November 29, 2008 | AP Press

CINCINNATI, OH — Derrick Brown scored a career-high 23 points Saturday, and Xavier (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) overcame cold shooting and the loss of another point guard to stay unbeaten with a 60-53 victory over Miami (Ohio).

The Musketeers improved to 6-0 for the first time since 1996-97, when they won their first 10 games. Like most of their games against Miami, this one took on a slog-it-out pace. Xavier pulled it out even though its two points guards were hurt.

Freshman Terrell Holloway suffered a stress fracture in his left foot during the Musketeers’ three wins at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off last week, culminating in their 63-58 win over Memphis. Dante Jackson appeared to pull a leg muscle in the second half Saturday and left with 6:20 to go.

Kenny Hayes scored 19 points for Miami (2-3), which has played nationally ranked teams in three of its first five games. The RedHawks also lost to UCLA 64-59 and Pittsburgh 82-53.

Miami’s extended man-to-man defense gummed up Xavier’s offense from the outset. The Musketeers missed six of their first seven shots, allowing the RedHawks to pull ahead 10-2. Miami led by as many as 11 in the first half, with Xavier off the mark from everywhere on the court. The Musketeers even missed six of their first seven free throws.

Brown made a 3-pointer and four consecutive free throws, snapping Xavier out of its funk. Brown’s free throw with 1:12 left in the half completed a 13-2 run and tied it at 24, but Michael Bramos’ 35-footer at the buzzer put Miami up 27-24 at intermission.

Last season in Oxford, Bramos made three free throws with 6 seconds left, then blocked a shot that preserved Miami’s 59-57 win. On Saturday, he scored 15 points and fouled out with 2:10 to go.

B.J. Raymond missed his first seven shots from behind the arc before connecting with 7:27 to go, putting the Musketeers ahead to stay at 41-38.

Raymond’s free throw gave Xavier a 48-42 lead with 4:58 left. Back-to-back baskets by Bramos got the lead down to one, but Brown made a pair of free throws in a six-point run that blunted the comeback. Then, Brown made two more that pushed it to 59-49 with 37 seconds to go.

Xavier went only 22-of-38 from the free-throw line and 2-of-12 from behind the 3-point arc.