third title in four years

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - Most Outstanding Player Amber Harris scored a game-high 23 points and nailed three big 3-pointers and All-Tournament Team member Ta'Shia Phillips hauled in a season-high 21 rebounds to lead the No. 5 Xavier University women's basketball team to a 57-55 overtime victory over Temple in the 2010 Atlantic 10 Championship Final on Monday night at Show Place Area in Upper Marlboro, Md. With the win, the Musketeers improve to 27-3 on the season while Temple slips to 24-8.
 

The Musketeers, winners of 18-straight, take home their third A-10 Championship in the last four years.

Temple fought back from a big first-half deficit to tie the score up at 53 and had the ball with 23 seconds remaining. However, the Musketeer defense came up with a big stop and forced Temple to take a double-teamed, off-balance shot to send the game into overtime.

The Owls drew first blood in the overtime session but XU clamped down defensively from that point and forced TU to miss its final seven shots of the game. Following a jumper by Marli Bennett 1:10 into the extra session, Special Jennings buried a huge 3-pointer to give the Musketeers a 56-55 lead they would not relinquish.

April Phillips' free throw at the 2:50 mark was the only other scoring of the OT session as Kristen McCarthy failed to convert on a runner as time expired.

Harris' 23 came on 9-of-14 shooting and she was a perfect 3-for-3 from deep. She also blocked two shots and snared seven rebounds. Harris is now 9-0 in Atlantic 10 Championship action.