CINCINNATI – Matt Stainbrook scored 20 points on 8-for-9 shooting to lead Xavier to an 81-63 win over Stephen F. Austin on Friday night.
Xavier (3-0) captured the lead early with an 11-2 run sparked by a Trevon Bluiett 3-pointer that made it 21-13 with 12:13 to go in the first half and hung on, taking a 39-32 advantage into intermission and broke away late in the second half.
Bluiett finished with 16 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, Remy Abell added 12 points, while Dee Davis had nine points and 12 rebounds for the Musketeers, who shot 56.9 percent from the floor and ended SFA's win streak on the road at 12.
The Lumberjacks (1-2) closed the gap to 66-61 on a Tanner Clayton dunk with 5:44 left but Xavier tore the game open with a 15-2 run to clinch the win.
Jacob Parker led SFA with 21 points.
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