Morrow's 12th-Straight Double-Double Leads DePaul Past Xavier 94-74

Sunday, January 23

Cincinnati, OH

1:00 P.M. CT

DePaul University

16-4,8-1Big East

Xavier

6-11,1-7Big East

DePaul

Xavier

Morrow's 12th-Straight Double-Double Leads DePaul Past Xavier 94-74

1/23/2022 3:32:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Sonya Morris comes through with 27 points in Sunday's BIG EAST victory

CINCINNATI – DePaul loves to run.

Xavier loves to run.

On your mark, get set---ladies, start your engines.

When the highest-scoring NCAA basketball team in America (of either gender) ran into an opponent Sunday looking to earn its racing stripes, points came in flurries during DePaul's 94-74 BIG EAST victory over Xavier at the Cintas Center.

A national TV audience on the CBS Sports Network watched Aneesah Morrow post her 12th-consecutive double-double with 32 points and 15 rebounds. CBS play-by-play announcer Chris Hassel shaking his head in admiration afterwards during Morrow's postgame TV interview with Kelly Burke.

Sonya Morris erupted for 27 points including 13 in the third quarter and added six rebounds. Kierra Collier kicked in 12 points while Darrione Rogers contributed 10 points and seven rebounds. Lexi Held orchestrated the show with eight points and eight assists.

Looking to enhance a 53-37 halftime lead, DePaul (16-4, 8-1) outscored Xavier 11-6 at the outset of the third quarter as Morris scored three times, Morrow once and Rogers buried a three while increasing the lead to 64-43. A 9-0 burst prompted a Musketeer timeout.

The home team answered back with a 9-0 run of its own, causing DePaul coach Doug Bruno to call timeout with his lead diminished to 64-52.

Morris had 13 points in the third quarter to keep the Musketeers at arms-length. Her basket gave DePaul a 73-60 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.

A Morrow foul shot, a power put-back and Kierra Collier three-pointer left the Blue Demons with a 79-64 lead at the fourth quarter media timeout.

At that point, Morrow had her 12th-straight double-double.

Collier, Morris, Morrow and Held finished strong, lifting their team to a 94-71 lead.

Morrow scored inside three times including a three-point play to offset Xavier's fast start after the opening tip. A 6-2 burst left the Musketeers (6-11, 1-7) with a 13-11 lead at the first quarter media timeout.

At that point, Morrow had made all three of her shots and the lone free throw.

The freshman phenom scored three more times, and combined with two Church free throws and a Morris swish just before the buzzer provided DePaul with a 23-19 edge after one quarter.

What an opening 10 minutes for Morrow with 13 points and five rebounds on 6-of-7 shooting. Held already had four assists, consistently setting up her young teammate in the land down under.

Morris, Morrow and Rogers went back-to-back-to-back to open the second quarter, causing Xavier coach Melanie Moore to call timeout with her team trailing 29-19.

That turned into an 18-4 run from the outset of the quarter sparked by threes from Held and Rogers.

Another Morrow score in the low post, a pair of Rogers free throws and another Held three-pointer made it 48-30.

Two Morrow foul shots followed by a high-arching Kierra Collier three put the Blue Demons in front 53-34 until Shelby Calhoun hit a buzzer-beater at half-court.

Morrow had 21 points and nine rebounds at the break while Morris had 12 points and five boards. Rogers had seven points and three steals while Held chipped in six points and four assists.

DePaul is back home on Friday to face St. John's at Wintrust Arena.

Postgame Notes

The Blue Demons came in leading the country in scoring and assists, putting up 1,251 points in their last 13 games---an average of 96.2 per game. They have reached the century mark eight times to set a new season record.
The record of six was set in 2014-15 (Brittany Hrynko, Jess January, Chanise Jenkins, Megan Rogowski & Co.) and matched by the 2016-17 team featuring January, Brooke Schulte, Jacqui Grant and Amarah Coleman.
Morrow came into the game leading the nation in double-doubles and was second in rebounds and offensive rebounds per game, third in field goals, fifth in points and sixth in steals. She has 12 consecutive double-doubles and 15 on the season.
The 6-1 freshman has 282 points and 167 rebounds in her last 12 games---an average of 23.5 points and 13.9 rebounds.
Morris came into the game third in the nation in field goals and Held was 10th in assists.
Morris is now No. 19 on the all-time scoring list with 1,483 points. Held (1,438 points) is No. 21. Megan Podkowa is No. 20 with 1,481 and Jessica January No. 18 (1,530).
Dee Bekelja has played in 137 games, tying Brooke Schulte and Chante Stonewall for fourth all-time. Ashton Millender holds the record with 144 games.
The Blue Demons are 3-4 against seven NCAA tournament teams---beating then No. 14/14 Kentucky, Northwestern and Rutgers and falling to then-No. 23/17 Texas A&M, No. 4/8 Arizona, No. 20/17 Notre Dame and Marquette.
They are 3-1 against Wildcat teams---beating Kentucky, Northwestern and Villanova and falling to Arizona.
Held is the BIG EAST's active career scoring leader in conference games with 831 points. She had her own personal boisterous cheering section of family and friends who made the 16-mile drive from Burlington, Ky. to watch her play.
Morrow has scored in double figures 19 of the first 20 games of her collegiate career.
The Blue Demons have won the battle of the boards in 15 of 20 games including over Arizona featuring 6-5 Lauren Ware and 6-3 Ariyah Copeland. DePaul and Xavier tied 46-46 on Sunday.