Musketeers Open Three-Game Homestand Against Butler

Friday, January 29

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 P.M.

Xavier University

Butler University

Tickets

Musketeers Open Three-Game Homestand Against Butler

01.28.16 | Women's Basketball

Xavier defeated the Bulldogs earlier this season, 73-63, at Hinkle Fieldhouse

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier women's basketball returns to action on Friday, Jan. 29 against Butler. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center.

Xavier enters the weekend with a 14-6 (5-4 BIG EAST) record to rank fifth in the conference standings at the midway point of the BIG EAST schedule. The Musketeers have dropped three games in a row, most recently falling at St. John's on Sunday, Jan. 24.

Butler enters the game on five-game losing streak, most recently falling at Seton Hall, 98-77, on Sunday, Jan. 24. The Bulldogs rank ninth in the BIG EAST standings with a 7-13 (2-7 BIG EAST) record.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with Butler, 23-15. The win at Butler on Jan. 5 snapped a five-game losing streak in the series for the Musketeers.

• Xavier is 8-8 in home games vs. the Bulldogs. The Musketeers have dropped two in a row at home against Butler with Xavier's last home win over the Bulldogs coming on Dec. 31, 2000 by a score of 78-67.

LAST TIME OUT VS BUTLER

• Xavier won the last meeting between the two schools this season, 73-63, on Jan. 5 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The Musketeers had four players in double figures: Maddison Blackwell (15), Raeshaun Gaffney (15), Aliyah Zantt (14) and Briana Glover (12).

• Xavier hit 62.5 percent of its shot attempts in the second half against Butler. The Musketeers trailed, 29-26, at the break before going 4-for-5 from the floor to spark an 11-0 run and regain a lead they would never relinquish.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

• Briana Glover was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday for the fourth time this season. The senior forward averaged nine points per game last week and was 9-for-10 from the foul line.

• Xavier has had a player earn the weekly honors seven times this year. Raeshaun Gaffney (Jan. 4) and Aliyah Zantt (Dec. 28, Nov. 23) have also been recognized. Glover also earned the honors on Dec. 7, Dec. 14 and Jan. 11.

GLOVER - 1,000 POINT CLUB

• Senior Briana Glover became the 24th member of the Xavier 1,000-point club on Sunday at St. John's with layup late in the third quarter. She now has 1,001 career points.

NOTABLES

• The Musketeers had eight steals at St. John's, the 11th time Xavier has recorded eight or more steals in a game. Aliyah Zantt currently ranks eighth in the BIG EAST in steals per game (4.2).

• Jada Byrd matched her career high in rebound vs. the Red Storm with five. She added five points off the bench in 20 minutes of action.

• Martha Thompson scored five points on 2-for-2 shooting in four minutes of action off the bench at St. John's. She added a rebound and a steal.

• Raeshaun Gaffney had her string of four games with 10 or more points snapped at St. Jonh's. The guard was held scoreless for only the second time this season as she was 0-for-6 from the floor. Gaffney continues to lead the Musketeers in scoring (12.2 ppg) and rebounding (4.8) this season.

• Xavier only committed 10 turnovers vs. the Red Storm, the third time the Musketeers have committed 10 or fewer turnovers in a game this season.

BIG EAST PLAY

• The Musketeers are 5-4 in BIG EAST play this season with a 3-1 record in home conference games.

• Briana Glover has hit 92.1 percent of her free throws in BIG EAST play, going 35-for-38 from the foul line. Raeshaun Gaffney has hit 82.5 percent of her free throws (33-for-40) in those games.

• Maddison Blackwell has hit 55.6 percent of her shot attempts in BIG EAST play, ranking fourth in the category in conference only games. She is averaging 7.9 points per game in conference play.

• Leah Schaefer is 15-for-23 from the floor in BIG EAST action. The junior forward has added 4.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.

PLAYING AT CINTAS CENTER

• The Musketeers are 12-2 when playing at home this season and are 24-8 at Cintas Center over the last two years.

• Xavier is averaging 63.6 points per game at home this season, while limiting its opponents to 55.6 points per game. The Musketeers also have a +6.5 rebounding margin when playing at Cintas Center this season.

UP NEXT

• Xavier concludes its homestand next weekend, playing host to Providence (Feb. 5) and Creighton (Feb. 7).

CHARITY STRIPE SUCCESS

• Xavier ranks second the conference in free-throw percentage (.766).

• Individually, Xavier has two players ranked in the top-10 in free-throw percentage: Briana Glover (1st - .857) and Raeshaun Gaffney (3rd - .829).

• Xavier has been able to put teams away late in the game due to its free-throw success. The Musketeers are 59-for-73 from the foul line in the final two minutes of play, while their opponents are 12-for-15. Raeshaun Gaffney is 29-for-34 from the foul line in the final two minutes of play.

RECORD WATCH

• Senior Aliyah Zantt has 180 career steals, ranking tied for fourth all-time at Xavier. She is eight steals away from moving into third.

NCAA STAT RANKINGS

• Xavier ranks six nationally in fewest fouls per game (13.2), while ranking 10th in free-throw percentage (.766) and 36th in free throws made (278).

• Individually, Briana Glover ranks 38th in free-throw percentage (.857), while Raeshaun Gaffney ranks 71st with a .829 field-goal percentage.

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 211-74 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.

• 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 ninth nationally.

• Maddison Blackwell scored a career-high 27 points on 11-for-15 shooting versus Villanova. The junior forward's 11 field goals are the most by a Xavier player since Tyeasha Moss hit 11 on Jan. 28, 2012 versus Rhode Island.

• Aliyah Zantt pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds against Villanova, the most in a game by a XU player since Jenna Crittendon's 17 rebounds against Wright State on Dec. 15, 2012.

• 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.

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 192-63 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.