X-Men edge Tigers 75-74 in home opener

ANTIGONISH, NS - It's now three wins in a row for the STFX X-Men after a close 75-74 victory over the Dalhousie Tigers on Wednesday evening on Coach K Court.

X-Men guard DJ Jackson led all scorers with 22 points, followed by Gabriel Pizza Player of the Game Matt Pennell, with 15, all from three-point land. Riley Stewart had 20 for the Tigers, followed by Spencer Riar with 16.  

STFX held the Tigers scoreless for the first four minutes of the game, and four points from Koat Thomas had the home team up 6-4 halfway through the opening quarter. A 10-3 run by the X-Men, including two triples from Pennell, made it 16-7 as the teams switched ends of the floor.   

The Tigers clawed back into the game in the second quarter, with triples from Isiah Graham-Roache and Ukiah Best leading a big Dalhousie run that pulled them within three points by halftime.  

It was a back-and-forth third quarter, but back-to-back triples from Best and Riar pulled the teams even with three minutes to go. The X-Men replied with six straight on two shots from Pennell and Owen Frayne, and the X-Men were still up by three at the start of the final stanza.  

Five straight points from the Tigers pulled them within three points with four minutes left in the game. A triple from Stewart tied things up shortly before a highlight and-1 from Jackson again made it a three-point game a minute later.

Dalhousie again replied, but another deep ball from Frayne gave STFX a slim lead with 30 seconds left, followed by a free throw from Thomas. A Dalhousie three made it 75-74 late but STFX held on for the win. 

The X-Men and Tigers clash again on Saturday, November 1, at 8 p.m. in Halifax.  

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Recap courtesy Matt Draper