PROVIDENCE, RI --- The Xavier University Musketeers, 12-3 overall, ran their Atlantic 10 Conference recored to 3-1 with a 99-82 win over Rhode Island on Saturday night at the Providence Civic Center. Xavier displayed a balanced offense in the win, including an impressive 48 points from a pair of first-year stars.

Freshman guard Romain Sato led Xavier with a career-high 31 points on the strength of a school record eight three-point field goals. Sato hit 9-of-13 from the field, including 8-of-11 from three-point range. The game-high 31 points mark the second-highest point total ever by a Xavier freshman. Darnell Williams scored 35 in a 1996 win over Duquesne at Cincinnati Gardens. In addition, the eight three-pointers are tied for the best ever by an A-10 freshman (Donnie Carr had 8 versus Fordham in 1997), which is just one shy of the A-10 single game record for all classes (9). Sato’s eight three-pointers helped XU tie the team school record for three-pointers with 14.

First-year sophomore guard Lionel Chalmers scored 17 points. Sophomore forward/center David West recorded his third straight “double-double” with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while junior guard/forward Lloyd Price scored a season-high 18 points on the strength of 6-of-8 shooting from the field.

“The best thing I can say about this game is that it was a win, a road win,” said Xavier head coach Skip Prosser.”

Xavier jumped out to a 10-0 lead at the start of the game and extended that lead to 17 points at 19-2 before the first TV timeout was called at the 16-minute mark of the first half. XU led by as many as 23 points on three different occasions in the first half, the last coming at 48-25 with 5:48 left before intermission. Some sloppy offensive play opened the door for the Rams to close within 11 points, 55-44, at halftime.

“We came out with a lot of energy and focus at the start of the game,” said Prosser. “We started to stop ourselves too much late in the first half after building up the big lead. We came out in the second half and re-asserted ourselves.”

After scoring the first basket of the second half, Rhode Island had closed to within nine points at 55-46 with 19:18 left, the closest URI would get the entire game following XU’s 10-0 start. That’s when the Musketeers took control of the game, stretching the lead to 26 points at 90-64 with 8:21 left. Prosser then starting emptying the bench.

Zach Marbury led Rhode Island with 25 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. URI fell to 4-12 overall and 0-3 in the Atlantic 10.

The Xavier Musketeers return to action on Tuesday night at George Washington.