Xavier University Athletics
Saturday, February 20
Cincinnati, Ohio
3 p.m.
Xavier University
vs
Connecticut
Musketeers Play Host to No. 1 UConn on Saturday Afternoon
02.18.21 | Women's Basketball
Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. from Cintas Center
CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 20 vs No. 1 UConn. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. from Cintas Center.
Tickets are still available (starting at just $10) and can be purchased online at GoXavier.com/Tickets or by calling 513-745-3411 x. 7.
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (4-6, 1-5) vs UCONN HUSKIES (17-1, 14-0)
Game Info - Saturday, Feb. 20 - 3 p.m. ET - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video - foxs.pt/3rhufo6
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu
2020-21 Record: 17-0 (14-1 BIG EAST)
2019-20 Record: 29-3 (16-0 AAC)
Series History: Xavier trails, 2-0
Last Meeting: UConn 106, Xavier 59 (Dec. 19, 2020 - Storrs, Conn.)
NOTABLES
• UConn leads the nation in field-goal percentage (.521), while ranking second in scoring margin (+30.6) and ninth in scoring offense (82.9). The Huskies also rank second in assists per game (21.8) and seventh in field-goal percentage defense (.338).
• Freshman Paige Bueckers ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring (21.1), while ranking 25th in the NCAA. She also ranks 15th in the NCAA in field-goal percentage (.576) and 12th in assists per game (5.9).
• Olivia Nelson-Ododa leads the BIG EAST in total blocks (31) and field-goal percentage (.604). She ranks 46th in the NCAA in blocks and sixth in field-goal percentage.
• UConn leads the all-time series with the Musketeers, 2-0. The Huskies won the first meeting between the two schools this season, 106-59 on Dec. 19 in Storrs, Conn.
The Huskies also won the first meeting in program history, 86-84, on March 14, 1999 inside Gampel Pavilion. The meeting was in the NCAA Midwest Second Round with the Musketeers as the No. 8 seed, and the Huskies as the No. 1 seed.
• The Huskies won the first meeting between the two schools this season, 106-59 on Dec. 19 in Storrs, Conn. Nia Clark paced the Musketeers in scoring with 11 points to go along with a team-high four assists and two steals.
• A'riana Gray added nine points, while Carrie Gross chipped in seven. UConn won the battle on the glass, 36-27. Kae Satterfield led Xavier with four rebounds.
• Turnovers proved costly for the Musketeers as they committed 25 miscues. UConn held a 41-12 advantage in points off of turnovers. The Huskies also held a 34-5 advantage in fastbreak points.
• The Musketeers are 11-47 all-time against teams ranked in the top-25. The last time Xavier played a top-25 team was on Feb. 17, 2021 (L, 83-75 at No. 19 DePaul).
• Saturday's matchup vs No. 1 UConn is the Musketeers' highest ranked opponent since Nov. 28, 2013 vs No. 2 Duke at the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (L, 81-54).
• The Musketeers last win over a top-25 team was on Nov. 26, 2009 over No. 18 Kansas, 76-71, at the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas.
• Xavier is coming off an 83-75 road loss at No. 19 DePaul on Feb. 17.
• Kae Satterfield went 5-for-8 from the floor for 16 points and was 6-for-6 from the foul line. The guard was also one of three players with a team-high seven rebounds. Satterfield has scored in double figures six times this season.
• A'riana Gray eclipsed the double-figure mark for the fifth time this season, scoring 15 points on 6-for-12 shooting. She was one of two players with a team-high six assists and one of three players with a team-high seven rebounds.
• Carrie Gross scored 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting in 15 minutes of action off the bench. Aaliyah Dunham chipped in 10 points to go along with a team-high seven rebounds and six assists. The seven rebounds were a career high for Dunham.
• Xavier committed a season-high 29 turnovers. DePaul turned the miscues into 25 points.
• Xavier hit 45.8 percent of its shot attempts, its second-highest mark this season. The Musketeers also won the battle on the glass, 46-35.
• Xavier went 15-for-18 from the foul line. The Musketeers have posted a conference-best .789 free-throw percentage (75-for-95) in BIG EAST only games this season.
• Nia Clark leads the Musketeers in scoring with 14.0 points per game, ranking 12th in the conference. The freshman guard ranks second the BIG EAST in steals per game (2.5), while ranking 49th in the NCAA. She also ranks third in the conference in three-point field-goal percentage (.440).
• Kae Satterfield is averaging 10.0 points and 6.6 rebounds per game this season with a .471 field-goal percentage (40-for-85). She ranks tied for ninth in the BIG EAST in rebounding.
• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST in steals (10.6) and third in blocks (4.6). The Musketeers rank 24th in the NCAA in steals, while ranking 44th in blocks.
• In BIG EAST only games, Xavier leads the conference in free-throw percentage (.789). Sarah Leyendecker ranks eighth in the conference in those games, connecting on 77.8 percent of her free throws (14-for-18).
• Lauren Wasylson leads the team in blocks (13) and ranks tied for first in three-pointers made (11). The junior guard ranks tied for fifth in the conference in blocks this year after only have seven total blocks during the 2019-20 season. She has hit 53.3 percent (8-for-15) of her three pointers in BIG EAST only games, ranking second in the conference.
• A'riana Gray is averaging 6.6 rebounds per game, ranking tied for ninth in the BIG EAST. She also ranks 21st in scoring (12.0) and tied for seventh in steals (1.9).
• Aaliyah Dunham ranks second in the BIG EAST in assist/turnover ratio, while ranking 11th in the NCAA. The senior guard also ranks eighth in the conference in assists (4.0) and fourth in steals (2.1).
• Xavier pulled down 56 rebounds vs Wofford on Dec. 13, the most rebounds in a game by a BIG EAST team this season. The 56 rebounds are the most by the Musketeers since pulling down 64 (2nd in school history) on Nov. 25, 2015 vs Southeastern Louisiana (W, 67-27).
• Xavier had 22 steals at Detroit Mercy, the most steals in a game by a BIG EAST team this season. The Musketeers also forced 28 turnovers, the most in a game by Xavier since Nov. 7, 2018 vs Chicago State (26 turnovers). Nia Clark paced Xavier with 10 steals vs Detroit, the most by a BIG EAST player this season.
• Aaliyah Dunham matched her career high in assists with nine at Valparaiso on Dec. 16. The nine assists are the third most by a BIG EAST player this season.
Jan. 4 - Kae Satterfield - Weekly Honor Roll
Dec. 28 - Nia Clark - Weekly Honor Roll
Dec. 14 - Kae Satterfield - Weekly Honor Roll
Nov. 30 - Nia Clark - Freshman of the Week
• Senior forward A'riana Gray became the 25th member of the 1,000-point club at Xavier in the team's win over Wofford on Dec. 13. She currently has 1,078 career points. The last Xavier player to score 1,000 points in their career was Raeshaun Gaffney (1,074 points - 2014-17).
• Senior A'riana Gray has 803 career rebounds, raking seventh in career rebounding at Xavier. She is 49 rebounds away from moving into sixth place ahead of Taru Tuukkanen (852 - 1997-01). Her 8.5 rebounds per game career average ranks fourth in program history.
• Senior Aaliyah Dunham has 354 career assists to rank ninth all-time at Xavier in assists. She is 23 assists away from moving into seventh place (377 - Sheryl Krmpotich - 1988-92). Her 3.5 assists per game career average ranks 10th in program history.
• Ayanna Townsend has 55 career blocks, ranking 10th all-time at Xavier with Briana Glover (2012-16). She is four blocks away from moving into ninth place with Jennifer Phillips (1998-02).
• Xavier returns nine letterwinners and all five starters from last season. The Musketeers have a three-person senior class, anchored by two-time All-BIG EAST selection A'riana Gray.
• Senior Aaliyah Dunham averaged 7.5 points, 4.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game last year. She ranked fourth in the BIG EAST in assists (4.5), sixth in steals (1.9), sixth in three-point field-goal percentage (.388) and second in assist/turnover ratio (2.3). The guard ranked 25th in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio and 72nd in total assists (135). she also finished the season ranked ninth in career assists at Xavier (314).
• Sophomore Morgan Sharps averaged 6.1 points per game with 43 assists and 18 steals last season. She led the team in three pointers made (48), while ranking ninth in the BIG EAST. The guard ranked third among BIG EAST freshman in three pointers made.
• After suffering a season-ending injury seven games into her freshman season, Ayanna Townsend bounced back to play in all 30 games (21 starts) in year two with the program. She averaged 5.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and led the team in blocks with 32, while ranking sixth in the BIG EAST.
• Senior forward A'riana Gray was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team on Oct. 29 as voted on by conference head coaches. The Cleveland, Ohio, native earned the preseason honors for the second time in as many seasons. Gray averaged a team-high 15.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game last year. She ranked first in the conference in rebounding and sixth in scoring. Gray also ranked 53rd in the NCAA in rebounding.
• She earned All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention Team honors at the end of the 2019-20 season, picking up the accolades for the second time in her career.
A'riana Gray - rebounds - 803 - 1st
A'riana Gray - double doubles - 27 - 1st
A'riana Gray - scoring - 1,078 - 2nd
A'riana Gray - steals - 144 - 2nd
A'riana Gray - blocks 48 - 7th
Aaliyah Dunham - assists - 354 - 1st
Aaliyah Dunham - steals - 132 - 3rd
Ayanna Townsend - blocks - 55 - 9th
Sarah Leyendecker - blocks - 47 - 10th
• 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.
• Xavier returns to action on Monday, Feb. 22 at Butler. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. from Hinkle Fieldhouse with the game being aired on the BEDN/FloHoops.
Tickets are still available (starting at just $10) and can be purchased online at GoXavier.com/Tickets or by calling 513-745-3411 x. 7.
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THE MATCHUP AT DEPAUL |
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (4-6, 1-5) vs UCONN HUSKIES (17-1, 14-0)
Game Info - Saturday, Feb. 20 - 3 p.m. ET - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video - foxs.pt/3rhufo6
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu
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ABOUT UCONN |
2020-21 Record: 17-0 (14-1 BIG EAST)2019-20 Record: 29-3 (16-0 AAC)
Series History: Xavier trails, 2-0
Last Meeting: UConn 106, Xavier 59 (Dec. 19, 2020 - Storrs, Conn.)
NOTABLES
• UConn leads the nation in field-goal percentage (.521), while ranking second in scoring margin (+30.6) and ninth in scoring offense (82.9). The Huskies also rank second in assists per game (21.8) and seventh in field-goal percentage defense (.338).
• Freshman Paige Bueckers ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring (21.1), while ranking 25th in the NCAA. She also ranks 15th in the NCAA in field-goal percentage (.576) and 12th in assists per game (5.9).
• Olivia Nelson-Ododa leads the BIG EAST in total blocks (31) and field-goal percentage (.604). She ranks 46th in the NCAA in blocks and sixth in field-goal percentage.
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SERIES HISTORY |
• UConn leads the all-time series with the Musketeers, 2-0. The Huskies won the first meeting between the two schools this season, 106-59 on Dec. 19 in Storrs, Conn.
The Huskies also won the first meeting in program history, 86-84, on March 14, 1999 inside Gampel Pavilion. The meeting was in the NCAA Midwest Second Round with the Musketeers as the No. 8 seed, and the Huskies as the No. 1 seed.
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THE FIRST MEETING VS UCONN |
• The Huskies won the first meeting between the two schools this season, 106-59 on Dec. 19 in Storrs, Conn. Nia Clark paced the Musketeers in scoring with 11 points to go along with a team-high four assists and two steals.
• A'riana Gray added nine points, while Carrie Gross chipped in seven. UConn won the battle on the glass, 36-27. Kae Satterfield led Xavier with four rebounds.
• Turnovers proved costly for the Musketeers as they committed 25 miscues. UConn held a 41-12 advantage in points off of turnovers. The Huskies also held a 34-5 advantage in fastbreak points.
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XU VS THE TOP-25 |
• The Musketeers are 11-47 all-time against teams ranked in the top-25. The last time Xavier played a top-25 team was on Feb. 17, 2021 (L, 83-75 at No. 19 DePaul).
• Saturday's matchup vs No. 1 UConn is the Musketeers' highest ranked opponent since Nov. 28, 2013 vs No. 2 Duke at the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (L, 81-54).
• The Musketeers last win over a top-25 team was on Nov. 26, 2009 over No. 18 Kansas, 76-71, at the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas.
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LAST TIME OUT |
• Xavier is coming off an 83-75 road loss at No. 19 DePaul on Feb. 17.
• Kae Satterfield went 5-for-8 from the floor for 16 points and was 6-for-6 from the foul line. The guard was also one of three players with a team-high seven rebounds. Satterfield has scored in double figures six times this season.
• A'riana Gray eclipsed the double-figure mark for the fifth time this season, scoring 15 points on 6-for-12 shooting. She was one of two players with a team-high six assists and one of three players with a team-high seven rebounds.
• Carrie Gross scored 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting in 15 minutes of action off the bench. Aaliyah Dunham chipped in 10 points to go along with a team-high seven rebounds and six assists. The seven rebounds were a career high for Dunham.
• Xavier committed a season-high 29 turnovers. DePaul turned the miscues into 25 points.
• Xavier hit 45.8 percent of its shot attempts, its second-highest mark this season. The Musketeers also won the battle on the glass, 46-35.
• Xavier went 15-for-18 from the foul line. The Musketeers have posted a conference-best .789 free-throw percentage (75-for-95) in BIG EAST only games this season.
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NOTABLES |
• Nia Clark leads the Musketeers in scoring with 14.0 points per game, ranking 12th in the conference. The freshman guard ranks second the BIG EAST in steals per game (2.5), while ranking 49th in the NCAA. She also ranks third in the conference in three-point field-goal percentage (.440).
• Kae Satterfield is averaging 10.0 points and 6.6 rebounds per game this season with a .471 field-goal percentage (40-for-85). She ranks tied for ninth in the BIG EAST in rebounding.
• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST in steals (10.6) and third in blocks (4.6). The Musketeers rank 24th in the NCAA in steals, while ranking 44th in blocks.
• In BIG EAST only games, Xavier leads the conference in free-throw percentage (.789). Sarah Leyendecker ranks eighth in the conference in those games, connecting on 77.8 percent of her free throws (14-for-18).
• Lauren Wasylson leads the team in blocks (13) and ranks tied for first in three-pointers made (11). The junior guard ranks tied for fifth in the conference in blocks this year after only have seven total blocks during the 2019-20 season. She has hit 53.3 percent (8-for-15) of her three pointers in BIG EAST only games, ranking second in the conference.
• A'riana Gray is averaging 6.6 rebounds per game, ranking tied for ninth in the BIG EAST. She also ranks 21st in scoring (12.0) and tied for seventh in steals (1.9).
• Aaliyah Dunham ranks second in the BIG EAST in assist/turnover ratio, while ranking 11th in the NCAA. The senior guard also ranks eighth in the conference in assists (4.0) and fourth in steals (2.1).
• Xavier pulled down 56 rebounds vs Wofford on Dec. 13, the most rebounds in a game by a BIG EAST team this season. The 56 rebounds are the most by the Musketeers since pulling down 64 (2nd in school history) on Nov. 25, 2015 vs Southeastern Louisiana (W, 67-27).
• Xavier had 22 steals at Detroit Mercy, the most steals in a game by a BIG EAST team this season. The Musketeers also forced 28 turnovers, the most in a game by Xavier since Nov. 7, 2018 vs Chicago State (26 turnovers). Nia Clark paced Xavier with 10 steals vs Detroit, the most by a BIG EAST player this season.
• Aaliyah Dunham matched her career high in assists with nine at Valparaiso on Dec. 16. The nine assists are the third most by a BIG EAST player this season.
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BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS |
Jan. 4 - Kae Satterfield - Weekly Honor Roll
Dec. 28 - Nia Clark - Weekly Honor Roll
Dec. 14 - Kae Satterfield - Weekly Honor Roll
Nov. 30 - Nia Clark - Freshman of the Week
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1,000 CAREER POINTS - ARI GRAY |
• Senior forward A'riana Gray became the 25th member of the 1,000-point club at Xavier in the team's win over Wofford on Dec. 13. She currently has 1,078 career points. The last Xavier player to score 1,000 points in their career was Raeshaun Gaffney (1,074 points - 2014-17).
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ARI GRAY CAREER WATCH |
• Senior A'riana Gray has 803 career rebounds, raking seventh in career rebounding at Xavier. She is 49 rebounds away from moving into sixth place ahead of Taru Tuukkanen (852 - 1997-01). Her 8.5 rebounds per game career average ranks fourth in program history.
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AALIYAH DUNHAM CAREER WATCH |
• Senior Aaliyah Dunham has 354 career assists to rank ninth all-time at Xavier in assists. She is 23 assists away from moving into seventh place (377 - Sheryl Krmpotich - 1988-92). Her 3.5 assists per game career average ranks 10th in program history.
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AYANNA TOWNSEND CAREER WATCH |
• Ayanna Townsend has 55 career blocks, ranking 10th all-time at Xavier with Briana Glover (2012-16). She is four blocks away from moving into ninth place with Jennifer Phillips (1998-02).
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ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS |
• Xavier returns nine letterwinners and all five starters from last season. The Musketeers have a three-person senior class, anchored by two-time All-BIG EAST selection A'riana Gray.
• Senior Aaliyah Dunham averaged 7.5 points, 4.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game last year. She ranked fourth in the BIG EAST in assists (4.5), sixth in steals (1.9), sixth in three-point field-goal percentage (.388) and second in assist/turnover ratio (2.3). The guard ranked 25th in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio and 72nd in total assists (135). she also finished the season ranked ninth in career assists at Xavier (314).
• Sophomore Morgan Sharps averaged 6.1 points per game with 43 assists and 18 steals last season. She led the team in three pointers made (48), while ranking ninth in the BIG EAST. The guard ranked third among BIG EAST freshman in three pointers made.
• After suffering a season-ending injury seven games into her freshman season, Ayanna Townsend bounced back to play in all 30 games (21 starts) in year two with the program. She averaged 5.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and led the team in blocks with 32, while ranking sixth in the BIG EAST.
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ARI GRAY - PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST |
• Senior forward A'riana Gray was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team on Oct. 29 as voted on by conference head coaches. The Cleveland, Ohio, native earned the preseason honors for the second time in as many seasons. Gray averaged a team-high 15.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game last year. She ranked first in the conference in rebounding and sixth in scoring. Gray also ranked 53rd in the NCAA in rebounding.
• She earned All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention Team honors at the end of the 2019-20 season, picking up the accolades for the second time in her career.
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BIG EAST ACTIVE CAREER LEADERS |
A'riana Gray - rebounds - 803 - 1st
A'riana Gray - double doubles - 27 - 1st
A'riana Gray - scoring - 1,078 - 2nd
A'riana Gray - steals - 144 - 2nd
A'riana Gray - blocks 48 - 7th
Aaliyah Dunham - assists - 354 - 1st
Aaliyah Dunham - steals - 132 - 3rd
Ayanna Townsend - blocks - 55 - 9th
Sarah Leyendecker - blocks - 47 - 10th
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PRESEASON COACHES' POLL |
| Place | Team (First-Place Votes) | Points |
| 1. | Connecticut (10) | 100 |
| 2. | DePaul (1) | 90 |
| 3. | Marquette | 83 |
| 4. | St. John's | 69 |
| 5. | Creighton | 60 |
| 6. | Seton Hall | 59 |
| 7. | Villanova | 44 |
| 8. | Butler | 37 |
| 9. | Xavier | 31 |
| 10. | Providence | 22 |
| 11. | Georgetown | 10 |
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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.
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UP NEXT |
• Xavier returns to action on Monday, Feb. 22 at Butler. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. from Hinkle Fieldhouse with the game being aired on the BEDN/FloHoops.
Players Mentioned
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