Musketeers Close Non-Conference Play with Monday Matinee

Monday, December 21

CINCINNATI, OHIO

1 P.M.

Xavier University

Kennesaw State University

Tickets

Musketeers Close Non-Conference Play with Monday Matinee

12.20.15 | Women's Basketball

Xavier plays host to Kennesaw State at 1 p.m.

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier women's basketball concludes non-conference action on Monday, Dec. 21 against Kennesaw State. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. from Cintas Center.

The Musketeers are coming off a 70-47 win over Howard on Dec. 19, the squad's third consecutive win. Xavier is 8-2 on the year with an 8-1 mark when playing at Cintas Center.

Kennesaw State is 4-8 on the year and 0-6 in road games. The Owls have dropped two straight, most recently falling at Morehead State, 83-77, on Dec. 19.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with Kennesaw State, 1-0. The Musketeers dropped a 61-60 contest at Kennesaw State last year on Dec. 22, 2014.

LAST TIME OUT VS KSU

• Kennesaw State's Deandrea Sawyers hit a three pointer from the left wing with 1.7 seconds remaining in regulation to spoil the Musketeers second-half comeback and post the 61-60 victory.

• Trailing 48-39 with 12:22 left in the contest, the Musketeers engineered a 13-2 run over the next six minutes to take a 52-50 lead - their first lead since the 13:59 mark in the first half. A Raeshaun Gaffney three pointer with 2:06 remaining in regulation put the Musketeers ahead by six, 60-54, before the Owls scored seven unanswered points to end the contest.

• Four Musketeers scored in the loss, led by Maleeka Kynard's game-high 14 points. Leah Schaefer added 10 points and eight rebounds, while Briana Glover had 13 points and Raeshaun Gaffney had 12.

NOTABLES

• Xavier is 15-3 in non-conference action at Cintas Center over the last two seasons. The Musketeers have also posted an 18-7 overall record in non-conference play the last two seasons.

• Xavier scored a season-high 70 points in the win over Howard. The Musketeers also made a season-high 29 field goals (29-for-62).

• The Musketeers dished out a season-high 20 assists against Howard, led by Briana Glover and Aliyah Zantt who both had four assists. Glover's four assists marked a new career high for the senior forward.

• Xavier collected a season-high 11 steals against Howard, led by Aliyah Zantt's game-high six steals – matching her career high in the stat category.

• The Musketeers held a 50-27 advantage on the glass versus Howard, the fourth time Xavier has collected 50 or more rebounds in a game this season. The Musketeers moved to 7-0 on the year when out rebounding its opponents.

• Xavier held Howard to 47 points in the win, the third time the Musketeers have held an opponent to 47 or fewer points in a game this season.

• Maddison Blackwell had a season-high nine points and eight rebounds against Howard. Imani Partlow also matched her season high in scoring with eight points.

CHARITY STRIPE SUCCESS

• The Musketeers were 10-for-15 from the foul line in the win over Howard. Xavier ranks second in the conference in free-throw percentage (.754).

• Individually, Raeshaun Gaffney ranks third in free-throw percentage (.825) and Briana Glover ranks fifth (.800).

• Xavier has been able to put teams away late in the game due to its free-throw success. The Musketeers are 31-for-37 from the foul line in the final two minutes of play, while their opponents are 6-for-8.

DOMINATING DEFENSE

• Xavier ranks in the top three of four major defensive categories in the BIG EAST. The Musketeers lead the conference in rebounding margin (+7.7) and scoring defense (55.5 ppg), while ranking second in rebounding defense (34.4 rpg) and third in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.290).

• The Musketeers are limiting their opponents to 51.4 points per game when playing at Cintas Center.

NCAA STAT RANKINGS

• Xavier ranks 24th in free-throw percentage (.754), 23rd nationally in fewest personal fouls per game (14.3) and 46th in scoring defense (55.5). The Musketeers also rank 52nd in rebounding margin (+7.7).

• Individually, Marquia Turner ranks 46th nationally in assist/turnover ratio (2.33). Raeshaun Gaffney also ranks 90th in free-throw percentage (.825).

UP NEXT

• Xavier opens BIG EAST play on Tuesday, Dec. 29 against Georgetown. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center.

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 205-70 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 188-62 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.

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

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.

• The Musketeers have posted a .500 or better record 21 times since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 1982-83.

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.