CINCINNATI (Interstat) — In a game defined by defense and missed opportunities, the Xavier Musketeers escaped with a 62-61 victory over the Fort Wayne Mastodons in a non-conference women’s basketball thriller on Friday night at Cintas Center.

The contest, witnessed by an intimate crowd of 692, was a tale of two halves and a dramatic final minute that saw the Mastodons fall just short of a comeback victory that was statistically projected to be likely.

Fort Wayne started strong, building a 17-14 lead after the first quarter behind the interior presence of Lili Krasovec. The Mastodons’ momentum evaporated in the second period as Xavier’s offense found its rhythm. The Musketeers exploded for 23 points in the quarter, powered by Mariyah Noel, to take a 37-27 lead into halftime.

The Mastodons responded after the break, mounting a furious third-quarter rally. They outscored Xavier 20-16 in the period, chipping away at the deficit with a balanced attack to enter the final frame trailing by just six points.

The fourth quarter was a defensive struggle, with both teams struggling to score. Xavier managed only nine points, while Fort Wayne put up 14. The game came down to the wire, with Fort Wayne having a chance to win in the final seconds.

With the score 62-61, the Mastodons secured a defensive stop and called a timeout with 23 seconds remaining. Out of the break, Alana Nelson connected on a mid-range jump shot with just seconds left, but the officials waved it off, ruling the shot came after the expiration of the shot clock. Xavier then successfully inbounded the ball to run out the clock and secure the narrow win.

Noel was the undeniable star for Xavier, recording a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds in 38 minutes of action. Her performance was crucial in countering Fort Wayne’s top scorer, Alana Nelson, who finished with a game-high 23 points for the Mastodons.

While the final score was close, the game’s statistical profile was a study in contrasts. Fort Wayne’s offense was more efficient, posting an offensive rating of 83.8 points per 100 possessions compared to Xavier’s 80.3. The Mastodons also shot better from the floor, converting 38% of their field goals to Xavier’s 41%, and were significantly more effective from beyond the arc, hitting 9 of 26 three-point attempts while Xavier made just 5 of 20.

The deciding factor was Xavier’s dominance in forcing mistakes and capitalizing at the free-throw line. The Musketeers committed a staggering 21 turnovers, but Fort Wayne could only convert them into 16 points. Conversely, Xavier’s defense forced 11 Mastodon turnovers and scored only 6 points off them, but the Musketeers made their free throws count, shooting 9 for 13 from the line. Fort Wayne attempted just 8 free throws, making 4.

Krasovec provided a versatile performance for Fort Wayne with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. For Xavier, Savannah White added 9 points and 6 rebounds, while Petra Oborilova contributed 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.

With the loss, Fort Wayne falls to 0-2 on the young season, while Xavier improves to 2-0. The Mastodons will look for their first win when they host Purdue on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Xavier continues its homestand against Dayton on Tuesday, Nov. 11.