Women’s Basketball Plays Host to Michigan on Monday Night

Monday, December 5

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Michigan

Women’s Basketball Plays Host to Michigan on Monday Night

12.04.16 | Women's Basketball

Michigan Notes (PDF)Xavier Notes (PDF)Live Stats Watch Live Listen Live

Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball looks to remain undefeated on Monday night, playing host to Michigan at Cintas Center. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.

The Musketeers bring a 5-0 record into the game, while the Wolverines are 7-1.

Fans are encouraged to bring a toy for donation to benefit Toys for Tots. Any fan bringing at toy for donation will receive free admission into the game.

THE MATCHUP VS MICHIGAN

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (5-0) vs MICHIGAN (7-1)
Game Info: Monday, Dec. 5 - 7 p.m. - Cintas Center (10,250)
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/1lYmT6d
Live Audio: http://bit.ly/2fR20Hz
Watch Live: http://bit.ly/2fR20Hz

THE STORYLINES VS MICHIGAN

• Michigan enters the contest ranked second in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (.441) and in field-goal percentage (.516). The Wolverines also rank eighth in scoring offense (86.4 ppg) and 10th in scoring defense (51.5 ppg).

• Xavier enters the game ranked second in the nation in three-point field goal percentage defense (.185) and third in scoring defense (48.4 ppg). The Musketeers also rank eighth in field-goal percentage defense (.318).

ABOUT THE WOLVERINES

2016-17 Record: 7-1 (0-0 Big Ten)
Series History: Xavier trails, 5-3

NOTABLES
• Michigan is 7-1 for the second straight season under head coach Kim Barnes Arico and for just the ninth time in school history. With a win at Xavier, Michigan could move to 8-1 for just the sixth time ever and first time since 2011-12.
• Junior Jillian Dunston recorded her first double-double of the season and second of her career when she went for 10 points and 12 rebounds at Georgia Tech (Dec. 1).
• Michigan has topped 100 points three times this season and is second in the Big Ten in scoring (86.4 ppg). The Wolverines the only team in the country to rank in the top 10 of both scoring offense (8th, 86.4 ppg) and defense (10th, 51.5 ppg).

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series, 5-3. Monday's meeting will be the third game between the two schools since 2013.

• Michigan defeated Xavier in the team's season opener last year, 92-54, at the Crisler Center. Raeshaun Gaffney led Xavier with 15 points and five rebounds.

• Brian Neal's first win as the Xavier head coach came on Nov. 13, 2013 against Michigan. Xavier defeated the Wolverines, 79-75, in overtime at Cintas Center.

LAST TIME OUT VS DELAWARE STATE

• Xavier defeated Delaware State, 86-53, on Dec. 1 in the team's last outing. The 86 points were a season high as Xavier scored over 80 points in a game for the second time this season.

• The Musketeers scored a season-high 46 points in the paint and outscored the Lady Hornets, 41-4, in bench points. Xavier also hit over 50 percent of its shot attempts for the second time this season.

NCAA STAT RANKINGS

• Xavier ranks in the top-10 nationally in six statistical categories: defensive rebounds per game (6th - 33.0), fewest fouls (3rd – 69), scoring defense (3rd – 48.4) and three-point field-goal percentage defense (2nd – 18.5), fewest turnovers (9th – 73), field-goal percentage defense (8th -.318)

FASTBREAK POINTS

• Xavier has won five straight games to open the season, posting its first 5-0 start since the 2010-11 season. The Musketeers won 10 straight to open the 2010-11 campaign.

• Marquia Turner scored a career-high 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting against Delaware State. The junior guard also knocked down a career-high five 3-pointers (5-for-9).

• Imani Partlow posted her first career double-double against Delaware State, scoring a career-high points on 9-for-12 shooting, while adding a game-high 11 rebounds.

• Imani Partlow ranks second on the team in scoring as the sophomore forward has averaged 10 points per game. She averaged 3.2 points per game as a freshman. She also ranks tied for third in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage (.575).

• Raeshaun Gaffney ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in scoring (15.2 ppg) and seventh in free-throw percentage (.815).

• Leah Schaefer paces the BIG EAST in blocks (2.4 bpg), while ranking fifth in rebounding (8.0 rpg).

• Over the last two seasons, Xavier has held an opponent under 50 points nine times. The Musketeers' scoring defense currently ranks first in the BIG EAST through three weeks of play (47.2 ppg).

• Xavier leads the BIG EAST in seven statistical categories: scoring defense (48.4), scoring margin (+21.2), field-goal percentage defense (.318), three-point field-goal percentage defense (.185), rebounding offense (45.8), rebounding margin (+10.6) and defensive rebounds (33.2).

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 seventh 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 will play 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 24 non-conference games over the last three seasons with a 21-3 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 219-82 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 returns to action on Thursday, Dec. 8 at Wake Forest. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.