Musketeers Close Homestand on Saturday vs Butler

Saturday, January 4

Cincinnati, Ohio

2 P.M.

Xavier University

Butler

Musketeers Close Homestand on Saturday vs Butler

01.03.20 | Women's Basketball

Live Stats Watch Live - BEDN Xavier Notes (PDF)Butler Notes (PDF)

Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Cintas Center

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball ends its three-game homestand on Saturday, Jan. 4 vs Butler. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Cintas Center.

THE MATCHUP VS BUTLER

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (1-12, 0-2) vs BUTLER BULLDOGS (8-5, 0-2)
Game Info - Saturday, Jan. 4 - 2 p.m. - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video - bit.ly/39HYpbk
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu

ABOUT BUTLER

2019-20 Record: 8-5, 0-2
2018-19 Record: 23-10 (11-7 BIG EAST)
2018-19 Postseason: WNIT - Sweet 16
Series History: Xavier trails, 28-19
Last Meeting: Butler 63, Xavier 38 (Feb. 8, 2019 - Indianapolis, Ind.)

NOTABLES
• Butler ranks third in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage defense (.376), fourth in scoring defense (60.1) and fifth in scoring offense (65.5). The Bulldogs also average 11.1 steals per game, ranking second in the conference and 29th in the NCAA.
• The Bulldogs have made 208 free throws this season, ranking 13th in the NCAA. They also rank 11th in free throw attempts (305).
• Senior Kristen Spolyar ranks third in the BIG EAST in scoring (18.3) and eighth in rebounding (6.5). Junior Genesis Parker ranks 15th in the conference in scoring (12.2) and third in three-point field-goal percentage (.471).

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series, 28-19. The Musketeers are 3-2 in the last five regular-season meetings vs the Bulldogs.

• Seven of the last nine meetings have been decided by 10 or fewer points.

LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS BUTLER
Feb. 8, 2019 - Butler 63, Xavier 38 (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Jan. 11, 2019 - Butler 63, Xavier 41 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 25, 2018 - Xavier 57, Butler 54 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Dec. 29, 2017 - Xavier 69, Butler 62 (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Feb. 4, 2017 - Xavier 53, Butler 43 (Indianapolis, Ind.)

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier dropped an 83-61 contest to Seton Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 31. Junior A'riana Gray matched her season-high in scoring with 22 points, her third 20-point performance of the year and 10th of her career. She added five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

• Freshman Morgan Sharps added 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting with four 3-pointers. The guard chipped in four rebounds and three assists.

• Redshirt-sophomore Sarah Leyendecker scored in double figures for the second time in as many games, posting 10 points on 3-for-9 shooting. She added six rebounds. The forward was 4-for-4 from the foul line as she improved to 19-for-19 from the charity stripe this season.

• Sophomore Lauren Wasylson grabbed a career-high eight rebounds to go along with four points. Classmate Carrie Gross added seven points and four rebounds.

• Xavier had 10 steals in the loss with seven different players recording a steal. The Musketeers have posted 10 or more steals in a game five times this season.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

• Redshirt-sophomore Sarah Leyendecker was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday morning. The forward earns the recognition for the first time this season.

2019-20 BIG EAST HONOREES
Dec. 30 - Sarah Leyendecker - Weekly Honor Roll
Dec. 23 - A'riana Gray - Weekly Honor Roll
Dec. 16 - Morgan Sharps - Weekly Honor Roll
Nov. 11 - A'riana Gray - Weekly Honor Roll

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).

NOTABLES

• A'riana Gray has averaged 7.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in four career meetings with Butler. She has added five steals, two blocks and four assists in those games.

• A'riana Gray leads the BIG EAST in rebounding (9.5) this season, while adding 14.7 points per game - ranking ninth in the BIG EAST. The junior forward ranks 50th in the NCAA in rebounds per game.

• Junior Aaliyah Dunham ranks third on the team in scoring (7.8), while leading the team in total assists (54) and total steals (28). The guard ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in assists (4.2). She ranks 47th in the NCAA in assist turnover ratio.

• Junior Aaliyah Dunham ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage (.444). She is 20-for-45 from the behind the arc.

• Freshman Morgan Sharps has 23 three pointers this year to rank third among BIG EAST freshmen this season. She also ranks sixth in the BIG EAST in three-point field goal percentage (.434).

• Xavier ranks third in the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage (.363) and fifth in three pointers made per game (7.2).

• Sophomore Carrie Gross ranks second on the team in scoring (9.2) and fourth in rebounding (3.5) this season. She averaged 3.3 points and 1.3 rebounds per game during her freshman campaign.

• Xavier's non-conference opponents finished non-conference action with a 79-40 (.664) record. Ten of Xavier's 11 non-conference opponents posted a .500 record or better.

BIG EAST ONLY NOTABLES

• Through one week of BIG EAST action, the Musketeers lead the conference in three-point field-goal percentage (.419), while ranking third in free-throw percentage (.738).

• Sarah Leyendecker leads the BIG EAST in rebounding (9.5) and is one of five player who haven't missed a free throw (7-for-7). She is also averaging 14 points per game to rank tied for 14th in the conference.

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 played 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 played a team from the Big Ten (Northwestern) and the Southeastern Conference (Florida).

• Xavier played 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.

UP NEXT

• Xavier hits the road for back-to-back BIG EAST games on Jan. 10-12. The Musketeers take on Georgetown on Friday before facing Villanova on Sunday.