CHICAGO – Senior guard Cedric Johnson (Bellevue, Neb./Sioux Falls/Nebraska-Kearney/Bellevue West) continued his hot start to the 2023-24 season by scoring a season-best 29 points on 11-for-18 shooting (61.1 percent) from the field to help lead the Saint Xavier University men's basketball team (3-5, 1-2 CCAC) to a non-conference victory over Viterbo University, 81-69, Wednesday evening on Bob Hallberg Court at the Shannon Center in Chicago, Ill. Johnson added four rebounds, an assist and a steal in 36 minutes of action. It was his fourth consecutive game with 20 or more points and the seventh time in eight games this season that he has eclipsed the 20-point mark this year.

• Junior guard Sando Hill (Vanoss, Okla./Lyon/Seminole State/Vanoss) also tallied 20 points on the evening for a season-high. He was 7-of-11 from the field (63.6 percent), including 3-for-5 from three-point range. Hill also collected a season-best five steals, along with three rebounds and a pair of assists.
• Junior guard Trey Ward (Chicago Ridge, Ill./Oak Lawn Community) finished in double-figures as well, totaling 17 points in 24 minutes off the bench. He added three rebounds, two assists and a steal while going perfect from the foul line on five attempts.
• Junior forward Andre Brandon (Coralville, Iowa/Sauk Valley/Liberty) tied his season-high with 11 rebounds (five offensive boards) to go along with seven points, an assist, a blocked shot and a steal in 22 minutes on the court. It was the third time this season that he has had 11 rebounds and the fourth game with 10 or more boards.
• Freshman guard Jordan Streeter (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) chipped in seven points, a career-best seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.
• The Cougars made a season-high 20 free throws on 25 attempts (80.0 percent), tied their season-best with 39 rebounds and blocked a season-high four shots.
• VU made the first basket of the game and SXU followed with a 9-0 run capped by a pair of foul shots by Brandon at the 13:13 mark. The V-Hawks chipped away and retook the lead on a three-pointer to go up 18-16 with 6:57 left in the half. The score would remain close and Viterbo held a 32-29 advantage at halftime. Johnson posted 13 points in the frame while shooting at an 83.3 percent clip (5-for-6) and Brandon had five points and five rebounds.
• Hill opened the second half by sinking a three off a pass from Streeter to tie the contest. Johnson split a pair of free throws 90 seconds later (17:44) to put Saint Xavier up 33-32 and they would hold onto the lead the remainder of the game. Streeter drove the lane and scored to push the lead to 43-34 at the 15:40 mark. VU rallied to cut the lead to just two, 43-41 after back-to-back three-pointers with 13:03 to go. Streeter came away with a steal, found Hill, how hit Ward for a fast-break trey on the next possession. The Cougars built their largest lead of the game, 59-47, after three consecutive steals and layups midway through the half with 8:06 left in regulation. They would score 17 points off of turnovers on the evening. Viterbo hung around by going on a 12-3 run and pulled within three points after a three, 62-59, with 5:15 remaining. Johnson converted an 'old-fashioned' three-point play on the next time down the court and SXU was able to pull away for the victory.

Saint Xavier (3-5, 1-2 CCAC) makes the short trip to Palos Heights, Ill. to play Trinity Christian College (Ill.) in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) contest on Saturday, December 9. The game is scheduled for a 3:00 pm start.