Blue Demons Take Down Xavier on the Road 65-60

Thursday, January 2

Cincinnati, Ohio

6 p.m.

DePaul University

7-9,2-1Big East

Xavier

5-9,0-3Big East

DePaul

Xavier

Blue Demons Take Down Xavier on the Road 65-60

1/2/2025 8:31:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

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Taylor Johnson-Matthews notches career-high 24 points to lead three Blue Demons in double figures

CINCINNATI, Ohio – A strong first quarter and composure down the stretch earned DePaul a 65-60 victory over Xavier on Thursday night at the Cintas Center. The Blue Demons held the Musketeers to two first-quarter field goals before weathering a second-half surge from Xavier to improve to 7-9 on the year and 2-1 in BIG EAST play.

Junior guard Taylor Johnson-Matthews led three Blue Demons in double-figures with a career-high 24 points in addition to five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals. The Cleveland, Ohio native finished with 10+ points for the eighth-consecutive game and reached 20 points for the third time this season.

Meg Newman recorded a career-high of her own with 18 points on 63-percent shooting from the field to go with nine rebounds.

Graduate forward Jorie Allen chipped in 14 points and six rebounds to extend her double-figure streak to 16-consecutive games.

Redshirt-sophomore Haley Walker grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds including eight in the second half as the Blue Demons outrebounded Xavier 40-36.

DePaul committed a season-low eight turnovers against a Xavier team that forces 18 opponent turnovers a game.

Meri Kanerva had 20 points to lead the Musketeers.

How it Happened
DePaul opened the game on am 11-4 run behind baskets from four different Blue Demons while limiting the Musketeers to just a pair of trips to the free throw line. Back-to-back field goals from Newman followed by a triple in transition from Johnson-Matthews stretched DePaul's lead to 14 with three minutes left in the quarter. Xavier was held without a field goal until the 2:30 mark of the period and shot just 16-percent from the field in the opening stanza as DePaul led 20-8 after the first.

Xavier (5-9, 0-3 BIG EAST) narrowed the gap in the second quarter, knocking down four of its six attempts from distance. A Musketeers triple trimmed DePaul's advantage to single-digits before an answer from Newman inside and Charlece Ohiaeri on the perimeter re-established a double-figure lead. The Blue Demons were held without field goal for the final 2:20 of the half but maintained a 37-27 edge heading into the locker room.

The Musketeers used a 9-1 run in 90 seconds time to come within six points with 2:19 remaining in the third quarter. The Blue Demons could not connect from the field in the final four minutes of the period but led 50-45 heading into the final 10 minutes of play.

Xavier knocked down its 10th three of the game to trail by just one in the fourth quarter before Johnson-Matthews drove to the paint to halt the two-minute scoring drought for DePaul. Allen's turnaround jumper with the shot clock expiring made it a two-possession ball game with three minutes left. Johnson-Matthews hit four free throws down the stretch to seal the victory for DePaul.

Up Next
The Blue Demons will hit the road to take on St. John's on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Tipoff from Carnesecca Arena is set for 7:30 p.m. CT with the action broadcast live on FS1.

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