Cincinnati -- C.J. Anderson led five players in double figures with 14 points, and No. 16 Xavier took advantage of George Washington's weak perimeter defense, rolling to a 71-53 victory Sunday that put the Musketeers back into first place in the Atlantic 10.
The Musketeers (22-5, 10-3) steadied themselves after yet another road loss and moved a half-game ahead of No. 25 Dayton for the conference lead. Ranked for the first time this season, the Flyers lost at Saint Louis 57-49 on Saturday night.
There were more immediate concerns for the Musketeers, who had lost three of their last four games, all on the road. They needed to rebuild confidence fast. George Washington (8-16, 2-10) was the perfect matchup.
Damian Hollis scored 15 points for the Colonials, who fell behind 26-8 and trailed by as many as 25 points.
Xavier plays at Saint Joseph's on Thursday, then has a week off to prepare for its home-court rematch with Dayton, which has lost its last 23 games in Cincinnati.
The Musketeers' recent struggles have underscored their need for a dependable point guard. Terrell Holloway has regressed lately, playing like the true freshman he is. Holloway has passed up open shots on the perimeter and repeatedly gotten shots swatted away on drives to the basket, contributing little to Xavier's halfcourt offense.
The slump prompted coach Sean Miller to make a switch at the position, moving shooting guard Dante Jackson into the role. In the last three games, Holloway had come off the bench and gone 1-for-14 from the field with two points, two assists and three turnovers.
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With 7-foot reserve center Kenny Frease also limited by a sprained ankle, Xavier's offense has taken a hit.
It didn't much matter against George Washington, which was so focused on limiting Xavier's bigger front line that it let the conference's best 3-point shooters get open behind the arc. Xavier made six 3s while taking a 26-8 lead, the last one by Holloway from the right corner. Holloway finished with three points on 1-of-4 shooting and two assists.
Colonials coach Karl Hobbs stayed in his crouch, staring blankly at the opposite end of the court, while his players gathered behind him during a timeout with 10:25 left in the first half. At that point, what's left for a coach to say?
George Washington was coming off its biggest win of the season, 90-62 over St. Bonaventure. Rob Diggs scored a season-high 26 points in that one. Playing a ranked team for the first time this season, the Colonials fell apart. Diggs went 1-for-5 with two points and four fouls.
