INDIANAPOLIS – The Xavier Musketeers improved to 12-2 on the year and 3-0 in BIG EAST play with a 73-63 win at Butler on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs held a three-point lead at the half, but the Musketeers hit 15 of their 24 shots (62.5%) in the second half to earn the road win.

Xavier ended the game with a balanced offensive attack that featured four starters reaching a double figure scoring total. Raeshaun Gaffney and Maddison Blackwell shared the team lead with 15 points each while Aliyah Zantt was a point behind with 14. Blackwell notched a double-double by adding 10 boards and Zantt just missed with nine.

Butler's top scorer came off the bench as Tori Schickel posted 18 points and eight boards for the Bulldogs. Fellow forward Belle Obert got off to a hot start before picking up two personal fouls in the first quarter to end the game with 12 points, five rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals. Schickel also protected the rim for BU by recording three blocked shots.

The first half was back and forth action with BU holding onto a three-point lead after the opening 10 minutes. Butler went on a 7-0 run to open up the second quarter, but the Musketeers would climb back into the game to hold the deficit to just three points heading into the half.

The momentum quickly shifted to the visiting team in the opening minutes of the third quarter when Xavier went on an 11-2 run. That stretch allowed the Musketeers to gain a seven point lead heading into the fourth as they outscored BU 23-13.

The fourth quarter was another highly efficient stretch for XU as the Musketeers scored 24 points over the final 10 minutes of action to hold off Butler's late charge. The 'Dawgs got back into the game late due to their full-court trapping defense, but great free throw shooting from Xavier (15-16) would ice the win.

The Bulldogs will return to action this weekend with a pair of road games. They will play at Providence on Friday, Jan. 8 and end the road trip with a game at Creighton on Sunday.