The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - Reetta Piipari scored 17 points and Xavier made some late free throws, holding off defending Atlantic 10 Conference champion Temple 64-56 Thursday night.

The Musketeers (16-7, 8-4 A-10) went without a field goal for the game's final 7:52, but sank 15 free throws.

Tara Boothe had 15 points and eight rebounds for XU, and Amy Waugh added 14 points. Kristy Wallner finished with 11 rebounds for the Musketeers, reaching a career high for the second straight game.

Xavier led 29-25 at halftime, with the help of a 17-0 run midway through the first half that took the Musketeers from a one-point deficit to a 28-12 advantage.

Ari Moore led the Owls (8-14, 4-7) with 18 points.

Xavier (16-7, 8-4)--Boothe 4-8 7-11 15, Henderson 3-8 3-3 9, Waugh 2-6 8-8 14, Piipari 7-13 3-4 17, Wallner 1-4 1-2 4, Wells 1-1 1-1 3, Sarajlija 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 19-42 23-29 64.

Temple (8-14, 4-7)--Belafonte 0-2 0-0 0, Moore 7-11 4-4 18, Pam 4-5 0-0 8, Hamilton 2-8 0-0 4, Smalls 5-18 0-0 10, Jordan 3-6 4-4 12, Cruz 1-2 0-2 2, Owens 0-4 0-0 0, Miller 1-3 0-0 2, Jones 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-59 8-10 56.

Halftime: Xavier 29-25. 3-point goals: Xavier 3-6 (Waugh 2-4, Piipari 0-1, Wallner 1-1), Temple 2-14 (Hamilton 0-1, Smalls 0-9, Jordan 2-3, Owens 0-1). Rebounds: Xavier 34 (Wallner 11), Temple 27 (Moore 7). Assists: Xavier 8 (Waugh, Piipari 3), Temple 11 (Jordan, Owens 3).

Northern Kentucky 87, Southern Indiana 62

Bridget Flanagan led all scorers with 22 points, helping the Norse stay unbeaten at home this season.

Amy Mobley had 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists for NKU (17-4, 13-3 Great Lakes Valley Conference), which improved to 11-0 at Regents Hall.

The Norse, ranked 21st in the NCAA Division II poll, never trailed.

Connie Myers, Elizabeth Burrows and Sharell Snardon each scored 10 points for NKU, which held a 47-33 halftime advantage and expanded its lead to as many as 30 points.

Africa Sherrod scored 14 points and Shannon Wells chipped in 11 for the Screaming Eagles (7-15, 5-10), who were outrebounded 41-25.

Southern Indiana (7-15, 5-10)--McIntosh 3-10 1-2 9, Lindsey 0-3 2-2 2, Schenk 2-3 0-0 4, Sherrod 6-11 0-1 14, Calhoun 0-5 0-2 0, Miller 3-8 0-0 6, Johnson 3-3 2-2 9, Green 3-4 1-2 7, Lechlitner 0-1 0-0 0, Wells 2-4 7-8 11, Nelson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-53 13-19 62.

Northern Kentucky (17-4, 13-3)--Mobley 5-8 4-6 16, Polosky 2-5 1-1 6, Myers 5-7 0-4 10, Burrows 3-4 4-4 10, Flanagan 8-16 2-2 22, Newton 0-1 0-0 0, Marx 0-0 0-0 0, Sterling 0-2 0-0 0, Snardon 3-7 4-5 10, Phillips 4-4 0-0 8, Brock 2-5 0-0 5. Totals 32-59 15-22 87.

Halftime: Northern Kentucky 47-33. 3-point goals: Southern Indiana 5-16 (McIntosh 2-7, Schenk 0-1, Sherrod 2-3, Calhoun 0-2, Miller 0-1, Johnson 1-1, Lechlitner 0-1), Northern Kentucky 8-19 (Mobley 2-3, Polosky 1-2, Burrows 0-1, Flanagan 4-9, Newton 0-1, Sterling 0-1, Brock 1-2). Rebounds: Southern Indiana 25 (Lindsey 5), Northern Kentucky 41 (Mobley 8). Assists: Southern Indiana 8 (Green 4), Northern Kentucky 24 (Polosky 6).