Xavier Women’s Basketball Defeats Northwestern 91-78 to Move to 2-0

Xavier Dominates Northwestern With Offensive Outburst

Xavier women’s basketball moved to 2-0 on the year with a 91-78 win at Big Ten member Northwestern on Thursday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Northwestern dropped to 1-1 following the loss.

The Musketeers posted a .620 field-goal percentage by hitting 31 of 50 shots from the floor, marking the program’s highest shooting percentage in a game since Feb. 11, 2018. Xavier also went 8-for-15 from behind the arc and made 21 of 27 free throw attempts. Lucile Jerome and Meri Kanerva led the offensive charge by scoring 22 points apiece.

Northwestern controlled the opening period after wiping out an early deficit with a 12-0 run that built a 23-15 lead at the end of the first quarter. The nine-point margin was the largest lead of the night for the Wildcats. Xavier responded by outscoring the hosts 24-18 in the second quarter, 26-19 in the third, and 26-18 in the final period.

The contest featured eight lead changes and five ties. With the score knotted at 44-44 in the third quarter, Kejia Ran scored five consecutive points to give the Musketeers a lead they would not relinquish. Xavier pulled away in the fourth quarter by hitting 77.8 percent of their shots, securing the program’s first road win over a Big Ten opponent since Nov. 13, 2013.

Jerome and Kanerva Lead Strong Shooting Performances

Jerome finished her night shooting 7-for-12 from the field, including 3-for-6 on three-pointers, while adding 5-for-6 shooting from the foul line. Kanerva played all 40 minutes without missing a field goal, going 5-for-5 overall, converting both of her attempts from distance, and sinking 10 of 13 free throws while dishing out a game-high eight assists. Ran contributed 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting, pulled down seven rebounds, and tallied three steals.

Northwestern countered with 20 points from Lily Carmody in 24 minutes of action. Lexi Blue chipped in 13 points, and Camdyn Nelson recorded 12 points, six rebounds, and four assists. The Wildcats shot 47.2 percent from the field and connected on 35 percent of their three-point attempts, but struggled to slow down Xavier’s high-efficiency attack.

While Northwestern won the rebounding battle 26-24 and generated a 16-9 advantage in second-chance points, Xavier dominated points in the paint with a 42-34 edge. The Musketeers’ 91 points represented their highest single-game scoring output since Dec. 2, 2018.

Upcoming Schedules for Both Programs

Northwestern turns its attention toward a matchup across town against UIC, scheduled for 1 p.m. CST, looking to rebound from the home defeat under coach Carla Berube. Xavier returns to Cintas Center on Monday, Nov. 9, to host Akron at 6:30 p.m. for the opening game of their home schedule.

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