Joliet, Ill. – Trailing 52-37 at halftime, the Saint Xavier University men's basketball team (9-3, 4-1 CCAC) scored 82 points in the second half, shooting a blistering 65.1 percent (28-for-43) from the field, including a 64.3 percent clip (9-for-14) from beyond the arc, to defeat McPherson College (Kan.) 119-108 on day one of the University of St. Francis (Ill.) New Year's Classic Monday afternoon at the Sullivan Center in Joliet, Ill. Senior forward Andre Brandon (Coralville, Iowa/Sauk Valley/Liberty) was one of six Cougars to score in double-figures and all 12 players that saw action scored at least two points, finishing with a career-high 27 points on 9-for-14 shooting while also making seven of his eight foul shots. He added a team-high seven rebounds, an assist and a block in the comeback victory.

The 119-point outburst is a season-high for SXU, their fifth contest with 100 or more points in a game this year, and they are now averaging 99.1 points per game (PPG) through 12 contests so far in 2024-25. They also shot a season-best 90.0 percent from the free-throw line, as well as season-highs in makes (27) and attempts (30). Saint Xavier tied for the 12^th-highest scoring game in program history, and it was their highest scoring game since a 127-69 triumph over East-West University (Ill.) on November 20, 2010.

• Senior guard Jordan Jackson (Grand Rapids, Mich./Northwood/Wilmington/East Kentwood) went 6-for-10 from the field, scoring 19 points. He was also 3-for-6 from three-point range and 4-for-5 from the foul line. Jackson added three assists, two steals and a rebound.
• Senior guard Sando Hill (Vanoss, Okla./Lyon/Seminole State/Vanoss) posted 14 points in just 15 minutes off the bench, making all six of his foul shots, both of his three-point attempts and he was 3-for-6 overall while coming down with a rebound.
• Senior forward Kevin Bishop (Cleveland, Ohio/Pikeville/Parkland/Cleveland Benedictine) collected 13 points, going 4-for-6 from the field and 5-for-6 at the free-throw line. He also had four rebounds, two blocks, two assists and a steal.
• Fifth-year senior guard Julian Barr (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Land/Lincoln-Way East) recorded 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting, along with an assist, a rebound and a steal.
• Junior guard Mekhi Wilson (Covington, Ky./Iowa Central/Covington Catholic) came away with 10 points, three rebounds and a pair of steals.
• Junior forward Davion Lawrence (Oak Lawn, Ill./Moraine Valley/Oak Lawn Community) tallied eight points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal.
• Junior guard Ashton Atwater (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Valley/Ostego) added five points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals.

Saint Xavier (9-3, 4-1 CCAC) concludes play in the USF New Year's Classic on Tuesday, December 31 when they take on Goshen College (Ind.). The game slated for a 3:00 pm start in Joliet, Ill.