Gordon experienced his first rough outing.

Entering the contest averaging 28.8 points, the 6-4 Gordon managed 20 points, but shot just 4-of-12 from the field without a 3-pointer. He was 59.3 percent (16-of-27) from the arc in his first four games.

With Gordon off the mark, Xavier extended the lead to 60-45 on a layup by Anderson with 10:20 remaining.

Finishing 12-of-12 on free throws, Gordon did manage 12 points over the final seven minutes. However, Indiana could not get any closer than 11 points.

Playing in his first game against his former coach Drew Lavender scored 13 points for the Musketeers. A former transfer from Oklahoma, the 5-7 point guard spent two seasons under former Sooners coach Kelvin Sampson, including a 25-8 campaign in 2004-05 that included a second-round showing in the NCAA Tournament.

D.J. White added 16 points for the Hoosiers, who finished just 38.5 percent (25-of-65) from the field and 1-of-15 on 3-pointers.