Women's Basketball Continues Non-Conference Action at SIUE

Sunday, November 27

Edwardsville, Ill.

2 p.m. ET

Xavier University

SIUE

Women's Basketball Continues Non-Conference Action at SIUE

11.26.22 | Women's Basketball

Live Audio Watch Live - ESPN+Live Stats XU Notes (PDF)SIUE Notes (PDF)

Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. ET from First Community Arena

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball continues non-conference action on Sunday, Nov. 27 at SIUE. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from First Community Arena.

THE MATCHUP AT SIUE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (5-1) at SIUE COUGARS (0-4)
Game Info - Sunday, Nov. 27 - 2 p.m. ET - First Community Arena (4,000)
Live Video (ESPN+) - bit.ly/3ij5w2M
Live Audio - bit.ly/3Ub7qiS
Live Stats - bit.ly/3XDhp3t

ABOUT SIUE

2022-23 Record: 0-4
2021-22 Record: 13-18 (8-10 OVC)
2021-22 Postseason: None
Series History: First Meeting

NOTABLES
• SIUE was picked to finish sixth in the Preseason OVC Coaches' Poll after posting a 13-18 (8-10 OVC) record last season. Senior guard Mikayla Kinnard was also named to the preseason all-conference team.
• Niya Danfort leads the team in scoring (11.3), while ranking second in rebounding (4.7). Ajulu Thatha leads the team in rebounding (5.3). She has added 6.3 points per game.
• SIUE ranks 10th in the OVC in scoring defense (90.0) and ninth in scoring offense (51.8). The Cougars also rank 10th in field-goal percentage (.307) and field-goal percentage defense (.517).

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier is coming off a 57-51 BIG EAST opening loss to No. 16 Creighton on Nov. 25. The Musketeers led the Bluejays, 46-44, with 3:27 left in regulation, but Creighton responded by closing the game on a 13-5 run.

• Fernanda Ovalle matched her career-high in scoring for the second time in as many games, scoring 15 points on 5-for-12 shooting. The freshman guard added five rebounds and one steal. She has scored in double figures four times this season.

• Taylor Smith matched Ovalle for the team high in scoring as she also scored 15 points on 5-for-12 shooting. The guard added two rebounds, one steal, one block and one assist. She was also 4-for-5 from the foul line. The Marietta, Ga., native has scored in double figures five times this season.

• Mackayla Scarlettt rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points, her sixth game of the year in double figures. The junior guard added six assists and one steal.

• Kaysia Woods added a career-high 10 rebounds to go along with seven points. Courtney Prenger finished with three rebounds and four points.

• Creighton won the battle on the glass, 43-40, and scored two more points off of turnovers (13-11). Creighton also scored four more points in the paint (24-20), while Xavier held an 11-8 advantage in second-chance points.

• Xavier was limited to a season-low .286 field-goal percentage (18-for-63). The Musketeers hit 90.9 percent (10-for-11) of their free throw attempts.

• The Musketeer defense limited Creighton to a season-low .333 field-goal percentage (19-for-57). The four 3-pointers for the Bluejays also matched a season low.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

• Fernanda Ovalle was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on Nov. 21. The Musketeers have now had two players earn BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors this season.

• The freshman guard posted her first career double-double last week, leading the Musketeers to a 65-49 win over Old Dominion on Nov. 22 at Cintas Center.

• The Santiago, Chile, native finished with a season-high 14 points on 7-for-8 shooting. She added a season-high 12 rebounds to go along with three assists and two blocks.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOREES
Nov. 14 - Kaleigh Addie - Freshman of the Week
Nov. 21 - Fernanda Ovalle - Freshman of the Week

NOTABLES

• Junior guard Mackayla Scarlett ranks 14th in the BIG EAST in scoring, averaging 14.3 points per game. She averaged 0.6 points per game as a freshman and 8.1 points per game as a sophomore.

• Mackayla Scarlett ranks second in the BIG EAST in three pointers made (14), while ranking 10th in the three-point field-goal percentage (.412). Taylor Smith also ranks ninth in three-point field-goal percentage (.421).

• Two other Musketeers are averaging 10 or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (12.3) and Fernanda Ovalle (11.2). Ovalle also leads the team in field-goal percentage (.519).

• Courtney Prenger ranks 17th in the BIG EAST in rebounding, averaging 6.2 rebounds per game. The senior forward also ranks third on the team in field-goal percentage (.500) and fourth in scoring (8.7).

• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST in three-point field goal percentage (.378), while ranking tied for sixth in three pointers made per game (6.4). The Musketeers only hit 26 percent of their three pointers last season (ranking 11th in the BIG EAST).

• Xavier also ranks second the BIG EAST in blocks, averaging 5.2 blocks per game. Courtney Prenger leads the team with 11 blocks. The Musketeers also rank third in the BIG EAST in steals (10.2), paced by Taylor Smith who has a team-high 12 steals.

• Xavier ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in scoring offense, averaging 72.7 points per game. The Musketeers ranked eighth in the conference in scoring offense last season (62.3).

• Xavier ranks 23rd in the NCAA in assists per game and 35th in both blocks per game and three-point field goal percentage. Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 29th in the NCAA in total blocks.

• Xavier dished out 30 assists on 33 made baskets (33-for-70) vs McNeese State, the most by a BIG EAST team this season and tied for the fifth most in a game this season in the NCAA. The 30 assists rank tied for second in single-game school history. The last time Xavier had 30 assists in a game was on Dec. 8, 1999 vs Charlotte.

• Xavier opened its season with an 87-68 win at Miami (Ohio). The 87 points are the most in a game for Xavier since Dec. 18, 2018 vs Alabama State (W, 87-58).

• The Musketeers made eight 3-pointers (8-for-11) at Miami (Ohio), the most in a game since Feb. 22, 2021 at Butler (9-for-30).

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• Aanaya Harris returns for her sophomore season after posting 9.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. She added 52 assists, 23 steals and eight blocks.

• Aanaya Harris added a .463 field-goal percentage, ranking second among BIG EAST freshmen and 14th overall. Her 9.2 points per game also ranked third among conference freshmen.

• Senior Shaila Beeler led the team in assists (117) and steals (34) last season, while adding 8.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. The guard ranked fourth in the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (.805) and fifth in assists (4.0).

• Xavier also welcomes five newcomers: Taylor Smith (missed 2021-22 season with an injury), Nila Blackford (transfer from Kent State), Fernanda Ovalle, Bella Ward and June Ruiz Azkue.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• The Musketeers will play five of their first six BIG EAST games at Cintas Center. Xavier opens its conference schedule on Black Friday vs Creighton who advanced to the 2022 NCAA Elite Eight.

• Xavier will play four games on national television: at Georgetown on Dec. 4 (FS1), vs Villanova on Jan. 1 (CBS Sports Network), vs UConn on Jan. 5 (SNY) and at UConn on Feb. 27 (CBS Sports Network).

• The BIG EAST Tournament will be played at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., for the third straight season. The tournament will be held on March 3-6.

• Xavier will play nine non-conference games (two on the road, seven at home). The Musketeers will play teams from seven different conferences (MAC, Horizon, NEC, Sun Belt, Southland, OVC, AAC). Xavier will play three teams for the first time in program history (Old Dominion, SIUE, Eastern Michigan).

• Xavier will play seven non-conference home games, the most non-conference home games for the Musketeers since 2018-19 (nine games).

• The Musketeers have won 57 non-conference games over the last seven seasons with a 46-10 mark at Cintas Center.

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.

BIG EAST COACHES' POLL

1.	UConn (10)	100
2.	Creighton	89
3.	Villanova (1)	83
T-4.	DePaul	68
T-4.	Seton Hall	68
6.	Marquette	56
7.	St. John's	47
8.	Providence	34
T-9.	Butler	21
T-9.	Georgetown	21
11.	Xavier	18