Feb. 17, 2001
Box Score
By JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer
CINCINNATI - Kevin Frey scored 15 of his 22 points in the second half
Saturday night as Xavier pulled away to a lackluster 79-65 victory over Rhode
Island.
Xavier (19-5) improved to 10-3 in the Atlantic 10 and moved into second
place in the conference, jumping ahead of Massachusetts once again. The
Musketeers were coming off a 59-49 loss at Massachusetts last Wednesday.
A surprisingly close game wasn't decided until Xavier put together a run
midway through the second half, then held on. Frey scored six consecutive
points as Xavier pushed the lead to double digits in the closing minutes.
The troubled Rams (5-21, 1-12) were playing their second game since coach
Jerry DeGregorio announced he would quit at the end of the season, then was
hospitalized for exhaustion.
Assistant coach George Blaney, who ran the team in a 77-47 loss to George
Washington last Wednesday, had the Rams ready to give Xavier all it could
handle in the first half, which ended tied at 40.
Romain Sato, who set a school record with eight 3's in Xavier's 99-82 win at
Rhode Island on Jan. 13, drew steady coverage and finished with 11 points.
David West added 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Rhode Island's Zach Marbury, who sat out the George Washington game with a
kidney infection, played 12 minutes and had six points, 12 below his average.
Tavorris Bell led Rhode Island with 16 points.
The crowd of 10,250 murmured and Xavier coach Skip Prosser fumed, walking
off the court with his head down, after Rhode Island outshot and outrebounded
the Musketeers in a tight first half that had five ties and nine lead changes.
Rhode Island shot 54 percent, outrebounded Xavier by two and led by as many
as six points in the half.
The Musketeers started taking the ball to the basket in the second half,
drawing three fouls in the first minute. Xavier took control with an 11-2 spurt
that featured points from six players and put the Musketeers ahead 60-52.
Frey scored six consecutive points as Xavier pushed the lead to double
digits down the stretch. He was 7-of-18 from the field, missing a pair of
dunks.