Temple 74 - 83 Xavier
Final
  for this game

Dominant Xavier welcomes Temple

Feb 5, 2009 - 11:19 AM Temple (12-8) at No. 9 Xavier (19-2) 7:00 p.m. EST

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Xavier has used a smothering defense and home-court advantage to thwart all of its Atlantic 10 opponents this season.

The ninth-ranked Musketeers go for their 11th straight win on Thursday when they host Temple.

Xavier (19-2, 7-0 A-10) has held 14 of its 21 opponents under 40 percent from the field this season, allowing only then-No. 6 Duke to hit over 42 percent shooting during an embarrassing 82-64 rout on December 20.

The Musketeers suffered a nine-point loss to then-unranked Butler in their next game, but haven't lost since, rattling off 10 consecutive victories, seven against conference foes, including an 82-80 win vs. Massachusetts on Saturday.

Derrick Brown matched a career-high with 23 points, B.J. Raymond added 22 points and C.J. Anderson finished with 19 for Xavier, which won its 20th consecutive contest against an A-10 opponent at the Cintas Center.

The Musketeers have made a habit of crushing league rivals this season, having won five conference games by at least 20 points. The Minutemen were far from an easy mark, however, and stayed in the game until the last possible moment.

Xavier hopes for an easier time against the Owls (12-8, 4-2), who are coming off a 74-65 victory over Richmond on Saturday and plays three of their next four games on the road.






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