Ryan Conwell scored 16 points in just 25 minutes while Marcus Foster added 12 points, five assists and five rebounds to lead the Xavier Musketeers to a comfortable 80-55 win over the visiting Siena Saints Wednesday night in Cincinnati.
The game was an on-campus opener of the Fort Myers Tip-Off tournament with both schools playing Monday and Tuesday next week in Fort Myers, Fla. On Monday, Xavier plays South Carolina, while Siena takes on Miami (Ohio).
Zach Freemantle had 10 points and nine rebounds, while Trey Green added 14 points in 17 minutes for the Musketeers (5-0), who finished off a perfect five-game homestand to open the season. The Saints (3-2) lost their second straight.
Xavier dominated the game in the paint and on the fast break, outscoring Siena 42-22 inside while recording a 31-4 advantage in fast-break points. The Saints had an 11-2 edge in blocks.
Reid Ducharme led Siena with 15 points, and Major Freeman also made it to double figures with 12 points.
Xavier methodically built a 44-28 lead at the break thanks to a nearly perfect first half from Foster. He had eight points on 3-for-3 shooting from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers. He added two rebounds, four assists and a steal without a turnover in 15 minutes.
The Musketeers opened the game red-hot from beyond the arc, draining their first four attempts from deep and five of their first six. Xavier finished the first half shooting 8-for-13 from 3-point range and 56.7 percent overall.
Freeman kept the Saints reasonably close, scoring 10 points. Siena was within a point, 16-15, before Xavier went on an 8-0 spurt to take a 24-15 lead.
Green sparked the burst with a 3-pointer and Freemantle scored the other five points. Leading 30-23 with 5:20 remaining, Xavier closed the half on a 14-5 run to open a comfortable margin.