Libby Fandel nets 34; Cedar Rapids Xavier wraps up the MVC Mississippi Division title

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Xavier Saints have earned a Mississippi Valley Conference girls’ basketball championship banner, and those don’t come around all the time.

If the Saints were No. 1 in the joy department Friday night at Ron Thillen Gymnasium, the University of Kansas women’s staff had to be a close second.

They’re getting a dandy.

Libby Fandel registered 34 points, 12 rebounds and five steals in front of her future coaches, and Class 4A eighth-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier wrapped up an outright MVC Mississippi Division crown, 57-41, over 5A No. 11 Iowa City West.

The league championship is Xavier’s fifth, its first since 2015 and its first outright title since 2005.

Fandel missed seven of her first eight shots Friday, then made 14 of her last 20.

“It was a little nerve-wracking, but (the KU coaches) have seen me before during club season,” said Fandel, who climbed into a tie for third on the all-time Metro career scoring list, with 1,831 points.

“They know I can score, but I wanted to prove that I could play defense.”

She did. They all did.

The Saints (17-4 overall, 12-2 MVC) held West (14-8, 10-4) to 33.3-percent shooting (14 of 42) from the floor, and closed out those stops with a 36-20 rebounding advantage.

“It’s just a mindset to get the ball,” said Taylor Rexroth, who added eight boards. “I want to set my teammates up for success.”

Xavier trailed 6-4 after a chilly first quarter, but Fandel got hot, leading the Saints to 9-of-12 shooting in the second period and a 25-14 halftime lead.

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West got within 25-21 early in the third, but Fandel erupted for 13 points in a 4-minute span, and Xavier led 42-24 after three.

Friday marked Senior Night for Fandel and Rexroth.

“I’m sad, but I’m thankful that it ended with a win,” Fandel said.

Up next, for both teams, is the postseason. Xavier has won nine straight games and looks like a very, very difficult out.

“My energy is what’s ahead of us,” Lilly said. “That keeps me centered, so I don’t have to worry about riding off on a white horse into the sunset.”

Madden Wilson added nine points and seven rebounds for Xavier; Jaselle Lang scored eight points.

Sasha Baldwin paced West with 13 points. Grace Fincham tallied 10.

Prairie closes out the Valley Division

Class 5A No. 6 Cedar Rapids Prairie raced to a 25-6 lead after one quarter and didn’t led Cedar Rapids Jefferson off the hook.

The final damage was 82-27, sending the Hawks (18-4, 12-2) to their first divisional title since 2013.

Neva’eh Diaz-Doolin and Emily Larsen scored 17 points apiece, Asia Beale registered 16 and Brynlie Hadenfeldt tacked on 12.

Prairie finished two games ahead of four teams (Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids Washington, Dubuque Wahlert and Iowa City High) in the Valley Division.

Cedar Rapids Xavier 57, Iowa City West 41

At C.R. Xavier

IOWA CITY WEST (41): Ava Frese 0-4 0-2 0, Kate Van Waning 3-9 0-0 8, Abby Neumiller 1-3 0-0 3, Grace Fincham 4-10 1-2 10, Sasha Baldwin 4-10 1-2 13, Lauryn Hynek 0-1 2-2 2, Elle Barnett 0-1 1-2 1, Savannah Mathias 2-2 0-0 4, Makayla Bryant 0-0 0-0 0, Ava Bruxvoort 0-0 0-0 0, Sophie Bodin 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 14-42 5-10 41.

C.R. XAVIER (57): Madden Wilson 3-8 3-4 9, Jaselle Lang 3-4 1-2 8, Taylor Rexroth 0-3 2-2 2, Libby Fandel 15-27 1-1 34, Reese Komenda 1-6 2-3 4, Samantha Dorrity 0-1 0-0 0, Cayleigh O’Brien 0-0 0-0 0, Brooklyn Emerson 0-0 0-0 0, Abby Driscoll 0-0 0-0 0, Ella Arens 0-0 0-0 0, Gianna Pino 0-0 0-0 0, Keke Harbeck 0-0 0-0 0, Maizey Fisher 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-49 9-12 57.

Iowa City West 6 8 10 17 — 41

C.R. Xavier 4 21 17 15 — 57

3-point goals: West 8-28 (Frese 0-3, Van Waning 2-6, Neumiller 1-3, Fincham 1-5, Baldwin 4-10, Bodin 0-1), Xavier 4-12 (Wilson 0-1, Lang 1-1, Rexroth 0-2, Fandel 3-7, Komenda 0-1). Team fouls: West 11, Xavier 8. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: West 20 (Fincham 5), Xavier 36 (Fandel 12). Assists: West 10 (Frese 4), Xavier 8 (Fandel 3). Steals: West 9 (Frese 2), Xavier 10 (Fandel 5). Turnovers: West 13, Xavier 14.

Final MVC standings

MISSISSIPPI DIVISION

x-Cedar Rapids Xavier 12-2 17-4

Iowa City West 10-4 14-8

Iowa City Liberty 9-5 15-6

Cedar Rapids Kennedy 7-7 10-11

Linn-Mar 4-10 5-16

Dubuque Senior 1-13 5-16

Western Dubuque 1-13 2-18

VALLEY DIVISION

x-Cedar Rapids Prairie 12-2 18-4

Dubuque Wahlert 10-4 16-4

Cedar Falls 10-4 16-5

Iowa City High 10-4 15-7

Cedar Rapids Washington 10-4 12-9

Cedar Rapids Jefferson 4-10 8-13

Waterloo West 3-11 8-13

Dubuque Hempstead 2-12 7-14

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com