Musketeers, Friars Set for Friday Night BIG EAST Contest

Friday, February 5

Cincinnati, Ohio

8 P.M.

Xavier University

Providence College

Tickets

WBB vs Providence Preview Graphic - inside

Musketeers, Friars Set for Friday Night BIG EAST Contest

02.04.16 | Women's Basketball

The game will be aired nationally on FOX Sports 1 at 8 p.m.

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier women's basketball returns to action on Friday, Feb. 5 against Providence. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. from Cintas Center with the game being aired nationally on FOX Sports 1.

The Musketeers enter the contest with a 15-6 overall record and a 6-4 mark in BIG EAST play to rank fifth in the conference standings. Xavier most recently defeated Butler, 55-47, on Friday, Jan. 29.

Providence is 4-17 on the year and 0-11 in BIG EAST play to rank 10th in the conference standings. The Friars have lost 11 straight, most recently dropping a 76-47 contest at Villanova, and are 1-8 in road games this season.

LAST TIME OUT

• The Musketeers snapped a three-game losing streak on Jan. 29 with a 55-47 win over Butler. Aliyah Zantt matched her career high with 24 points and Xavier held the Bulldogs to only one point in the fourth quarter to post the come-from-behind victory.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier is 4-1 all-time against the Friars. The Musketeers have won three straight in the series and are 2-0 at home against Providence.

LAST TIME OUT VS THE FRIARS

• Xavier won the first meeting between the two schools this season, 62-54, at Providence. Briana Glover scored a career-high 27 points on 10-for-14 shooting to pace the Musketeer offense.

• Trailing 37-35 at the end of three quarters, the Musketeers outscored the Friars, 27-17, in the fourth quarter to pull away for the victory. Xavier was 9-for-11 from the floor and 8-for-9 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter. The Musketeers hit 54 percent of their shot attempts in the second half after posting a .345 field-goal percentage in the first half.

XU DEFENSE: NO FIELD GOAL QTRS

• Xavier held Butler without a field goal (0-for-16) and only one point on a free throw in the fourth quarter on Jan. 29. The Musketeers are one of only nine teams in the country to hold a team without a field goal this season.

NOTABLES

• Aliyah Zantt matched her career high in scoring against Butler, going 8-for-15 from the floor. She hit a career high six, 3-pointers in the win.

• Maddison Blackwell pulled down 13 rebounds against Butler, her third game of the season with 10 or more rebounds. She now has seven career games with 10 or more rebounds.

• Leah Schaefer grabbed 11 rebounds vs. Butler in 21 minutes of action off the bench, her second game of the season with 10 or more rebounds. She now has four career games with 10 or more rebounds.

• Xavier had two players with 10 or more rebounds in the win over Butler, the first time since Dec. 31, 2015 vs. Villanova that the Musketeers have had multiple players with double-figure rebounds (Aliyah Zantt, 17; Maddison Blackwell, 12).

• Xavier had four more rebounds than Butler, 47-43, on Jan. 29. The Musketeers are 10-0 when outrebounding their opponents.

• Briana Glover has averaged 16.8 points per game in five career games against Providence. The senior forward has hit 54.9 percent of her shot attempts in the series, while going 27-for-29 from the foul line.

• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring defense (59.4) and fourth in rebounding margin (+2.1).

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

• Aliyah Zantt was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday for her 24-point performance against Butler.

• Xavier has had a player earn the weekly honors eight times this year. Raeshaun Gaffney (Jan. 4) and Briana Glover (Dec. 7, Dec. 14, Jan. 11, Jan. 25) have also been recognized. Zantt also earned the honors on Dec. 28 and Nov. 23.

GLOVER - 1,000 PT CLUB

• Senior Briana Glover became the 24th member of the Xavier 1,000-point club on Jan. 24 at St. John's with layup late in the third quarter. She now has 1,009 career points.

BIG EAST PLAY

• The Musketeers are 6-4 in BIG EAST play this season with a 4-1 record in home conference games.

• Briana Glover has hit 92.5 percent of her free throws in BIG EAST play, going 37-for-40 from the foul line. Raeshaun Gaffney has hit 80.4 percent of her free throws (37-for-46) in those games.

• Maddison Blackwell has hit 54.1 percent of her shot attempts in BIG EAST play, ranking second in the category in conference only games. She is averaging 7.7 points per game in conference play.

PLAYING AT CINTAS CENTER

• The Musketeers are 13-2 when playing at home this season and are 25-8 at Cintas Center over the last two years.

• Xavier is averaging 63.1 points per game at home this season, while limiting its opponents to 55.1 points per game.

• The Musketeers also have a +6.3 rebounding margin when playing at Cintas Center this season.

UP NEXT

• Xavier closes its homestand on Sunday, Feb. 7 against Creighton. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Cintas Center.

CHARITY STRIPE SUCCESS

• Xavier ranks second the conference in free-throw percentage (.757).

• Individually, Xavier has two players ranked in the top-10 in free-throw percentage: Briana Glover (1st - .861) and Raeshaun Gaffney (4th - .818).

• Xavier has been able to put teams away late in the game due to its free-throw success. The Musketeers are 61-for-75 from the foul line in the final two minutes of play, while their opponents are 12-for-15. Raeshaun Gaffney is 31-for-36 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 five steals away from moving into third.

NCAA STAT RANKINGS

• Xavier ranks six nationally in fewest fouls per game (13), while ranking 19th in free-throw percentage (.757) and 59th in free throws made (289).

• Individually, Briana Glover ranks 31st in free-throw percentage (.861), while Raeshaun Gaffney ranks 83rd with a .818 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 212-74 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 193-63 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.