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PROVO — Xojian Harry knows exactly what her role is for the BYU women’s basketball team: get free, make shots and provide a spark off the bench whenever the Cougars need it.
She did all that perfectly Thursday afternoon.
After four games on the road that made for a long Christmas break, the Cougars returned to the Marriott Center and posted an 84-55 over Santa Clara on New Year’s Day.
Lexi Eaton had a stat-stuffing 22 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead BYU, and Harry had 12 points, just one point off of her career high, on an efficient 5-of-6 shooting.
“I think that was the key to the game, no question,” BYU coach Jeff Judkins said. “We were kind of even, and (Harry) comes in and gives us that spark. She’s starting to play like she’s played before. She had some injuries early in the year, and she’s getting her timing back. The nice thing about her is she can guard anybody on the court — inside or on the perimeter.”
BYU (10-4, 2-1 WCC) opened West Coast Conference play with a 78-62 loss at Gonzaga last week, then followed it with a win over Portland Monday and Santa Clara (5-7, 0-3 WCC), which was picked to finish last in the WCC preseason poll.
I think that was the key to the game, no question. We were kind of even, and (Harry) comes in and gives us that spark. She's starting to play like she's played before. She had some injuries early in the year, and she's getting her timing back. The nice thing about her is she can guard anybody on the court — inside or on the perimeter.
–BYU women's basketball coach Jeff Judkins
After jumping out to a 6-0 lead on back-to-back three-point plays by Eaton, the Cougars went cold from the field, and Santa Clara rallied to take a 13-12 lead with 11:58 left in the first half.
BYU responded, though, with its bench with a 13-0 run, punctuated by Harry’s swish from under the basket off a feed from Morgan Bailey, and the Cougars took a 23-13 lead with 7:49 left in the half.
“I played a lot slower, so I was able to read my man better and see where my teammates were,” Harry said. “You’ve got to give credit to my teammates. I wouldn’t have made the shots if they hadn’t gotten me the ball.”
After back-to-back Santa Clara buckets, BYU put together a 12-0 run with three straight scores by Eaton to give the home team a 35-17 lead with four minutes remaining in the half.
In the second half, Santa Clara tried to creep back into the game on hot shooting by Emily Wolph, who finished with 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting from three-point range.
After driving to the rim for two points, BYU's Makenzi Morrison left the game and saw Harry, her replacement, cap a 6-0 spurt to take back control at 57-39 with 12:06 left in the game.
Morrison finished with 10 points and three assists, and Bailey had 14 rebounds and a career-high seven assists on a day Santa Clara worked to limit her offensively.
The Cougars got a season-high 34 points off the bench in the win.
“I thought my bench played really well,” Judkins said. “I thought Xojian came in and gave us a real lift, both offensively and defensively. I thought Kristine Fuller played well, and I thought Micaelee Orton played solid when Bailey got her fourth foul.”
BYU has won seven of its last eight games and will face its fourth opponent in eight days Saturday when it hosts San Francisco. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. MST at the Marriott Center.
“With Christmas and travel, it’s been hectic and crazy. We didn’t even practice before Portland,” Harry said. “We’ve just been nose to the grind, watching film, and I think we’re gelling really well.
“We’re relying on each other and sticking together on the court, which has helped us get through this stretch of games. Hopefully we can continue through this stretch.”
