Xavier edges Prairie for 5th straight win

CEDAR RAPIDS — It's an odd-numbered year, just like 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2013.

And you know what that means.

'I see us playing at state, competing at state,' Cedar Rapids Xavier's Lexi Noonan said.

Right now, the Saints are trending toward contending.

Class 4A sixth-ranked Xavier picked up its fifth straight win Friday night, a ragged 39-35 Mississippi Valley Conference victory at Cedar Rapids Prairie.

'Occasionally, we leave our offense in the trunk,' Saints Coach Tom Lilly said. 'I thought we rested our hat on defense.

'At times, we're playing really good basketball. I'm happy with our progress. Our basketball IQ ... we're not at the genius level yet, but we are learning.'

Xavier (12-6 overall, 7-3 MVC) led the whole way, building the margin to 10 points on three occasions. The Hawks (6-12, 4-6) crept within a single point at 30-29 and 32-31 in the fourth quarter before the Saints survived.

'We fought back, and we gave ourselves some chances,' Prairie Coach Josh Bentley said.

'Xavier, you always know they're going to play solid, disciplined defense. It's hard to attack the lane when they've got a 6-2 kid (Amelia Ivester) with her arms up.'

Ivester had just two baskets, but the second came at the 1:53 mark, moments after Prairie had closed within 32-31.

Caitlynn Daniels fed Kylie Brown for a bucket that made it 36-31, then Daniels hit three of five free throws in the final 46 seconds.

'We struggled offensively at times, but we were able to calm down at the end,' Noonan said.

Daniels led the Saints with 11 points. Noonan added 10, and Brown registered nine points and seven rebounds.

The Saints prevailed despite 18 turnovers, most of them of the unforced variety.

Sid McCrea led Prairie with nine points. Sarah Schmitt and Jenna Wagemester added eight apiece.

CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER 39, CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE 35

At C.R. Prairie

C.R. XAVIER (39): Kiana Stanek 1-3 0-0 3, Caitlynn Daniels 3-5 5-7 11, Kylie Brown 3-6 2-2 9, Lexi Noonan 5-9 0-1 10, Amelia Ivester 2-8 0-0 4, Emily Jasper 0-1 0-0 0, Maddix Stovie 0-1 0-0 0, Jessica Callahan 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 15-35 7-10 39.

C.R. PRAIRIE (35): Sarah Schmitt 4-7 0-1 8, Sid McCrea 4-9 0-2 9, Mallory McDermott 0-10 4-8 4, Rachael Kilpatrick 0-2 0-0 0, Halle Person 3-7 0-0 6, Makenna Moenk 0-3 0-0 0, Lauren Kuch 0-1 0-0 0, Jenna Wagemester 3-8 2-3 8, Quinn Deahl 0-1 0-0 0, Nicole Sullivan 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 14-49 6-14 35.

Halftime: Xavier 23, Prairie 15. 3-point goals: Xavier 2-9 (Stanek 1-3, Daniels 0-2, Brown 1-3, Noonan 0-1), Prairie 1-8 (Schmitt 0-1, McCrea 1-3, McDermott 0-3, Sullivan 0-1). Team fouls: Xavier 14, Prairie 12. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Xavier 34 (Brown 7), Prairie 30 (Person 7). Assists: Xavier 7 (Daniels 4), Prairie 2 (McDermott 2). Steals: Xavier 4 (Daniels 2), Prairie 3 (McDermott 2). Turnovers: Xavier 18, Prairie 9.

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