BIG EAST Action Begins on Friday at Marquette

Friday, December 3

Milwaukee, Wis.

8 p.m. ET

Xavier University

Marquette

BIG EAST Action Begins on Friday at Marquette

12.02.21 | Women's Basketball

Live Stats Watch Live XU Notes (PDF)

Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET from the Al McGuire Center

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball opens BIG EAST action on Friday, Dec. 3 at Marquette. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET from the Al McGuire Center.

A win on Friday would give Xavier its fourth straight win. The last time the Musketeers won four games in a row was on Nov. 17, 2018 - Dec. 9, 2018 (won five straight games).

A win on Friday would also snap a 10-game losing streak vs the Golden Eagles.

THE MATCHUP AT MARQUETTE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (3-3, 0-0) at MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES (4-2, 0-0)
Game Info - Friday, Dec. 3 - 8 p.m. ET - Al McGuire Center (3,700)
Live Video - bit.ly/3lsjiyx
Live Stats - bit.ly/2Ei4mxU

ABOUT MARQUETTE

2021-22 Record: 4-2
2020-21 Record: 19-7 (14-4 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier trails, 17-7
Last Meeting: Marquette 69, Xavier 56 (Dec. 22, 2020 - Cincinnati, Ohio)

NOTABLES
• Marquette was picked to finish fourth in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll after posting a 19-7 (14-4 BIG EAST) record last season. Lauren Van Kleunen was also named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
• Marquette leads the BIG EAST in scoring defense (54.5), scoring margin (+13.5) and rebounding margin (+16.8). The Golden Eagles also rank second in field-goal percentage (.446), field-goal percentage defense (.351) and three-point field-goal percentage defense (.255).
• Lauren Van Kleunen leads the team in scoring (13.2), rebounding (7.3) and field-goal percentage (.534). Jordan King ranks sixth in the BIG EAST in assists (4.8).

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with Marquette, 17-7. The Musketeers have dropped 10 straight in the series.

• The Musketeers last win over the Golden Eagles was on Jan. 15, 2016 at Cintas Center. Xavier defeated Marquette, 71-66.

• Xavier is 1-5 vs the Golden Eagles when playing in Milwaukee, Wis. The Musketeers lone win at Marquette was on Dec. 30, 2014 (W, 74-71).

LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS MARQUETTE
Dec. 22, 2020 - Marquette 69, Xavier 56 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 14, 2020 - Marquette 61, Xavier 48 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Jan. 19, 2020 - Marquette 80, Xavier 60 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 24, 2019 - Marquette 79, Xavier 53 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Jan. 25, 2019 - Marquette 90, Xavier 40 (Cincinnati, Ohio)

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier is coming off a 73-60 road win at Eastern Kentucky. Nia Clark scored a game-high 22 points on 9-for-16 shooting. The guard has now 17 career double-figure scoring games, including two 20-point performances (both coming this season).

• Ayanna Townsend scored a season-high 14 points, her second game of the season in double figures (11th of her career). The forward was 6-for-12 from the floor and pulled down six rebounds. Townsend added one block, moving her career total to 60 blocks (ranking tied for eighth all-time at Xavier).

• Kae Satterfield was two rebounds shy of her second straight double-double. The guard scored 13 points on 4-for-8 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, three steals and three assists.

• Aanaya Harris rounded out the double-figure scorers with 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting. The freshman added five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Harris has now scored in double figures in five games this season.

• Xavier had 12 steals in the game, its third contest with 10 or more steals. Seven different Musketeers recorded a steal in the contest.

• The Musketeers posted their second-highest field-goal percentage of the season, going 26-for-55 (.473) from the floor.

• Xavier also made its first 13 free throws of the game, finishing 21-for-23 from the charity stripe.

BIG EAST SEASON OPENERS

• Xavier is 3-5 in BIG EAST openers. The Musketeers have lost three straight BIG EAST openers and are looking for their first BIG EAST opening win since Dec. 29, 2017 (W, 69-62 at Butler).

THREE GAME WIN STREAK

• Xavier has won three straight games. During that stretch, the Musketeers have limited opponents to only 52.0 points per game, while scoring 68.3 points per game.

• Nia Clark has averaged 18.0 points, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game during the win streak with a .524 field-goal percentage (22-for-42). Kae Satterfield has added 12.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.

NOTABLES

• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST with seven newcomers, only trailing Providence (eight newcomers).

• Xavier is replacing over half of its points, rebounds and assists from players who departed the program in the offseason. The Musketeers lost 57.9 percent of their total points (549), 54.8 percent of their total rebounds (297) and 66.7 percent of their total assists (140).

• All told, the Musketeers five players who graduated in the offseason (A'riana Gray, Aaliyah Dunham, Sarah Leyendecker, Lauren Wasylson, Deja Ross) combined for the following career statistics: 406 games played, 2,933 points, 1,764 rebounds and 636 assists.

• Xavier leads the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (.807), while ranking 10th in the NCAA. The Musketeers also rank fifth in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage (.433).

• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST in steals per game (9.0) this season. Nia Clark leads three Musketeers with double-figure steals with 11 (fifth in BIG EAST).

• Nia Clark ranks ninth in the BIG EAST in scoring, averaging 16.0 points per game. The guard has hit 48.8 percent (39-for-80) of her shot attempts this season, ranking 12th in the conference. She also ranks first in the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (.929), going 13-for-14 from the charity stripe.

• Freshman Aanaya Harris ranks second on the team in scoring, averaging 11.5 points per game. She has hit 51.9 percent (27-for-52) of her shot attempts this season, ranking ninth in the BIG EAST. She leads the team in total blocks (5), while ranking third in total assists (15).

• Kae Satterfield leads the team in rebounding (6.0), while ranking second in scoring (11.5). She has hit 88.9 percent (16-for-18) of her free throws, ranking third in the BIG EAST and 42nd in the NCAA.

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• Xavier returns two of its top three scorers from last season in Nia Clark and Kae Satterfield. The Musketeers finished the season with a 5-10 (2-8 BIG EAST) record.

• Nia Clark averaged 11.5 points per game last season, ranking second on the team. She also led the team in three pointers made (16) and total steals (26). The Indianapolis, Ind., native averaged 2.0 steals per game, ranking sixth in the BIG EAST and 126th in the NCAA.

• Kae Satterfield averaged 9.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. She ranked second on the team in rebounding, while ranking 14th in the BIG EAST. The New York, N.Y., native also posted a team-best .468 field-goal percentage (58-for-124).

• The Musketeers welcome seven newcomers to the team this season, comprised of four transfers and three true freshmen. The four transfers are Shelby Calhoun (Virginia Tech), Mikayla Hayes (Florida/Clemson), Taylor Smith (Ole Miss) and Shaila Beeler (Indiana/Vincennes). The true freshman are Kaysia Woods (Lincoln, Neb.), Kaybriana Hallman (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and Aanaya Harris (Omaha, Neb.).

AYANNA TOWNSEND CAREER WATCH

• Ayanna Townsend has 60 career blocks, ranking tied for eighth all-time at Xavier with Maddison Blackwell (2013-17). She is 18 blocks away from moving into seventh place with Carol Madsen (1991-94).

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Xavier will play nine non-conference games (five on the road, four at home). The Musketeers will play teams from eight different conferences (AAC, Pac-12, MAC, MVC, Horizon, ASUN, MAAC, OVC). The contest with Niagara on Dec. 8 will be the first meeting between the two schools.

• Xavier plays six teams that advanced to postseason action last season: Wright State (NCAA), Marquette (NCAA), UConn (NCAA), Villanova (WNIT), DePaul (WNIT), Creighton (WNIT).

• The Musketeers will play four games on national television: Jan. 15 at UConn (SNY), Jan. 23 vs DePaul (CBS Sports Network), Feb. 13 at Providence (FS1) and Feb. 18 vs UConn (SNY). Xavier's remaining 16 conference games will be aired BIG EAST Digital Network (BEDN) presented by SoFi. FloSports will serve as the digital home for conference women's basketball for the second straight season.

• The conference season begins on Dec. 3 at Marquette and concludes on Feb. 27 at Cintas Center vs Villanova. The Musketeers will play four BIG EAST games before the start of 2022.

• The BIG EAST Tournament will be held at Mohegan Sun Arena for the second straight year. The tournament will be held on March 5-7.

• The Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout returns after the game was canceled last season due to COVID-19 issues. Xavier has won four of the last six meetings between the two teams and 11 of the last 16 meetings. The game will be played at Fifth Third Arena on Sunday, Dec. 12.

• The Musketeers have won 50 non-conference games over the last six seasons with a 40-10 mark at Cintas Center.

BIG EAST COACHES' POLL

1.	UConn (10)	100
2.	DePaul (1)	90
3.	Seton Hall	80
4.	Marquette	74
5.	Villanova	62
6.	Creighton	54
7.	St. John's	51
8.	Providence	32
9.	Georgetown	27
10.	Xavier	18
11.	Butler	17

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 continues BIG EAST action on Sunday, Dec. 5 at DePaul. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. ET from Wintrust Arena.

VIDEO