MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – St. Thomas (0-1) opened its 2017-18 season with a nail-bitting loss to Xavier University of Louisiana (1-0) as the final score read 73-75 on Friday afternoon at the Fernandez Family Center. 

Philip Saunders started the game with two long shots, lead the Bobcat with 5-0 to start the game, and he finished the first half strong with 12 points, four rebounds and five assists.

In the first half, the lead changed 11 times between both teams. The Bobcats were trailed by two points, 35-37, to finish the first half.

The competition was intense as both teams tied three times and 17 lead changes during the game. St. Thomas knocked in 10 three-point shots.

Five Bobcats scored in double figures, Philip Saunders got 12 points, four rebounds and five assists in 19 minutes. Tim Sada scored 12 points while Khalil Williams scored 10. Kamil Brown got 13 points and seven rebounds. Fotios Malelis posted a 13 point game and a nine rebound performance.

When the game was nearing its end with 1:04 on the clock, two consecutive 3-point shots were made from Brown and Antoine Joe. This helped St. Thomas bring this game to a one point deficit at 71-72. STU looked for the win with possession in the final seconds of the game but came up just short, as XU won by a final score of 75-73.

St. Thomas will be up against the University of the Virgin Islands at home on day two of a back-to-back, with the game set to tip-off at 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 28 at the Fernandez Family Center. 

On Sunday, November 5, St. Thomas University will hold the 9^th Annual Stone Crab Dinner at Fernandez Family Center at 6 pm. Andy Elisburg will be inducted into Bobcat Sports Hall of Fame at that time.

Everyone is welcome to attend, for more information and to purchase tickets, click on www.stu.edu/stonecrabdinner.

Let's Gos Bobcats!