Xavier Closes Non-Conference Action vs Northwestern at West Palm Beach Invitational

Saturday, December 21

West Palm Beach, Fla.

2:30 p.m.

Xavier University

Northwestern

Xavier Closes Non-Conference Action vs Northwestern at West Palm Beach Invitational

12.21.19 | Women's Basketball

Watch Live Live Stats

Tip-off is slated for 2:30 p.m. from the Student Life Center on the campus of Keiser University

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball closes non-conference action against Northwestern on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 2:30 p.m. in the West Palm Beach Invitational. The two-day tournament is being played at the Student Life Center on the campus of Keiser University.

THE MATCHUP VS NORTHWESTERN

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (1-9) vs NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS (9-1)
Game Info - Saturday, Dec. 21 - 2:30 p.m. - Student Life Center (1,600)
Live Video - bit.ly/2z9yoBn
Live Stats - bit.ly/2z9yoBn

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN

2019-20 Record: 9-1
2018-19 Record: 21-15 (9-9 Big Ten)
2018-19 Postseason: WNIT Runner-Up
Series History: First meeting

NOTABLES
• Northwestern won its opening game of the West Palm Beach Invitational on Friday afternoon, topping East Carolina, 64-45. The win was career win No. 700 for head coach Joe McKeown.
• Three Wildcats average 10 or more points per game, paced by Lindsey Pulliam who averaged 17.6 points per game. Abbie Wolf has added 11.7 points per game and a team-leading 6.8 rebounds per game this season.
• Northwestern's lone loss this season was to DePaul, 70-68, on Dec. 1. The Wildcats also played BIG EAST member Marquette on Nov. 14, defeating the Golden Eagles, 64-56, on Nov. 14.

SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday's game will be the first meeting between Xavier and Northwestern.

WEST PALM BEACH INVITE HISTORY

• Xavier is participating in the West Palm Beach Invitational for the second time in program history. The Musketeers also competed in the 2017 West Palm Beach Invitational on Dec. 17-18.

WPBI ALL-TIME RESULTS
Dec. 17, 2017 - Xavier 75, Furman 62
Dec. 18, 2017 - No. 16 Missouri 74, Xavier 48
Dec. 20, 2019 - Florida 67, Xavier 64

XAVIER VS THE BIG TEN

• Xavier is 2-4 in its last six games vs Big Ten opponents. The last time the Musketeers played a Big Ten team was on Nov. 14, 2018 vs Minnesota.

XU VS THE BIG TEN
Nov. 14, 2018 - No. 25 Minnesota 78, Xavier 53 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Nov. 22, 2017 - Minnesota 74, Xavier 62 (Minneapolis, Minn.)
Dec. 5, 2016 - Xavier 61, Michigan 58 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Nov. 19, 2015 - Michigan 92, Xavier 54 (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Dec. 29, 2013- Indiana 62, Xavier 55 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Nov. 13, 2013 - Xavier 79, Michigan 75 - OT (Ann Arbor, Mich.)

START OF MEL MOORE ERA

• The Melanie Moore Era began on Thursday, Nov. 11 with a 70-63 win over Utah. She was introduced as the eighth head women's basketball coach in program history on April 9 at Cintas Center.

• Moore joined the Musketeers after a seven-year stint at Michigan, most recently serving as associate head coach. She helped the Wolverines to a 156-85 overall record with seven postseason berths, including three NCAA Tournament appearances.

• The Glandorf, Ohio, native also has assistant coaching stops at Princeton (2007-12), Dayton (2006-07), Indiana State (2004-06) and Siena (2002-04).

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

• Freshman Morgan Sharps was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. The guard scored a career-high 24 points on Saturday in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout vs Cincinnati.

• The Granville, Ohio, native was 9-for-15 from the floor and 6-for-12 from behind the arc vs the Bearcats. Her six 3-pointers were the most in a game by a Xavier player since Jan. 29, 2016 (Aliyah Zantt - six 3-pointers vs Butler). She also had five rebounds and two assists.

2019-20 BIG EAST HONOREES
Dec. 16 - Morgan Sharps - Weekly Honor Roll
Nov. 11 - A'riana Gray - Weekly Honor Roll

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier is coming off a 67-64 loss to Florida in the team's opening game of the West Palm Beach Invitational on Friday.

• Sophomore Lauren Wasylson scored a season-high 15 points on 4-for-8 shooting. The guard was 3-for-5 from behind the arc and 4-for-4 from the foul line. She added four rebounds, one assist and one steal.

• Sophomore Carrie Gross added 11 points on 4-for-9 shooting. The guard chipped in three rebounds, three assists and one steal.

• Junior A'riana Gray nearly missed her second double-double of the year, recording nine points and nine rebounds in 21 minutes of action. The forward added three assists and one steal.

NOTABLES

• Xavier's non-conference opponents have combined to post a 76-38 overall record (.667) this season. All 11 Xavier opponents have posted a .500 or better record this season.

• A'riana Gray leads the BIG EAST in rebounding (9.6) this season, while adding 13.3 points per game - ranking 14th in the BIG EAST. The junior forward ranks 49th in the NCAA in rebounding.

• Junior Aaliyah Dunham ranks third on the team in scoring (8.6), while leading the team in total assists (42) and total steals (22). The guard ranks third in the BIG EAST in steals (2.2) and fourth in assists (4.2). She ranks 66th in the NCAA in steals per game and 56th in assist turnover ratio.

• Junior Aaliyah Dunham ranks third in the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage (.500). She is 17-for-34 from the behind the arc.

• Freshman Morgan Sharps has 18 three pointers this year to rank tied for second among BIG EAST freshmen this season. She also ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in three-point field goal percentage (.439).

• Sophomore Carrie Gross ranks second on the team in scoring (8.9) and third in rebounding (4.0) this season. She averaged 3.3 points and 1.3 rebounds per game during her freshman campaign.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST

• Junior forward A'riana Gray was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team on Oct. 10. The Musketeers were also picked to finish eighth in the preseason coaches' poll.

A'RIANA GRAY - NOTABLES

• Xavier returns its leading rebounder and scorer in junior A'riana Gray. The forward averaged 13.9 points and 11.5 rebounds per game last season. She also added a team-high 58 steals.

• A'riana Gray earned All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention Team honors last season. She led the BIG EAST in rebounding (11.5), while ranking 10th in the NCAA.

• A'riana Gray was one of only two underclassmen to earn All-BIG EAST honors last season. St. John's Tiana England (R-So.) was also named to the honorable mention team.

• A'riana Gray finished the 2018-19 season with 344 rebounds to rank tied for 19th in the NCAA in total rebounds. The 344 rebounds also rank fifth in single-season school history.

WASYLSON - NOTABLES

• Sophomore Lauren Wasylson made a team-leading 57 three pointers during her first year on the team - leading all BIG EAST freshmen in the category, while ranking 11th overall in the conference. She also ranked 10th in the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage (.383).

• Lauren Wasylson's 57 three pointers were the most by a Musketeer since Ashley Wanninger in 2013-14 (62-for-186). Her 57 three pointers also rank fourth in single-season school history by a freshman.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Xavier will play 14 games at Cintas Center this season, including nine BIG EAST games.

• The Musketeers open and close BIG EAST play against St. John's. Xavier opens conference play against the Red Storm on Dec. 29 at Cintas Center before closing the year in Queens, N.Y., on March 1.

• The Musketeers have won 44 non-conference games over the last five seasons with a 37-8 mark at Cintas Center.

• Six of Xavier's non-conference opponents posted winning records last season, including five teams with 20 or more wins. Five of Xavier's opponents played in a postseason tournament last season: Rider (WNIT), Wright State (NCAA), Robert Morris (NCAA), Cincinnati (WNIT) and Northwestern (WNIT).

• Xavier will play teams from nine different conferences before the start of BIG EAST play, including two teams from both the American Athletic Conference and the Pac-12 Conference. The Musketeers will also play a team from the Big Ten (Northwestern) and the Southeastern Conference (Florida).

• The Musketeers travel to the West Palm Beach Invitational on Dec. 20-21, participating in the tournament for the second time in three years. Xavier will take on Northwestern and Florida during tournament action. The tournament is being held at Keiser University.

• Xavier plays host to Cincinnati in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout on Saturday, Dec. 14. The Musketeers had their five-game win streak in the series snapped last season, 79-61, at Fifth Third Arena. Xavier has won 11 of the last 15 meetings between the two schools.

• Xavier will play four opponents for the first time in program history: Utah, Rider, Colorado and Northwestern.

XAVIER ON NATIONAL TV

• Xavier will play two games on national television with each game being aired on FS2. The Musketeers will play at Georgetown on FS2 on Jan. 10 and at Providence on FS2 on Jan. 26.

PRESEASON BIG EAST COACHES' POLL

1. DePaul (9) - 81
2. St. John's (1) - 70
3. Seton Hall - 58
4. Creighton - 50
t-5. Providence - 44
t-5. Villanova - 44
7. Butler - 43
8. Xavier - 23
9. Marquette - 19
10. Georgetown - 18

first-place votes in parentheses

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.

SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW

• Season tickets are now on sale for the upcoming 2019-20 season! Season tickets start as low as $60 for all 14 home games. For more information about season tickets, fans can call the Xavier Athletics Ticket Office at 513-745-3411 ext. 7.

MINI PACKS ON SALE NOW

• Fans can choose any 4 games on the schedule for just $20. The Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout on Saturday, Dec. 14 will be available in this package.

• Seating is general admission.

UP NEXT

• Xavier opens BIG EAST action on Sunday, Dec. 29 vs St. John's. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Cintas Center.