Musketeers Travel to Marquette for BIG EAST Contest

Friday, January 13

Milwaukee, Wis.

8 p.m.

Xavier University

Marquette

Musketeers Travel to Marquette for BIG EAST Contest

01.11.17 | Women's Basketball

Live Stats Live Audio Watch Live - BEDN XU Notes (PDF)Live Stats

Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET from the Al McGuire Center

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball hits the road for back-to-back BIG EAST games, starting with a trip to Marquette on Friday, Jan. 13. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET from the Al McGuire Center.

The Musketeers take a 10-6 (2-3) record into the game. Marquette is 13-4 (4-2) on the year with a 7-2 mark at home.

THE MATCHUP VS MARQUETTE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (10-6, 2-3) at MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES (13-4, 4-2)
Game Info: Friday, Jan. 13 - 8 p.m. ET - Al McGuire Center (3,700)
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/2jkQM0m
Live Video - BEDN: http://bit.ly/2iZGkLr
Live Audio: http://bit.ly/2j9c5Vk

ABOUT THE GOLDEN EAGLES

2016-17 Record: 13-4 (4-2 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier trails, 8-7

NOTABLES
• Marquette ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring offense (77.0) and field-goal percentage (.438).
• Allazia Blockton leads the BIG EAST in scoring (16.9), while Erika Davenport ranks second in rebounding (9.8) and field-goal percentage (.570).
• Marquette was picked to finish third in the preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll after posting a 14-16 (9-9) record last season.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with Marquette, 8-7. The Musketeers are 2-5 in road games.

• The two schools split the series last year with the home team winning each game. Both teams averaged 70 points per game in the series last year.

• Raeshaun Gaffney averaged 15 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in the two meetings with Marquette last season.

LAST TIME OUT: VS BUTLER

• Xavier dropped a 65-62 overtime game with Butler on Sunday, Jan. 8. The Musketeers led 39-26 at the break behind a season-high .609 field-goal percentage before Butler posted the come-from-behind victory.

RECORD WATCH: GAFFNEY

• Raeshaun Gaffney is 22 points shy of scoring her 1,000th career point. She has averaged 9.5 points per game during her four-year playing career.

BLACKWELL: BIG EAST PLAY

• Maddison Blackwell has led the team in rebounding (8.6) and field-goal percentage (.487), while ranking second in scoring (8.8) during BIG EAST play. The senior forward has added a team-high 12 steals to rank third in the conference.

FROM BEHIND THE ARC

• Xavier has made 100 three-pointers this season, only eight shy of its total from all of last season. The Musketeers are averaging 6.3 three pointers per game, while hitting 34.5 percent of their shots from behind the arc – ranking third in the BIG EAST.

TALE OF TWO HALVES

• Xavier has shot six percent better in the first half of games this season versus the second half (44.8% vs. 38.8%). The Musketeers have also hit 41.4 percent of their three pointers in the first half compared to a .264 clip in the second half.

FASTBREAK POINTS

• In four career meetings with Marquette, Raeshaun Gaffney has averaged 15.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. She has added 11 assists and four steals in those games.

• Maddison Blackwell posted a career-high five blocks against Butler. The senior forward now has 14 blocks on the year, matching her total from a year ago.

• Raeshaun Gaffney ranks third in the BIG EAST in scoring (15.6 ppg) and eighth in free-throw percentage (.765). The senior guard also ranks third in three-point field-goal percentage (.437).

• Raeshaun Gaffney has hit 31 three-pointers this season, 17 more than she posted all of last season. She has drained 43.7 percent (31-for-71) of her shot attempts from behind the arc.

• Imani Partlow ranks sixth in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage (.490). Marquia Turner ranks fifth in assists per game (4.1), while Maddison Blackwell ranks 7th 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 (57.9 ppg).

• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST in three statistical categories: scoring defense (58.3), field-goal percentage defense (.360) and three-point field-goal percentage defense (.282).

• The win over Michigan marked the 200th program victory at Cintas Center. Xavier has compiled a 201-68 record since the building opened for the 2000-01 season.

SCHAEFER'S BREAKOUT SEASON

• Leah Schaefer ranks second in the BIG EAST in blocks (1.9 bpg), while ranking eighth in rebounding (6.5 rpg). The senior forward has already blocked 28 shots this season, nine more than her total from each of the previous three seasons. She also ranks 49th nationally in blocked shots.

• Leah Schaefer has 85 career blocks to rank sixth all-time at Xavier. The forward has also pulled down 536 career rebounds, 67 rebounds shy of entering the career top-10 in the statistical category.

• Leah Schaefer is also averaging 2.6 more rebounds per game this season than she did a year ago (6.5-3.9). She has pulled down 10 or more rebounds in a game three times this season, increasing her career double-figure rebounding games to seven.

GAFFNEY'S CAREER NIGHT

• Raeshaun Gaffney scored a career-high 33 points on 12-for-23 shooting against Seton Hall. The 33 points were the most by a BIG EAST player this season and the most by a Xavier player since March 21, 2010 when Amber Harris scored 31 points versus East Tennessee State.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

• Raeshaun Gaffney was named to the BIG EAST Weekly honor roll on Monday after averaging 21.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game last week. She also posted a .460 field-goal percentage.

• All told, Xavier has had a player recognized six times this season.

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 224-88 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 at No. 20 DePaul on Sunday, Jan. 15. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. ET.