Musketeers Close Non-Conference Action on Saturday Against New Orleans

Saturday, December 22

Cincinnati, Ohio

12 p.m.

Xavier University

New Orleans

Musketeers Close Non-Conference Action on Saturday Against New Orleans

12.20.18 | Women's Basketball

Watch Live Live Stats XU Notes (PDF)

Tip-off is slated for 12 p.m. from Cintas Center

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball closes out non-conference action on Saturday, Dec. 22 against New Orleans. Tip-off is slated for 12 p.m. from Cintas Center.

THE MATCHUP VS NEW ORLEANS

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (8-2) vs NEW ORLEANS PRIVATEERS (4-4)
Game Info - Saturday, Dec. 22 - 12 p.m. ET - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video - bit.ly/2T4RtMh
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu

ABOUT NEW ORLEANS

2018-19 Record: 4-4
2017-18 Record: 15-15 (11-7 Southland)
2017-18 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier trails, 1-0
Last Meeting: New Orleans 81, Xavier 62 (01/03/87 - New Orleans, La.)

NOTABLES
• Xavier trails the all-time series with New Orleans, 1-0. The Privateers won the lone meeting, 81-62, on Jan. 3, 1987.
• New Orleans posted a 15-15 (11-7 Southland) record last season, finishing tied for fourth in the conference standings.
• New Orleans graduated its leading scorer in Randi Brown who averaged 22.0 points per game. The Privateers return Shania Woods who averaged 11.9 points per game a team-leading 8.4 rebounds per game. She also ranked third in the conference in field-goal percentage (.508).
• Woods continues to lead the team in scoring and rebounding this season, averaging 14.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. She has also hit 52.9 percent (45-for-85) of her shot attempts.

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.

LAST TIME OUT

• Sophomore guard Princess Stewart scored a career-high 18 points on 6-for-14 shooting on Tuesday night, leading Xavier to am 87-58 win over Alabama State. She also added a career-high seven assists and steals to go along with five rebounds. Stewart is the first player with seven or more steals in a game since Dec. 8, 2016 at Wake Forest (Marquia Turner - eight steals).

• Four other Musketeers scored in double figures: Junior Na'Teshia Owens (15), sophomore Aaliyah Dunham (12), freshman Lauren Wasylson (12) and sophomore A'riana Gray (10). Xavier had five players score in double figures for the first time since Jan. 27, 2017 (at Seton Hall).

• Xavier also recorded a season-high 16 steals (sixth game with 10 or more steals) and a season-high 24 assists. The Musketeers also scored a season-high 28 points off of turnovers, forcing 21 Hornet miscues on the night.

• Xavier committed a season-low seven turnovers, the team's fewest turnovers in a game since Dec. 21, 2015 against Kennesaw State (five turnovers; Xavier won, 62-59).

• The Musketeers made a season-high 14 three pointers, the team's fifth game of the season with 10 or more three pointers. Eight different players made a three pointer, paced by Lauren Wasylson who was 4-for-9 from behind the arc. The 14 three pointers are tied for second in single-game Xavier history.

INDIVIDUAL NOTABLES

• Sophomore A'riana Gray leads the team in scoring (15.0) and rebounding (10.1). The forward has connected on 50.4 percent (60-for-119) of her shot attempts to rank 10th in the BIG EAST. She also leads the BIG EAST in rebounding, while ranking fifth 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 5.8 points per game after posting 1.6 points per game last season. The guard leads the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage (.522), going 12-for-23 from behind the arc.

• Freshman Lauren Wasylson ranks third in the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage (.464). She is 26-for-56 from behind the arc and leads all BIG EAST freshmen in total three pointers made. The guard ranks sixth nationally among freshmen in three pointers made.

• Junior Na'Teshia Owens ranks second on the team in scoring (12.8) and assists (4.1). The guard ranks seventh in the BIG EAST in assists. Sophomore Aaliyah Dunham paces the team in assists, averaging 4.4 assists per game to rank sixth in the conference.

TEAM NOTABLES

• Xavier ranks third in the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.247), while ranking 14th nationally. The Musketeers also rank fifth in steals (8.3) and fifth in scoring offense (71.1).

• The Musketeers are two wins away from matching last year's win total (10-20). A win on Saturday would give Xavier nine non-conference wins, the most non-conference wins since the 2015-16 season (9-3 record; finished 17-13 overall).

• Xavier is averaging 12.5 more points per game this season than a year ago (71.1 ppg vs 58.6 ppg). The Musketeers have also posted a .429 field-goal percentage to last season's .396 clip.

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

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 42 non-conference games over the last five seasons with a 35-5 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 opens BIG EAST action at Georgetown on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 5 p.m. The Musketeers conclude the road swing at Villanova on Monday, Dec. 31 at 1 p.m.