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The X-Men kicked off their AUS regular season with a win over traditional rival, the St Mary's Huskies, 73-66 in Antigonish.  This year, cross divisional contests are worth four points (vs. two for intra-divisional games) so this was an important win for X. 

This game was a roller coaster ride for the large, enthusiastic crowd at the Oland Centre.  X started strong, led by the outside shooting of Zach Russell and other perimeter players.  At the half, X led by 11, 39-28.  The second half started very well for the X-Men.  Two dunks by Neil MacDonald and 2 fast break lay-ups by sparkplug Jon Bell got the crowd going.  Four minutes in, X led by 15.  For the next  4 to 5 minutes, X looked like they would blow the game wide open, building leads of up to 19 points. 

However, with about 12 minutes to play, SMU started to chip away at the lead.  X allowed SMU to dictate the tempo (they slowed it down) and X got sloppy with the ball, turning it over numerous times.  The lead slipped from 19 to under ten with 7 minutes to play.  With under 3 to play, SMU's Geoff Williams hit his first field goal, a tough reverse layup, to cut the lead to one.  At this point, X's Tyler Richards came to the rescue.  Richards was fouled on a shot and made one of two.  X got a stop, and on the next possession Richards used a pick at the top of the key to get some space and drilled a three to increase the lead to 5.  A couple of stops, a Jon Bell slashing lay-up and a short jumper by Neil MacDonald pushed the lead to a comfortable 9 points with a minute and a half to play. 

Neil MacDonald had a terrific game for the X-Men with 23 points (on 8 of 14 shooting) and 8 rebounds.  MacDonald hit from both close to the basket as well as with an efficient mid-range jumper.  Zach Russell kicked in 12 points and Jon Bell 9.    Mike Baxter played a great second half, showing the slashing style he used effectively last season.  Baxter finished with 8 points and 7 boards.  Newcomer Jerome Goodman paced SMU with 22.

For the game, X shot 53 percent to SMU's 40%.  SMU out-rebounded X 31-29.  X needs to cut down on its turnovers as the season progresses.  They committed 20 (to SMUs 18) for the game. 

Boxscore

                          2004-05 AUS Men's Basketball
               Saint Mary's Huskies vs StFX X-Men (Nov 12, 2004)

VISITORS: Saint Mary's Huskies
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player                 FG FGA FG FGA FT FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 Jonathan Thibault... *  5 12   2  2   2  2   0  2  2   2  14  1  2  0  5  30
21 Nelson Carvery...... *  6 13   4  5   0  0   3  4  7   3  16  2  4  0  1  35
32 Damon Cole.......... *  1  6   0  0   1  4   0  0  0   4   3  2  1  0  1  14
34 Jerome Goodman...... * 10 23   0  0   2  7   6  7 13   2  22  0  2  3  0  40
45 Morgan Gallagher.... *  0  0   0  0   0  0   2  1  3   3   0  0  2  0  0  18
11 Geoff Williams......    1  2   0  1   2  2   0  0  0   1   4  0  0  0  0  10
31 Mark Ross...........    1  4   1  2   0  1   0  3  3   1   3  6  5  0  1  26
43 Damian Gay..........    0  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   8
44 Christian Pederson..    1  1   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   3   2  0  1  0  0   5
55 Dean Jones..........    0  2   0  0   2  2   1  2  3   1   2  2  1  0  0  15
TM TEAM................
   Totals..............   25 63   7 10   9 18  12 19 31  20  66 13 18  3  8 201

TOTAL FG%:  .397   DEADBALL
3-Pt. FG%:  .700   REBOUNDS
F Throw %:  .500      6,2

HOME TEAM: StFX X-Men
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player                 FG FGA FG FGA FT FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 Alex Stephen........ *  1  1   0  0   1  2   0  6  6   3   3  0  2  1  2  18
11 Zach Russell........ *  3  6   2  3   4  4   2  0  2   1  12  5  4  0  1  28
15 Neil MacDonald...... *  8 14   0  0   7  7   1  7  8   2  23  0  4  1  2  28
20 Jonathan Bell....... *  4  7   1  2   0  1   0  2  2   1   9  2  2  0  5  32
32 Garry Gallimore..... *  1  3   1  3   3  4   0  1  1   3   6  1  5  0  1  29
21 Michael Baxter......    4  8   0  2   0  1   2  5  7   3   8  0  2  0  0  24
22 John Bustin.........    0  0   0  0   2  2   0  0  0   1   2  0  0  0  0   5
23 Tyler Richards......    2  4   2  3   1  2   0  0  0   1   7  0  0  2  1  20
30 Edwin Reynolds......    1  2   0  0   1  2   0  3  3   2   3  0  0  1  0  16
TM TEAM................                                             1
   Totals..............   24 45   6 13  19 25   5 24 29  17  73  8 20  5 12 200

TOTAL FG%:  .533   DEADBALL
3-Pt. FG%:  .462   REBOUNDS
F Throw %:  .760      3,3

Date: Nov 12, 2004  Site: Antigonish, NS (Oland Gym)  Attendance: 0
Officials:
Technical fouls: Saint Mary's Huskies-None. StFX X-Men-None.
Score by Periods      1  2   Total
Saint Mary's Huskies 28 38  - 66
StFX X-Men.......... 39 34  - 73
Imported from NOV12SFX.BXP
Game ID: NOV12SFX