ASTON, Pa. – The Marymount University men's basketball team used a strong second half to earn an 89-65 win over Neumann University on Saturday in Atlantic East Conference play.

Senior Xavier Reaves led the team with 29 points, including 17 in the second half, while converting on five-of-six shots from long range. He also paced the team defensively with five steals.

The Saints came out hot with a 19-9 run in the first eight minutes, capped by a layup from sophomore Montell Cooper. Reaves connected on three three-pointers in the run, as well.

Neumann fought back to cut the lead to just two, 21-19, but Marymount answered with 12-straight points to rebuild its lead, led by eight points from junior Jared Perry on two threes and a layup.

After the Knights came back again in the final moments of the first half, the Saints took a 37-34 lead into the break. Reaves' 12 points paced the team, as MU shot 45.2% in the half. The Saints held a 20-16 edge in rebounding, as well.

Reaves connected on a fastbreak layup off of his own steal less than three minutes into the second half to rebuild a 10-point lead, 48-38. Senior Miles Brown and Reaves followed with back-to-back threes to continue to build the lead.

Neumann made one more effort to get back into the game with a run to bring the lead down to four, 60-56, but a pair of threes from sophomore Marcus Stubbs put the Saints back up by double-digits for good, 70-60.

MU shot a blistering 64.5 percent in the second half, including a 5-for-11 clip from three. Well on its way to victory, the team pushed the lead to as many as 26 on a Cooper layup with 13 seconds left.

Five Saints finished in double-figures, with senior Roey Stern (14), Stubbs (11), Cooper (10), and Perry (10) joining Reaves. Stern led the team with seven rebounds and six assists, as well.

The Saints will return to the Converse Family Fieldhouse for their next game, hosting Immaculata University in conference play on Wednesday, January 26. The game is set for 8 p.m.