Xavier

CINCINNATI -- Jamie Gladden scored 21 points to lead Xavie to an 87-68 victory over Loyola College last night at Cincinnati Gardens.Gladden was one of four Musketeers in double figures. Backcourt running mate Ron Davenport had 18, including four three-pointers, as Xavier (4-1) broke open a close game with a 13-0 run midway through the second half.Kevin Green led all scorers with 23, including 17 in the first half. Kevin Anderson finished with 13 and Tracy Bergan added 11 for the Greyhounds (2-3)

Katie Rutan, a 5-foot-8 shooting guard from Xavier, is transferring to Maryland, Terps coach Brenda Frese announced Thursday. Rutan played two seasons at Xavier, shooting nearly 40 percent from beyond the 3-point line. "Katie has a chance to bring something to our team that will fill a need — a pure shooter," Frese said. "She's the kind of player who loves to be in the gym getting shots up and always thinks she's going to make her next one. " She averaged nearly 8.0 points per game as a Musketeer and was an Atlantic-10 All-Rookie selection as a freshman.

It had been 14 years since Xavier had dealt with a losing season, and 16 years since Skip Prosser hadn't been associated with a winner, but the coach and the Musketeers' fans weren't troubled after the little Jesuit school in Cincinnati went 13-15 last season."

Senior guard Skip Saunders became the 10th UMBC men's basketball player to score 1,000 points on his breakaway layup with 9:59 remaining in the first quarter of last night's matchup with Xavier University.Unfortunately for the Retrievers, Saunders' milestone came on a night that belonged to the Musketeers.Xavier, which has won five straight since losing its road opener to Duke, got to start free lancing early, as it opened up a 20-point lead midway through the second half and coasted to a 92-66 victory before 1,761 at UMBC Field House.

The Washington Bullets yesterday signed forward Derek Strong of Xavier to a 10-day contract that will begin with tomorrow night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Capital Centre.Drafted in the second round in 1990 by the Philadelphia 76ers, Strong opted to play for Huesca La Magia in the Spanish League.He played last summer for the Miami Tropics in the U.S. Basketball League and then reported to 76ers training camp. In a rookie game against the New York Knicks, Strong sprained his right knee and was placed on medical suspension before the regular season began.

Eleven years of frustration at the Division I level ended last night for the Loyola College basketball team.The Greyhounds finally grabbed that one big victory they have been looking for to prove they can play with some of better teams in the country.Xavier University, a team that has been to six straight NCAA tournaments, was the victim last night at Reitz Arena, along with Pete Gillen, their highly regarded coach.Gillen was being wooed by Notre Dame te replace Digger Phelps last spring but decided to remain at Xavier.

For the third time in the past six years, Loyola College announced its need for a new men's basketball coach yesterday, after Dino Gaudio resigned to take an assistant's position under Xavier coach Skip Prosser. Gaudio, 43, leaves with a 32-52 record in three seasons, including a 7-20 campaign in 1999-2000 that was marked by the departure of three key players."I have tremendous respect for the college and the administration," he said. "I feel, however, that the school will be best served in going in a new direction."

Sam Young scored 32 points and DeJuan Blair added a double double as No. 1 seed Pittsburgh advanced to the round of 16 for the fifth time in eight years with an 84-76 win over Oklahoma State yesterday in Dayton, Ohio. Pitt (30-4) will play Xavier in the East Regional semifinals in Boston on Thursday. "It's a tough bracket we're in," said Blair, who had 10 points and 12 rebounds. "We're just fighting through it." Oklahoma State threw every punch it had. Obi Muonelo scored 19 points for the eighth-seeded Cowboys (23-12)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The four-man tag team that Maryland used to wrestle down David West was one of the talking points in its win over Xavier, but that crew's work in the transition sprint relay was just as impressive. The defensive effort of Tahj Holden, Ryan Randle, Jamar Smith and Travis Garrison frustrated West, a consensus first-team All-American who said, "I've seen that type of defense all year," but nonetheless had his third-worst shooting game of the season. They fatigued him by running hard to their own basket, one reason the Musketeers' gallant comeback attempt wilted.

- Months after being expelled by Xavier, Maryland basketball player Dez Wells said Tuesday that he finally feels a sense of relief because he has arrived in a place that feels like "home. " "I had faith I would be in the best situation possible at the end of the road. And I feel like I'm in the best situation," Wells said in his first interview with local media since transferring to Maryland this summer. "I feel a lot of relief. It's home away from home. " The 6-foot-5 Wells, who can play guard or small forward, was dismissed by Xavier following his freshman season after a sexual-assault allegation that a prosecutor said was unproven.