Homestand Concludes on New Year’s Eve Against Villanova

Thursday, December 31

Cincinnati, Ohio

1:30 P.M.

Xavier University

Villanova University

Tickets

Homestand Concludes on New Year’s Eve Against Villanova

12.30.15 | Women's Basketball

Musketeers enter Thursday’s BIG EAST matchup on a five-game win streak

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier concludes its 11-game homestand on New Year's Eve as the Musketeers host Villanova on Thursday, Dec. 31. Tip-off is slated for 1:30 p.m. from Cintas Center.

Both squads won their respective BIG EAST openers on Tuesday night with the Musketeers defeating Georgetown and the Wildcats topping Butler. Villanova enters the game with a 7-4 (1-0 BIG EAST) record and a 3-3 mark in road games.

Xavier enters the contest on a five-game win streak, the Musketeers longest winning streak since capturing the final six games of the 2012-13 regular-season. The Musketeers are 10-2 (1-0 BIG EAST) on the year and 10-1 when playing at Cintas Center.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

• Senior Aliyah Zantt was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday, Dec. 28 for the second time this season after helping the Musketeers finish non-conference play with a 62-59 win over Kennesaw State on Dec. 21. She previously earned the honors on Nov. 23.

• The guard scored a career-high 24 points on 8-for-15 shooting, including a 3-for-5 mark from three-point range. She was also 5-for-7 from the foul line. Zantt added four added four assists, three steals and three rebounds in the win.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with Villanova, 5-0.

LAST TIME OUT VS THE WILDCATS

• Xavier went 0-2 against Villanova last year and was limited to 41 points per game in those meetings. The Musketeers held a 19-13 advantage in made free throws in the series.

• Raeshaun Gaffney averaged a team-high 8.5 points and six rebounds per game in the series a year ago. Aliyah Zantt went 6-for-9 from the floor to add 7.5 points per game.

NOTABLES

• Raeshaun Gaffney scored a season-high 19 points on 8-for-13 shooting to lead the Musketeers over Georgetown in the team's BIG EAST opener. The junior guard matched her season-high in rebounds with eight, while adding a season-high five assists.

• Xavier dished out 18 assists against Georgetown, the second most in a game this season by the Musketeers. Maddison Blackwell had a career-high five assists in the win.

• Xavier also had nine steals versus Georgetown, the team's fifth game with nine or more steals this season.

• The Musketeers hit 50 percent (6-for-12) of their three pointers against the Hoyas, their second highest three-point percentage this year. Raeshaun Gaffney and Briana Glover both hit two, three-pointers in the win.

• Xavier's win over Georgetown marked the Musketeers first BIG EAST season-opening win. The victory was the team's first conference-opening win since a 63-59 win over Dayton on Jan. 9, 2011.

• Xavier's win over Georgetown was the fourth straight in the series with the Hoyas as the Musketeers improved to 6-2 all-time in the series history.

• Briana Glover scored 11 points on 4-for-9 shooting against Georgetown, her fifth straight game in double figures and her eighth game of the season with 10 or more points.

•Xavier moved to 8-0 when leading at the half in the win over Georgetown. The Musketeers also improved to 6-1 in games decided by 5-10 points.

CHARITY STRIPE SUCCESS

• The Musketeers were 7-for-12 from the foul line in the win over Georgetown. Xavier ranks second in the conference in free-throw percentage (.744).

• Individually, Raeshaun Gaffney ranks third in free-throw percentage (.818) and Briana Glover ranks eighth (.765).

• Xavier has been able to put teams away late in the game due to its free-throw success. The Musketeers are 33-for-41 from the foul line in the final two minutes of play, while their opponents are 6-for-8.

DOMINATING DEFENSE

• Xavier leads the conference in scoring defense (55.7) and rebounding margin (+5.5), while ranking second in rebounding defense (34.8).

• The Musketeers are limiting their opponents to 52.4 points per game when playing at Cintas Center. Xavier has held an opponent to 47 or fewer points three times at home this season.

RECORD WATCH

• Senior Aliyah Zantt has 167 career steals, ranking sixth all-time at Xavier. She is seven steals away from moving into fifth.

• Senior Briana Glover has 906 career points, needing only 94 more points to become the 24th member of the 1,000th point club at Xavier.

NCAA STAT RANKINGS

• Xavier ranks 22nd in free-throw percentage (.744), 14th nationally in fewest personal fouls per game (13.8) and 40th in scoring defense (55.7). The Musketeers also rank 56th in rebounding margin (+5.5).

• Individually, Marquia Turner ranks 23rd nationally in assist/turnover ratio (2.58). Raeshaun Gaffney also ranks 74th in free-throw percentage (.818).

UP NEXT

• Xavier opens a three-game BIG EAST road swing at Butler on Tuesday, Jan. 5. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from historic Hinkle Fieldhouse.

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 207-70 record in 10 years as a head coach.

NOTEWORTHY PERFORMANCES

• Xavier committed a season-low five turnovers against Kennesaw State, the fewest in a game since the Musketeers had four miscues against Temple on March 4, 2007. The Musketeer backcourt had zero turnovers on the day.

• 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 190-62 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.