‘Field Trip Day’ Set for Thursday Against Tennessee Tech

Thursday, December 3

CINCINNATI, OHIO

12 P.M.

Xavier University

Tennessee Tech

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‘Field Trip Day’ Set for Thursday Against Tennessee Tech

12.02.15 | Women's Basketball

Tip-off is slated for noon from Cintas Center

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier women's basketball returns to action on Thursday, Dec. 3 against Tennessee Tech. Tip-off is slated for noon from Cintas Center.

Thursday's game will serve as 'Field Trip Day' with over 2,500 elementary students expected to be in attendance.

Xavier enters the contest with a 4-1 record, most recently defeating Binghamton, 64-55, on Nov. 28. The Musketeers have won three straight games.

Tennessee Tech is 2-4 on the year, most recently falling at home to Southern Miss, 69-57, on Tuesday, Dec. 1. The Golden Eagles enter Thursday's game having lost two straight contests.

SERIES HISTORY

• Thursday's matchup with Tennessee Tech will be the first meeting in school history.

NOTABLES

• Xavier went 2-0 last week and averaged 65.5 points per game, while limiting its opponents to 41 points per game. The Musketeers also held a +26.5 rebounding margin last week.

• Xavier went 37-for-48 from the foul line last week. The Musketeers have hit 74.5 percent of their free throws this season to rank second in the BIG EAST. Individually, Raeshaun Gaffney and Maddison Blackwell rank tied for fourth in free-throw percentage as both players have hit 80 percent of their shots from the foul line.

• Imani Partlow averaged eight points per game and a team-leading 10 rebounds per game last week. The freshman forward added a team-best four steals and went 6-for-10 from the foul line.

• Briana Glover hit 52.6 percent of her shot attempts last week, going 10-for-19 from the floor. The senior forward averaged a team-best 12 points per game to go along with 6.5 rebounds per game.

• Leah Schaefer is averaging a team-best 6.8 rebounds per game this season, ranking ninth in the BIG EAST. The junior forward has added 5.8 points per game and a team-best .550 field-goal percentage.

• Xavier leads the BIG EAST in rebounding margin (+10.0), while ranking second in free-throw percentage (.745) and third in scoring defense (57.4 ppg).

UP NEXT

• Xavier continues its 11-game homestand on Sunday, Dec. 6 against Middle Tennessee State. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.

NCAA STAT RANKINGS

• Xavier ranks 31st nationally in rebounding margin (+10.0) and 45th in free-throw percentage (.745).

• Individually, Marquia Turner ranks 19th nationally in assist/turnover ratio (3.40).

NEAL RECORDS WIN NO. 200

• Head coach Brian Neal picked up his 200th career victory in the win over Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 25. He has compiled a 201-69 record in 10 years as a head coach.

NOTEWORTHY PERFORMANCES

• Sophomore Marquia Turner dished out a career-high eight assists in the win over Maryland Eastern Shore, the most by a Xavier player since Ty O'Neill had eight versus High Point on Nov. 19, 2012.

• Anniina Äijänen pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds in the win over Southeastern Louisiana. The 15 rebounds are the most in a game since Jenna Crittendon had 17 against Wright State on Dec. 15, 2012.

• Xavier held Southeastern Louisiana to 27 points, the fewest allowed by the Musketeers since defeating Maryville, 67-21, on Dec. 5, 1980. The 40-point win is also the largest margin of victory since Nov. 30, 2010 when the Musketeers topped Mississippi Valley State, 85-40.

• Xavier also pulled down 64 rebounds in the win over Southeastern Louisiana, the second most in school history. The Musketeers had 68 rebounds against Wright State on Feb. 12, 1976. The 64 rebounds are the most by a BIG EAST team this season, while ranking sixth nationally.

PRESEASON POLL

• Xavier was picked to finish sixth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches Poll as announced at the conference's annual media day at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 14.

THE SCHEDULE

• Xavier will play 19 games at Cintas Center this season, the most in school history. The Musketeers previously set the record last year when they hosted 18 games, including two postseason tournament contests.

• Xavier has posted a 183-62 overall record at Cintas Center since the building opened in 2000.

• The Musketeers posted a 12-6 mark at home last year, the team's 10th season with 10 or more wins inside Cintas Center.

• The Musketeers will host the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout against Cincinnati on Dec. 13. Xavier won last year's meeting, 72-71, at Cincinnati on Dec. 14. Xavier has won eight of the last 11 meetings between the two schools.

• Xavier will face four teams this season for the first time in school history (Maryland-Eastern Shore, Southeastern Louisiana, Tennessee Tech and Radford).

BIG EAST DIGITAL NETWORK

• Every BIG EAST women's basketball game that will not be carried on FOX Sports 1 or FOX Sports 2 will be aired on the BIG EAST Digital Network (BEDN).

• The BEDN launched in 2014-15 with its own branded channel on the FOX Sports GO app. The league is the first and only collegiate conference to be hosted on FOX's mobile platform, FOX Sports Go. The app provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content at home or on-the-go.

NATIONAL BROADCASTS

• Xavier will play four nationally broadcasts games this season via FOX. The Musketeers will play three games on FOX Sports 1 and one on FOX Sports 2.

BIG EAST TOURNAMENT

• DePaul's McGrath-Phillips Arena will serve as the host site of the 2016 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Tournament as voted on by the conference's athletic directors. The tournament will be held on March 5-8 in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of downtown Chicago.