Musketeers, Demon Deacons Slated for Thursday Night Matchup

Thursday, December 8

Winston-Salem, N.C.

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Wake Forest

Musketeers, Demon Deacons Slated for Thursday Night Matchup

12.07.16 | Women's Basketball

Live Audio Live Stats XU Notes (PDF)Wake Forest Information Live Stats

Xavier hits the road for the first time this season

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier women's basketball hits the road for the first time this season, traveling to ACC foe Wake Forest on Thursday. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The Musketeers enter the game with a 6-0 record, one of only 19 undefeated teams remaining in NCAA Division I basketball. Wake Forest is 6-2 on the year with a 4-0 record at home.

THE MATCHUP VS WAKE FOREST

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (6-0) at WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS (6-2)
Game Info: Thursday, Dec. 8 - 7 p.m. - Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum (14,665)
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/2hbXc10
Live Audio: http://bit.ly/2fR20Hz

THE STORYLINES VS WAKE FOREST

• Xavier continues to be one of the best defensive teams in the country as the Musketeers rank fourth in scoring defense (50.0 ppg) and eighth in field-goal percentage defense (.322).

• Both teams crash the boards as Xavier is averaging 11.2 more rebounds per game than its opponents to lead the BIG EAST. Wake Forest ranks second in the ACC in rebounding margin (+9.4).

• Thursday's matchup will be the first of seven games away from Cintas Center for the Musketeers. Wake Forest will be playing at home for the first time since Nov. 23.

ABOUT THE DEMON DEACONS

2016-17 Record: 6-2 (0-0 ACC)
Series History: Xavier leads, 1-0

NOTABLES
• Wake Forest had a five-game win streak snapped at Seton Hall on Dec. 4. The Pirates defeated the Demon Deacons, 70-63.
• Ariel Stephenson leads the team in scoring (15.4 ppg), while ranking third in rebounding (6.3 rpg). Amber Campbell has added 14.1 points per game. Milan Quinn paces the team in rebounding (8.8 rpg) and total blocks (11).
• Wake Forest was slated to finish 11th in the Preseason ACC Coaches Poll. The Demon Deacons return four starters from a 2015-16 squad that went 17-16 (6-10 ACC).

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier leads the all-time series with Wake Forest, 1-0. The Musketeers defeated the Demon Deacons, 62-53, on Dec. 21, 1993 at the Vermont Holiday Classic.

• Thursday's matchup will be Xavier's first game against an ACC team since playing Virginia at Cintas Center on Nov. 20, 2014. The Cavaliers defeated the Musketeers, 71-62.

LAST TIME OUT VS MICHIGAN

• Xavier overcame eight ties and nine lead changes to pull away from Michigan, 61-58, on Monday night. Xavier outscored the Wolverines, 17-12, in the fourth quarter.

• The Musketeers limited the Wolverines to a season-low 58 points as Michigan entered the game averaging 86.4 points per game - the eighth highest scoring offense in the nation. Xavier also held a 46-32 advantage on the glass.

• 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.

NCAA STAT RANKINGS

• Xavier ranks in the top-10 nationally in five statistical categories: defensive rebounds per game (8th - 32.7), fewest fouls (6th - 83), scoring defense (4th - 50.0) and three-point field-goal percentage defense (7th - 22.4) and field-goal percentage defense (8th -.322).

FASTBREAK POINTS

• Xavier has won six straight games to open the season, posting its first 6-0 start since the 2010-11 season. The Musketeers won 10 straight to open the 2010-11 campaign.

• Kindell Fincher scored a career-high 17 points against Michigan on 6-for-12 shooting. The sophomore guard also knocked down a career-high five 3-pointers (5-for-9).

• Maddison Blackwell posted her sixth career double-double against Michigan, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The senior forward has averaged 7.2 rebounds per game this season to rank ninth in the BIG EAST.

• Raeshaun Gaffney ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in scoring (15.0 ppg) and sixth in free-throw percentage (.828).

• Leah Schaefer paces the BIG EAST in blocks (2.5 bpg), while ranking fifth in rebounding (8.3 rpg). The senior forward has already blocked 15 shots this season after posting 19
blocks in each of her first three seasons.

• Leah Schaefer is also averaging 4.4 more rebounds per game this season than she did a year ago (8.3-3.9). She has pulled down 10 or more rebounds in a game three times this season, increasing her career double-figure rebounding games to seven.

• 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 four weeks of play (50.0 ppg).

• Xavier leads the BIG EAST in six statistical categories: scoring defense (50.0), scoring margin (+18.2), field-goal percentage defense (.322), three-point field-goal percentage defense (.224), rebounding offense (45.8) and rebounding margin (+11.2).

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 11th 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 25 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 220-82 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 Sunday, Dec. 11 at Cincinnati in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Fifth Third Arena.