Women's Basketball Preview: A-10 Championship Final vs. Temple

March 9, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - The Musketeers continue their defense of their Atlantic 10 Championship when the No. 3 seeded Xavier University women's basketball team takes on No. 1 seed Temple on Monday, March 10.  Game time is set for 5 p.m. at Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse in Philadelphia and the contest will be televised nationally on ESPN2. 

The Musketeers improved to 21-9 all-time in the A-10 Championship with their 63-59 victory over No. 13 George Washington in Saturday's semifinal. 

Xavier as the Defending Champ.
The Musketeers have taken home the championship hardware from the A-10 Tournament a total of three times, including last year's title.  The Musketeers are 7-1 when playing as the defending champion.  XU won the title in 2000 and then went 3-0 to repeat as champion in 2001.  The following year, Xavier won twice before falling to Saint Joseph's in the semifinal. 

Regulars in the Semis
Xavier has advanced to the semifinal of the Atlantic 10 Tournament a total of nine times in 13 Tourney appearances.  The Musketeers appeared in the semis six consecutive times (1998-2003) before falling to Temple in the 2004 Quarterfinal.  Xavier has made the A-10 semis nine times in the last 11 years.  Xavier is 5-3 all-time in the A-10 Championship Semifinal.      

Musketeers in the Final
Monday will mark Xavier's second straight appearance in the A-10 Final and its fifth appearance overall.  Xavier is 3-1 all-time in the final, winning back-to-back championships in 2000 and 2001. 
Xavier in the A-10 Final
Year Opponent Result
2007 Saint Joe's W, 65-59
2001 George Washington W, 81-56
2000 George Washington W, 80-66
1999 Saint Joe's L, 85-73

Xavier Leads the Way in A-10 Championship
The Musketeers are 21-9 all-time in the Atlantic 10 Championship and their .700 winning percentage is tops among teams currently playing in the Atlantic 10.  GW's winning percentage of .596 in A-10 Championship play is second among active teams.  Xavier has beaten every team in A-10 Championship play at least once except for Charlotte and Duquesne as XU has never been paired against the 49'ers or the Dukes in A-10 Championship action.

The Series vs. Temple
Xavier is 9-8 all-time vs. the Owls including a 64-55 win on February 9 of this season.  XU has won two in-a-row in the series after  losing the previous six games to TU.  Tonight's showdown is a rematch of last year's A-10 Semifinal, which saw the Musketeers defeat Temple by a 59-58 count and break the aforementioned six game losing skid.  XU is 1-3 vs. the Owls in A-10 Championship play. 

Schedule

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