Women’s Basketball Travels to Las Vegas for Three Games

Monday, December 19

Las Vegas, Nev.

5:15 p.m.

Xavier University

No. 20 Oklahoma

Women’s Basketball Travels to Las Vegas for Three Games

12.16.16 | Women's Basketball

XU Notes (PDF)Complete Tournament Schedule (PDF)Live Stats Watch Live Listen Live

Xavier will participate in the Puerto Rico Classic on Dec. 19-21

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier women's basketball travels to the Puerto Rico Classic - Las Vegas on Dec. 19-21. The tournament is being held at South Point Arena in Las Vegas.

Tournament officials moved the location earlier in the season due to concerns over the risk of the Zika outbreak in Puerto Rico.

Xavier takes a 7-1 record into Las Vegas. The Musketeers will face No. 20/22 Oklahoma (7-2), Southern Miss (7-2) and Kennesaw State (1-7) during tournament play.

THE MATCHUP VS OKLAHOMA

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-1) vs NO. 20/22 OKLAHOMA SOONERS (7-2)
Game Info: Monday, Dec. 19 - 5:15 p.m. ET - South Point Arena (4,600)
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/2hGXwop
Live Audio: http://bit.ly/2fR20Hz
Live Video: http://bit.ly/2hXQyuo

ABOUT THE SOONERS

2016-17 Record: 7-2 (0-0 Big 12)
Series History: Xavier trails, 1-0

NOTABLES
• Oklahoma was picked to finish third in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Sooners posted a 22-11 (11-7 Big 12) record last year.
• The Sooners return four starters from last year's squad that made the program's 17th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the second round.

SERIES HISTORY

• Monday's meeting will be the second in school history between the two schools. Oklahoma defeated Xavier, 73-51, on Dec. 20, 2011 at the Duel in the Desert in Las Vegas, Nev.

THE MATCHUP VS SOUTHERN MISS

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-1) vs SOUTHERN MISS (7-2)
Game Info: Tuesday, Dec. 20 - 3 p.m. ET - South Point Arena (4,600)
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/2gUb6pP
Live Audio: http://bit.ly/2fR20Hz
Live Video: http://bit.ly/2hXQyuo

ABOUT THE GOLDEN EAGLES

2016-17 Record: 7-2 (0-0 C-USA)
Series History: First Meeting

NOTABLES
• Southern Miss returns nine letterwinners from last year's team that posted a 14-16 (7-11 C-USA) record. The Golden Eagles were picked to finish eighth in the C-USA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Southern Miss ranks 14th in the nation in steals per game (12.6), while Brittanny Dinkins ranks 13th in total steals (32). She also ranks 45th nationally in scoring as the senior guard has averaged 18.8 points per game.
• Jayla King has added 12 points per game and a team-high 8.1 rebounds per game. The Golden Eagles have posted a +18.4 scoring margin and +6.4 rebounding margin over their opponents this season.

SERIES HISTORY

• Tuesday's meeting will be the first in school history.

THE MATCHUP VS KENNESAW STATE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-1) vs KENNESAW STATE (1-7)
Game Info: Wednesday, Dec. 21 - 7:45 p.m. ET - South Point Arena (4,600)
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/2hsVzhB
Live Audio: http://bit.ly/2fR20Hz
Live Video: http://bit.ly/2hXQyuo

ABOUT THE OWLS

2016-17 Record: 1-7 (0-0 ASUN)
Series History: First Meeting

NOTABLES
• Kennesaw State has two players who average 10 or more points per game in Clara Young (11.0) and Allison Johnson (10.4). Johnson has added a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game.
• The Owls are averaging 53.5 points per game, while allowing 71.2 points per game. Kennesaw State has dropped three straight with its lone win coming against Savannah State, 72-60, on Nov. 26.
• Kennesaw State returns three starts and 11 letterwinners from a 2015-16 squad that posted an 11-19 (6-8 ASUN) record. The Owls were tabbed to finish sixth in the ASUN Preseason Coaches' Poll.

SERIES HISTORY

• The series with Kennesaw State is tied, 1-1. The Owls won the first meeting, 61-60, in Kennesaw, Ga., on Dec. 22, 2014.

• Xavier won the last meeting between the two schools, 62-59, on Dec. 21, 2015 at Cintas Center.

LAST TIME OUT VS CINCINNATI

• Xavier defeated Cincinnati in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout, 72-61, at Fifth Third Arena – the Musketeers third straight win in the rivalry. The Musketeers have now won 10 of the last 13 meetings.

• Raeshaun Gaffney scored a game-high 24 points as the senior guard went 5-for-13 from the floor and 11-for-12 from the charity stripe. She was also 3-for-4 from behind the arc.

• Maddison Blackwell was the only other Musketeer in double figures as the senior forward scored 14 points, going 6-for-10 from the floor.

NCAA STAT RANKINGS

• Xavier ranks in the top-25 nationally in four statistical categories: fewest fouls (7th - 110), scoring defense (14th – 52.4), three-point field-goal percentage defense (20th – 25.5) and field-goal percentage defense (25th -.343).

FASTBREAK POINTS

• Xavier hit 90.5 percent of its free throws against Cincinnati, going 19-for-21 from the foul line. The Musketeers also added 16 second-chance points off of 11 offensive rebounds.

• Raeshaun Gaffney ranks third in the BIG EAST in scoring (15.9 ppg) and fifth in free-throw percentage (.814).

• Raeshaun Gaffney has hit 14 three-pointers this season, matching her total from a year ago. She has drained 40 percent (14-for-35) of her shot attempts from behind the arc.

• Imani Partlow ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage (.536). Marquia Turner ranks sixth in assists per game (4.0), while Maddison Blackwell ranks ninth in rebounds per game (6.6).

• 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 (52.4 ppg).

• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST in four statistical categories: scoring defense (52.4), field-goal percentage defense (.343), three-point field-goal percentage defense (.255) and rebounding margin (+7.6). The Musketeers also lead the conference in scoring margin (+13.4).

• The win over Michigan marked the 200th program victory at Cintas Center. Xavier has compiled a 200-66 record since the building opened for the 2000-01 season.

NOTEWORTHY PERFORMANCES

Xavier vs North Florida (Nov. 22, 2016)
• The 13 three pointers by the Musketeers were the most in a game since March 22, 2011. Xavier hit 14 in an 85-75 loss to Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Cintas Center. Xavier posted a .616 (13-for-21) three-point field-goal percentage, the highest percentage in the BIG EAST this year and the 12th highest mark in the NCAA.

• The Musketeers hit 51.7 percent of their shot attempts (31-for-60), their highest field-goal percentage since posting a .549 field-goal percentage at Marquette on Dec. 30, 2014.

• Xavier dished out 24 assists in the win, the most assists by a Xavier team since Feb. 1, 2011. The Musketeers had 27 in a 102-51 win over La Salle.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Xavier played six straight games at Cintas Center to open the season. The Musketeers went 15-4 at home a year ago, totaling 19 games – the most home games in school history.

• Xavier will take on four new opponents for the first time in program history this season: Tennessee State, Southeast Missouri State, North Florida and Southern Miss. The Musketeers are also facing three different opponents for only the second time in school history: Delaware State, Wake Forest and Oklahoma.

• The Musketeers have won 26 non-conference games over the last three seasons with a 22-3 mark at Cintas Center.

OPPONENT BREAKDOWN

• Xavier's non-conference opponents combined to post a 145-194 overall record a year ago. Three teams posted winning records, while two teams advanced to postseason play (Michigan – WNIT; Oklahoma – NCAA).

• The Musketeers face two teams from both the OVC and Atlantic Sun during non-conference play. All told, Xavier will take on an opponent from nine different conferences.

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 221-83 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 opens BIG EAST action on Dec. 28-30, traveling to Providence (Dec. 28) and Creighton (Dec. 30).