Four players scored in double figures and Lourdes shot 63.5% from the floor on Friday evening as the Gray Wolves opened the 2015-2016 season with a 78-65 victory on the road over Saint Xavier at the Shannon Center in Chicago, Ill.
 
"This was a total team effort tonight," head coach Andre Smith said afterwards.  "We played hard for 40 minutes.  They guys played smart and together and we got great bench play."
 
Zach Steinmetz (Toledo, Ohio/Saint John's H.S.) led the Gray Wolves with 20 points and eight rebounds, making 8-of-13 shots from the floor.  E.J. Blackwell (Rochester, Pa./Rochester H.S.) added 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting while Anthony Swanigan (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike H.S.) contributed 17 points in his Lourdes debut.  Julian Johnson (Columbus, Ohio/Horizon H.S.) chipped in 13 points while handing out nine assists against just one turnover.
 
"E.J. and Julian did a great job handling the point," Smith added..
 
Lourdes scored the season's first five points, keeping the Cougars off of the scoreboard for nearly four minutes.  An 8-0 run by the Gray Wolves increased the lead to 11, 21-10, with just under nine minutes remaining in the first half.  The lead grew to as many as 13 before Saint Xavier battled back, closing to within three, 28-25 late in the stanza.  Lourdes extended the lead back to eight, 35-27, at the break.
 
The Gray Wolves shot 70.4% from the field over the final 20 minutes and Lourdes never trailed the entire contest.  The lead was nine, 69-60, with just under three minutes remaining before the Gray Wolves before a late 9-2 run pushed the lead to 16 in the finals seconds to secure the win.
 
Lourdes outrebounded Saint Xavier 34-26 on the evening and outscored the Cougars 50-19 in the paint.  The Gray Wolves handed out 18 assists while committing just 11 turnovers and went a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line.
 
Stanley Moore led all scorers in the game with 23 points for Saint Xavier (0-1), making 6-of-9 from three-point range.  Larry Motuzis added 18 points for the Cougars.  Saint Xavier shot committed just four turnovers on the night, but shot just 36.7% from the floor in the loss.
 
Lourdes (1-0) will remain in Chicago on Saturday and face Silver Lake (Wis.) in a neutral site contest.  Tip-off at the Shannon Center is set for 3 p.m. EDT.