CHICAGO – Senior guard Ashton Atwater (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Valley/Ostego) posted a game-high and season-best 18 points, going 6-for-11 from the field, to help guide Saint Xavier University men's basketball (7-11, 5-6 CCAC) to a 79-69 victory over Indiana University South Bend in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) play Wednesday evening on Bob Hallberg Court at the Shannon Center in Chicago, Ill. Atwater was 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, and he went 2-for-4 from three-point range, along with two assists and two steals in 34 minutes of play. The Cougars earned the key conference win, leading the entirety of the contest.

SXU controlled the pace to start the game, building a 25-5 lead at the 9:35 mark after a three by redshirt junior guard Mason Kibelkis (Peotone, Ill./Peotone). The Titans responded with a 15-3 run over the next five minutes to make it 28-20, however a three-pointer by Atwater put Saint Xavier back up double-digits on their next time down the court. The Cougars kept their multiple possession lead heading into the halftime break with a 39-28 advantage, and they carried the momentum into the second half by not allowing IUSB get closer than seven points to come away the win.

• Senior guard Jerry Abushanab (Glendale Heights, Ill./Oklahoma Panhandle State/Southwest Baptist/Link Prep) had his second-highest scoring game of the year, coming away with 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting. He also had six rebounds, a team-best three steals, two assists and two blocked shots.
• Senior forward Davion Lawrence (Oak Lawn, Ill./Moraine Valley/Oak Lawn Community) tallied 14 points, five rebounds, and a season-high four assists.
• Junior guard James Morgan (Chicago, Ill./South Suburban/Lincoln Land/East Chicago Central) also finished in double figures with 10. He hauled in a season-best eight rebounds with two assists as well.
• Junior forward Marko Tojagic (Belgrade, Serbia/Saint Andrews) collected seven points, a season-high six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in 21 minutes off the bench.
• Redshirt sophomore guard James White (Chicago, Ill./Chicago-Agricultuiral Sciences) registered six points, a rebound and a steal.
• Senior forward Grant Martin (Ridgecrest, Calif./Cal State-Long Beach/Citrus/Burroughs) had three points, three rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot.
• Kibelkis finished the game with three points and a rebound, while redshirt sophomore guard Jordan Streeter (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) added two points, an assist, a block and a steal.

Saint Xavier (7-11, 5-6 CCAC) travels to Elgin, Ill. to face Judson University (Ill.) in CCAC action on Saturday, January 24. The game is slated for a 3:00 pm start.