Women's Basketball Opens Three Game Road Swing at Seton Hall

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball opens the second half of BIG EAST play on Friday, Feb. 1 at Seton Hall. The contest is the first of three straight conference road games for the Musketeers.

THE MATCHUP VS SETON HALL

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (10-10, 1-8) at SETON HALL PIRATES (13-7, 5-4)
Game Info - Friday, Feb. 1 - 7 p.m. ET - Walsh Gymnasium (1,655)
Live Video - BEDN - bit.ly/2MFn4Ci
Live Stats - bit.ly/2FWmhw4

ABOUT SETON HALL

2018-19 Record: 13-7 (5-4 BIG EAST)
2017-18 Record: 16-16 (7-11 BIG EAST)
2017-18 Postseason: WNIT - First Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 10-2
Last Meeting: Xavier 63, Seton Hall 62 (OT) - (Cincinnati, Ohio - Cintas Center)

NOTABLES
• In BIG EAST only games, the Pirates rank third in scoring offense (71.7), assists (16.0) and steals (8.4). Seton Hall also ranks fourth in rebounding margin (+2.3).
• Junior Shadeen Samuels was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 27.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game last week. She earned the honors for the second time in the last three weeks. Through nine conference games, the forward is averaging 20.7 points and 9.9 rebounds per game.
• Seton Hall is coming off a 76-63 home win over Georgetown on Sunday, Jan. 27. The Pirates moved to 10-1 at home this season following the win.

SETON HALL SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with the Pirates, 10-2. The Musketeers snapped a four-game losing streak in the series with a 63-62 overtime victory against the Pirates in the first meeting this season (Jan. 6 at Cintas Center).

• Five of the last six meetings have been decided by 10 or fewer points. A victory on Friday would be the Musketeers' first road win in the series.

LAST TIME OUT VS THE PIRATES

• Xavier won the first meeting between the two schools this season, 63-62, in overtime on Jan. 6 at Cintas Center. Sophomore A'riana Gray led the Musketeers with 19 points and 22 rebounds. The forward was 7-for-10 from the floor and added two assists, two steals and one block.

• A'riana Gray's 22 rebounds are the most by a BIG EAST player this season, while ranking tied for sixth in the NCAA. The 22 rebounds also rank second in school history. She is the first player to post 20 or more rebounds in a game since Ta'Shia Phillips (21 rebounds) on March 21, 2010 against East Tennessee State (NCAA Tournament).

• Junior Na'Teshia Owens scored 18 points to go along with six rebounds, while sophomore Deja Ross pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds.

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier is coming off a 73-71 overtime loss to DePaul on Sunday, Jan. 27 at Cintas Center. The Musketeers moved to 2-2 in overtime games this season.

• Sophomore A'riana Gray finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds, her 11th double-double of the year. Sophomore Princess Stewart scored 17 points on 7-for-13 shooting to go along with a career-high 12 rebounds, her first career double-double. The guard added three assists.

• Junior Na'Teshia Owens scored a team-high 21 points, her third career 20-point performance. She chipped in four rebounds and two assists.

GRAY'S BREAKOUT SEASON

• Sophomore A'riana Gray leads the BIG EAST in rebounding (11.5), while ranking 10th in scoring (13.8). The forward's 11.5 rebounds per game also ranks 15th nationally.

• A'riana Gray posted a career-high seven steals against Creighton on Jan. 18. She averages 2.2 steals per game, ranking tied for seventh in the conference.

• Sophomore A'riana Gray leads the BIG EAST in double-doubles with 11, while also ranking 17th nationally. She has 230 rebounds on the year to rank 10th in the NCAA.

• In nine BIG EAST games, A'riana Gray is averaging 13.7 points and 13.2 rebounds per game. She also has a team-high 18 steals and 12 assists in those games.

INDIVIDUAL NOTABLES

• Freshman Lauren Wasylson ranks ninth in the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage (.389), while ranking 82nd nationally. She is 42-for-108 from behind the arc and leads all BIG EAST freshmen in total three pointers made. The guard ranks 14th nationally among freshmen in three pointers made. Her 42 made three pointers are 10 more than Xavier's individual player total for made three pointers from last season (Aaliyah Dunham - 32).

• In 11 games this season, sophomore Princess Stewart is averaging 8.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. She has added 24 assists and 23 steals in those games. The guard averaged 4.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game last year (30 games) and totaled 10 steals.

• Sophomore Aaliyah Dunham ranks seventh in the BIG EAST in assists (3.5) and eighth in assists-to-turnover ratio (1.8). The guard has also added 8.6 points per game this season. She averaged 2.5 assists per game last season as a freshman.

• Junior Na'Teshia Owens ranks ninth in the BIG EAST in assists (3.4). The guard ranks second on the team in scoring (12.6) and third in total steals (25).

TEAM NOTABLES

• Xavier ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in steals (8.9) and fourth in three pointers made (8.8). The 8.8 three pointers made per game rank 24th in the NCAA. The Musketeers have made 10 or more three pointers in six games this season.

• The Musketeers have now matched last year's win total (10-20). The win over New Orleans gave 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 6.4 more points per game this season than a year ago (65.0 ppg vs 58.6 ppg). Xavier already has eight more total blocks (63-55) than a year ago and is averaging 2.8 more steals per game (8.9 - 6.1).

• Xavier has had a player score 20 or more points in a game seven 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.

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.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

• Xavier has had a player named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll five times this season. Lauren Wasylson was also named Freshman of the Week on Nov. 19 and A'riana Gray earned Player of the Week Honors on Dec. 3, the first Xavier player to earn the honors since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.

Jan. 21	A'riana Gray	Weekly Honor Roll
Jan. 7	A'riana Gray	Weekly Honor Roll
Dec. 17	Na'Teshia Owens	Weekly Honor Roll
Dec. 3	A'riana Gray	Player of the Week
Nov. 26	A'riana Gray	Weekly Honor Roll
Nov. 19	Lauren Wasylson	Freshman of the Week
Nov. 12	A'riana Gray	Weekly Honor Roll

2018 SIGNING CLASS

• Head Coach Brian Neal announced the addition of Hannah Noveroske and Courtney Prenger to the 2019-20 roster on Nov. 15.

• Noveroske is a 6-foot-4 center from Michigan City, Ind. She averaged 20.6 points, 15.7 rebounds and 6.9 blocks per game as a junior. She recently earned all-state honors in volleyball after helping her team to a sectional title.

• Prenger helped her team win the 2018 OHSAA Division IV State Title, averaging 10.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-1 forward from Minster, Ohio, is a three-time all-conference first-team selection. She is also a standout track and field athlete, participating in the 4x200 and 4x400 meter relays at the 2016 and 2017 OHSAA State Championships.

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).

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 43 non-conference games over the last five seasons with a 36-5 mark at Cintas Center.

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

• Xavier played 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

• The Musketeers return to action on Sunday, Feb. 3 at St. John's. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Carnesecca Arena.

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