Xavier, Alabama State Set for Tuesday Night Matchup at Cintas Center

Tuesday, December 18

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Alabama State

Xavier, Alabama State Set for Tuesday Night Matchup at Cintas Center

12.17.18 | Women's Basketball

Watch Live Live Stats XU Notes (PDF)ASU Notes (PDF)

The Musketeers close non-conference action with two home games

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball returns to action on Tuesday, Dec. 18 against Alabama State. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center.

The Musketeers will close their non-conference schedule with back-to-back home games. Xavier also takes on New Orleans on Saturday, Dec. 22.

THE MATCHUP VS ALABAMA STATE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-2) vs ALABAMA STATE HORNETS (2-8)
Game Info - Tuesday, Dec. 18 - 7 p.m. ET - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video - bit.ly/2CidHVv
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu

ABOUT ALABAMA STATE

2018-19 Record: 2-8
2017-18 Record: 8-22 (6-12 SWAC)
2017-18 Postseason: None
Series History: First Meeting
NOTABLES
• The contest between Xavier and Alabama State will be the first meeting in program history.
• The Hornets posted an 8-22 (6-12 SWAC) record last season. Alabama State ended the year on a six-game losing streak.
• Alabama State returns All-SWAC First Team selection Tatyana Calhoun. The center led the team in scoring (9.7) and rebounding (6.0).
• The Hornets ranked 10th in the SWAC last season in scoring offense (54.3), while ranking seventh in scoring defense (68.9).
• Ayana Emmanuel leads the team in scoring this season, averaging 13.7 points per game. Shmya Ward has added a team-high 6.6 rebounds per game to go along with 6.4 points per game.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

• Na'Teshia Owens was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for her on-court performance last weekend. The junior guard scored a game-high 20 points in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout on Sunday afternoon at Cincinnati.

• Owens went 7-for-13 from the floor with four assists, three rebounds and one steal. She was also 5-for-7 from the foul line.

• The Mexia, Texas, native has scored 20 or more points in a game twice this season. All told, she has scored in double figures 17 times in her career.

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier had its four-game win streak in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout snapped on Sunday afternoon, falling at Cincinnati, 79-61, at Fifth Third Arena.

• Sophomore A'riana Gray scored 11 points and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds, her eighth game of the year in double figures. Aaliyah Dunham added eight points, five rebounds and four assists. Freshman Lauren Wasylson also chipped in eight points.

• Xavier held a 12-9 advantage in points off of turnovers. The Bearcats held a 51-30 advantage on the glass and a 21-4 advantage on second-chance points.

INDIVIDUAL NOTABLES

• Sophomore A'riana Gray leads the team in scoring (15.6) and rebounding (10.8). The forward has connected on 51.9 percent (56-for-108) of her shot attempts to rank eighth in the BIG EAST. She also leads the BIG EAST in rebounding, while ranking fourth in scoring and sixth in steals per game (2.3). Gray's rebounding average also ranks 23rd in the NCAA.

• Sophomore Aly Reiff is averaging 6.4 points per game after posting 1.6 points per game last season. The guard leads the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage (.545), going 12-for-22 from behind the arc.

• Freshman Lauren Wasylson ranks third in the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage (.468). She is 22-for-47 from behind the arc and leads all BIG EAST freshmen in total three pointers made. The guard ranks ninth nationally among freshmen in three pointers made.

• Junior Na'Teshia Owens ranks second on the team in scoring (12.6) and assists (4.3). The guard ranks seventh in the BIG EAST in assists. Sophomore Aaliyah Dunham paces the team in assists, averaging 4.6 assists per game to rank sixth in the conference.

• Freshman Ayanna Townsend leads the team in blocks (12), while ranking third in the BIG EAST. The forward leads all BIG EAST freshmen in the category. She has averaged 4.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game this season.

TEAM NOTABLES

• Xavier ranks third in the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.254), while ranking 22nd nationally. The Musketeers also rank fifth in steals (8.6) and fifth in scoring offense (69.3).

• Xavier has scored 80 or more points in a game three times this season. The Musketeers' season-high in scoring last year was 75 points against Furman on Dec. 17.

• Xavier has had a player score 20 or more points in a game six times this season. The Musketeers only had one player score 20 or more points in a game twice last season.

• Xavier defeated Chicago State, 91-57, on Wednesday, Nov. 7. The Musketeers moved to 19-0 in season openers at Cintas Center following the win. The 91 points were the most points in a game for Xavier since scoring 91 against Marquette on Feb. 16, 2015. Xavier won 91-72 at Cintas Center.

• The 34 point win over Chicago State was Xavier's largest margin of victory since an 86-53 win over Delaware State on Dec. 1, 2016.

• The Musketeers forced 26 turnovers against Chicago State. The 26 forced turnovers are the most in a game since Wofford committed 27 against the Musketeers on Nov. 15, 2014 at Cintas Center.

• Xavier posted a 48-35 win over Fairfield on Nov. 17. The 35 points allowed were the fewest since a 67-27 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 25, 2015 at Cintas Center.

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• Xavier returns point guard Na'Teshia Owens who played and started in 27 games last season. She averaged 7.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, while adding 59 assists and 24 steals. The junior also hit 40 percent (30-for-75) of her three pointers to rank eighth in the BIG EAST.

• The Musketeers also return Aaliyah Dunham who was named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. The guard led the team in assists (74) and three pointers made (32). She finished the year ranked fourth in Xavier single-season history in assists by a freshman.

• Aaliyah Dunham also connected on 39 percent of her three pointers (32-for-82), the ninth best percentage in the conference.

• Xavier finished the year ranked second all-time in program history in made three pointers with 214. The 700 attempted three pointers rank first in school history.

• Xavier returns its top rebounder from last season in A'riana Gray. The sophomore forward pulled down 5.5 rebounds per game last year, leading all BIG EAST freshmen in the category. She also led the Musketeers in steals (30).

YOUNG MUSKETEERS

• Xavier is the only team in the BIG EAST without a graduate student or senior on its roster. The Musketeers only have three upperclassmen (juniors), and have 10 underclassmen – ranked with Georgetown and Providence for the most underclassmen in the BIG EAST.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Xavier will play 18 games at Cintas Center this season, including nine BIG EAST games.

• The Musketeers open and close BIG EAST play against Georgetown. Xavier travels to Washington, D.C., on Dec. 29 to open conference play and host the Hoyas on March 3 at Cintas Center.

• The Musketeers have won 41 non-conference games over the last five seasons with a 34-5 mark at Cintas Center.

• The Musketeers will take on three opponents for the first time in school history in Fairfield, North Alabama and Alabama State.

• Xavier will be playing nine home non-conference games, the second most in program history. The Musketeers played 10 non-conference games at Cintas Center during the 2015-16 campaign.

OPPONENT BREAKDOWN

• Xavier's non-conference opponents combined to post a 142-192 (.425) record last season. Three teams posted winning records in Minnesota, North Alabama and Cincinnati.

• Minnesota and Cincinnati both participated in postseason tournaments last season. The Golden Gophers advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before being defeated by Oregon. Cincinnati participated in the WNIT and was defeated in the opening round at Michigan State.

• Five of Xavier's non-conference opponents will be under the direction of a new head coach: Chicago State, Minnesota, Bowling Green, Delaware State and Cincinnati. Most notably, Minnesota is coached by former Gopher All-American, Lindsay Whalen.

• The Musketeers will take on an opponent from 11 difference conferences this season.

NATIONAL TV BROADCASTS

• Xavier will play three games on national television with each game being aired on FS2. The Musketeers will play all three of those games at Cintas Center (Jan. 27 vs DePaul; Feb. 15 vs Providence; March 1 vs Villanova).

BIG EAST DIGITAL NETWORK

• Xavier's remaining 15 conference games will be aired on the BIG EAST Digital Network.

• BEDN, launched in September 2014, is its own dedicated channel within the FOX Sports app, the mobile app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content at home or on-the-go. Streaming on the FOX Sports app is now available on several connected devices, including Apple TV, Roku and Chromecast.

PRESEASON COACHES POLL

1.	DePaul (5)	77
	Marquette (5)	77
3.	Villanova	57
4.	Creighton	53
5.	Georgetown	52
6.	St. John's	48
7.	Butler	34
8.	Seton Hall	23
9.	Providence	17
10.	Xavier	12

First-place votes in parentheses

SEASON TICKET INFORMATION

• Season tickets are on sale now through the Xavier Athletics Ticket Office. For more information on ticket options, call the ticket office at 513-745-3411 ext. 7 or CLICK HERE for additional information.

UP NEXT

• Xavier closes non-conference action on Saturday, Dec. 22 against New Orleans. Tip-off is slated for 12 p.m. from Cintas Center.