Musketeers Play Host to RV/No. 25 Creighton on Friday in Play4Kay Pink Game

Friday, February 24

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

RV/No. 25 Creighton

Musketeers Play Host to RV/No. 25 Creighton on Friday in Play4Kay Pink Game

02.23.17 | Women's Basketball

Live Stats Listen Live Watch Live XU Notes (PDF)Creighton Information

Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. with the game being aired nationally on FS2

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier women's basketball plays host to RV/No. 25 Creighton on Friday, Feb. 24 in the team's annual Play4Kay Pink Game. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. at Cintas Center with the game being aired nationally on FS2.

Xavier enters the game with an 11-16 (3-13 BIG EAST) record. The Bluejays are 20-6 (14-2 BIG EAST) and have won six straight games.

THE MATCHUP VS CREIGHTON

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (11-16, 3-13) vs CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (20-6, 14-2)
Game Info: Friday, Feb. 23 - 7 p.m. ET - Cintas Center (10,250)
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/1lYmT6d
Live Video - FS2: http://bit.ly/2lPr6g7
Live Audio: http://bit.ly/2d14mYl

ABOUT THE BLUEJAYS

2016-17 Record: 20-6 (14-2 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier trails, 5-2

NOTABLES
• The Bluejays are ranked No. 25 in the latest USA Today/Coaches Poll. This marks just the sixth time in program history that the Bluejays have been ranked with all five previous appearances coming in 1992.
• Creighton has won 20 games for the ninth time under head coach Jim Flanery. The last time Creighton reached 20 wins was during the 2013-14 season with the squad finishing with a 20-14 record.
• Three players average 10 or more points per game in Audrey Faber (13.3), Marissa Janning (11.3) and Brianna Rollerson (10.0). Rollerson also leads the team in rebounding (7.1).

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with Creighton, 5-2. Both wins in the series for the Musketeers have been at Cintas Center.

• Xavier won the last meeting between the two schools at Cintas Center, 57-55, on Feb. 7, 2016. Jenna Crittendon hit the game-winning shot as time expired.

XU VS THE TOP-25

• The Musketeers are 11-37 all-time against teams ranked in the top-25. The last time Xavier played a top-25 team was against No. 18/16 DePaul on Feb. 10, 2017 with Blue Demons posting a 70-43 victory.

• The Musketeers last win over a top-25 team was on Nov. 26, 2009 over No. 18 Kansas, 76-71, at the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas.

FIRST MEETING VS CREIGHTON

• Xavier dropped the first meeting between the two schools, 63-52, on Dec. 30 in Omaha, Neb. Maddison Blackwell was the lone Xavier player in double figures, scoring 10 points on 5-for-10 shooting. Raeshaun Gaffney and Imani Partlow both chipped in eight points.

• Xavier held a 39-34 advantage on the glass. Maddison Blackwell and Leah Schaefer both pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.

CAREER STATS VS CREIGHTON

• Maddison Blackwell has averaged 8.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in seven career meetings versus the Bluejays. She has hit 50 percent (24-for-48) of her shot attempts in those games.

• Leah Schaefer has added a .571 field-goal percentage (16-for-28) in six games against Creighton. The forward has averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

LAST TIME OUT: AT GEORGETOWN

• Xavier dropped its last game, 81-63, at Georgetown on Feb. 19. Imani Partlow led Xavier in scoring with 15 points on 6-for-6 shooting. Raeshaun Gaffney added 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

LAST WEEK IN REVIEW

• Xavier went 0-2 last week, dropping two BIG EAST road games. The Musketeers posted a .455 field-goal percentage and a .400 three-point field-goal percentage.

• Raeshaun Gaffney averaged 13.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game to pace the Musketeers. Imani Partlow added 10.5 points per game a team-leading .692 field-goal percentage (9-for-13).

FROM BEHIND THE ARC

• Xavier has made 144 three-pointers this season, 36 more than its total from all of last season. The Musketeers are averaging 5.3 three pointers per game, while hitting 32.4 percent of their shots from behind the arc – ranking fourth in the BIG EAST.

• Xavier finished ninth in the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage (.276) last season.

TALE OF TWO HALVES

• Xavier has shot 4.4 percent better in the first half of games this season versus the second half (42.6% vs. 38.2%). The Musketeers have also hit 38.1 percent of their three pointers in the first half compared to a .260 clip in the second half.

PLAYING AT CINTAS CENTER

• Xavier is 7-6 at home this season with a 1-6 mark in BIG EAST games. The Musketeers' lone conference home win was against Seton Hall, 72-64, on Jan. 4.

FASTBREAK POINTS

• Xavier has played three teams ranked in the top-25 this season. The Musketeers are 0-3 in those outings.

• Raeshaun Gaffney ranks eighth in the BIG EAST in scoring (14.4 ppg), free-throw percentage (.763) and three-point field-goal percentage (.392).

• Raeshaun Gaffney has hit 38 three-pointers this season, 24 more than she posted all of last season. She has drained 39.2 percent (38-for-97) of her shot attempts from behind the arc.

• Marquia Turner ranks fifth in the conference in assists per game (3.9), while Maddison Blackwell ranks 10th in rebounds per game (6.1).

• Xavier ranks third in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage defense (.387), third in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.301) and sixth in scoring defense (64.3).

• Over the last two seasons, Xavier has held an opponent under 50 points 10 times.

• The win over Michigan marked the 200th program victory at Cintas Center. Xavier has compiled a 201-71 record since the building opened for the 2000-01 season.

RECORD WATCH: LEAH SCHAEFER

• Leah Schaefer has 88 career blocks to rank tied for fourth all-time at Xavier. The forward has also pulled down 572 career rebounds, 33 rebounds shy of entering the career top-10 in the statistical category.

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 225-98 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 closes out regular-season action on Sunday, Feb. 26 against Providence. Tip-off is slated for 11:30 a.m. with the game being aired on the BIG EAST Digital Network. The game will also serve as Senior Day for Leah Schaefer, Maddison Blackwell and Raeshaun Gaffney.