Xavier Set for Sunday Matinee at No. 20/21 DePaul

Sunday, January 15

Chicago, Ill.

3 p.m.

Xavier University

No. 20/21 DePaul

Xavier Set for Sunday Matinee at No. 20/21 DePaul

01.14.17 | Women's Basketball

Live Stats Watch Live - BEDN Live Audio XU Notes (PDF)

Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. ET from McGrath-Phillips Arena

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CHICAGO - Xavier women's basketball continues BIG EAST action at No. 20/21 DePaul on Sunday, Jan. 15. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. ET from McGrath-Phillips Arena with the game being aired on the BIG EAST Digital Network.

The Musketeers (10-7, 2-4) have dropped two in a row and bring a 2-3 road record into Sunday's game. The Blue Demons (15-4, 7-0) have won nine straight and are 8-1 at home this season.

THE MATCHUP VS DEPAUL

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (10-7, 2-4) at NO. 20/21 DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS (15-4, 7-0)
Game Info: Sunday, Jan. 15 - 3 p.m. ET - McGrath-Phillips Arena (3,000)
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/2jjcWTu
Live Video - BEDN: http://bit.ly/2jkqy0k
Live Audio: http://bit.ly/2j9c5Vk

ABOUT THE BLUE DEMONS

2016-17 Record: 15-4 (7-0 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier trails, 12-1

NOTABLES
• DePaul leads the BIG EAST in scoring offense (83.5), scoring margin (+14.5), assists (20.7) and three pointers made (10.3).
• Brooke Schulte paces the team in scoring (14.7) and field-goal percentage (.513), while Jacqui Grant leads the team in rebounding (7.8).
• DePaul was picked to win the conference in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll. The Blue Demons posted a 27-9 (16-2) record last season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with DePaul, 12-1. The Musketeers lone victory was on Jan. 23, 1984 in the first meeting between the two schools, 82-72.

• Raeshaun Gaffney averaged a team-high 12 points and five rebounds per game in the series last season. Imani Partlow and Marquia Turner both added seven points per game.

• Raeshaun Gaffney has averaged 10.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in five career meetings with DePaul. She has added six assists and five steals in those outings.

XU VS TOP-25 TEAMS

• The Musketeers are 11-35 all-time against teams ranked in the top-25. The last time Xavier played a top- 25 team was against No. 20 Oklahoma on Dec. 19, 2016 at the Puerto Rico Classic – Las Vegas. The Sooners defeated the Musketeers, 81-69.

• The Musketeers last win over a top-25 team was on Nov. 26, 2009 over No. 18 Kansas, 76-71, at the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas.

LAST TIME OUT: AT MARQUETTE

• Xavier dropped an 85-61 contest at Marquette on Friday, Jan. 13. The Musketeers couldn't overcome a third quarter that saw the Golden Eagles outscore Xavier, 29-12. Marquette hit 76.5 percent (13-for-17) of its shot attempts in the third quarter.

• Raeshaun Gaffney led three Xavier players in double figures with 12 points. The senior guard added six rebounds.

• Marquia Turner had 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds. The junior guard was also one of three Xavier players with four assists in the game.

RECORD WATCH: GAFFNEY

• Raeshaun Gaffney is 10 points shy of scoring her 1,000th career point. She has averaged 9.5 points per game during her four-year playing career.

FROM BEHIND THE ARC

• Xavier has made 107 three-pointers this season, only one shy of its total from all of last season. The Musketeers are averaging 6.3 three pointers per game, while hitting 33.9 percent of their shots from behind the arc – ranking third in the BIG EAST.

TALE OF TWO HALVES

• Xavier has shot nearly six percent better in the first half of games this season versus the second half (44.5% vs. 38.6%). The Musketeers have also hit 41.1 percent of their three pointers in the first half compared to a .254 clip in the second half.

FASTBREAK POINTS

• Imani Partlow posted 11 points and four rebounds in 19 minutes of action off the bench at Marquette. The sophomore forward has scored in double figures six times during her career.

• Xavier scored a season-high 20 fastbreak points at Marquette. The Musketeers also had 16 assists, their fifth game of the year with 16 or more assists.

• Raeshaun Gaffney ranks third in the BIG EAST in scoring (15.4 ppg) and eighth in free-throw percentage (.771). The senior guard also ranks fifth in three-point field-goal percentage (.408).

• Raeshaun Gaffney has hit 31 three-pointers this season, 17 more than she posted all of last season. She has drained 40.8 percent (31-for-76) of her shot attempts from behind the arc.

• Imani Partlow ranks eighth in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage (.486). Marquia Turner ranks fifth in assists per game (4.1), while Maddison Blackwell ranks ninth in rebounds per game (6.3).

• Over the last two seasons, Xavier has held an opponent under 50 points nine times. The Musketeers' scoring defense currently ranks second in the BIG EAST (57.9 ppg).

• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage defense (.369) and third in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.287) and scoring defense (59.9).

• The win over Michigan marked the 200th program victory at Cintas Center. Xavier has compiled a 201-68 record since the building opened for the 2000-01 season.

SCHAEFER'S BREAKOUT SEASON

• Leah Schaefer ranks third in the BIG EAST in blocks (1.8 bpg), while ranking eighth in rebounding (6.4 rpg). The senior forward has already blocked 28 shots this season, nine more than her total from each of the previous three seasons. She also ranks 49th nationally in blocked shots.

• Leah Schaefer has 87 career blocks to rank fifth all-time at Xavier. The forward has also pulled down 546 career rebounds, 57 rebounds shy of entering the career top-10 in the statistical category.

• Leah Schaefer is also averaging 2.5 more rebounds per game this season than she did a year ago (6.4-3.9). She has pulled down 10 or more rebounds in a game three times this season, increasing her career double-figure rebounding games to seven.

GAFFNEY'S CAREER NIGHT

• Raeshaun Gaffney scored a career-high 33 points on 12-for-23 shooting against Seton Hall. The 33 points were the most by a BIG EAST player this season and the most by a Xavier player since March 21, 2010 when Amber Harris scored 31 points versus East Tennessee State.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

• Raeshaun Gaffney was named to the BIG EAST Weekly honor roll on Monday after averaging 21.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game last week. She also posted a .460 field-goal percentage.

• All told, Xavier has had a player recognized six times this season.

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• The Musketeers posted a winning record last season, the 22nd winning record for Xavier since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 1982-83.

• Xavier returns two starters in seniors Raeshaun Gaffney and Maddison Blackwell. Gaffney led the team in scoring (11.1 ppg) and rebounding (4.8) last year, while Blackwell added 9.2 points per game in BIG EAST play with a .516 field-goal percentage – the fourth highest in the conference.

• Brian Neal returns to the bench for his fourth season as head coach. Last season, he picked up his 200th career victory as a head coach. He now has a 224-89 in 11 years as a head coach.

XU BASKETBALL HISTORY

• Xavier has made nine NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently advancing to the tournament's second round in 2011.

• The Musketeers' best NCAA Tournament finish was in 2001 and 2010 as XU advanced to the Elite Eight.

UP NEXT

• Xavier returns to action on Friday, Jan. 20 against Georgetown at Cintas Center. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. with the game being aired on FS1.