Xavier Opens New Year vs Villanova on CBS Sports Network

Sunday, January 1

Cincinnati, Ohio

12 p.m.

Xavier University

Villanova

Xavier Opens New Year vs Villanova on CBS Sports Network

12.29.22 | Women's Basketball

Live Stats Watch Live XU Notes (PDF)VU Notes (PDF)

Tip-off is slated for 12 p.m. from Cintas Center on Jan. 1

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball opens the New Year on Jan. 1 vs Villanova. Tip-off is slated for 12 p.m. from Cintas Center with the game being aired nationally on CBS Sports Network.

THE MATCHUP VS VILLANOVA

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-6, 0-4) vs VILLANOVA WILDCATS (11-3, 2-1)
Game Info - Sunday, Jan. 1 - 12 p.m. - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video (CBS Sports Network) - bit.ly/3vqotDQ
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu

ABOUT THE WILDCATS

2022-23 Record: 11-3 (2-1 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Record: 24-9 (15-4 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Postseason: NCAA Tournament - Second Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 17-1
Last Meeting: Villanova 58, Xavier 49 (Feb. 27, 2022 - Cincinnati, Ohio)

NOTABLES
• Villanova was picked to finish third in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll after posting a 24-9 (15-4 BIG EAST) record last season. The Wildcats return 2022 BIG EAST Player of the Year Maddy Siegrist who set the BIG EAST record for scoring last year, averaging 27.9 points per game.
• The Wildcats have won two straight games, most recently a 54-52 win at Marquette on Dec. 28. Villanova is 6-0 in road games this season.
• Villanova leads the BIG EAST in assist/turnover ratio (1.5), while ranking seventh in the NCAA. The Wildcats also rank first in the BIG EAST blocked shots (4.9), second in field-goal percentage defense (.367) and third in scoring defense (58.4).
• Maddy Siegrist leads the BIG EAST in scoring (27.5), while ranking third in rebounding (9.8). She leads the NCAA in total points (385) this season.

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with Villanova, 17-1. The Musketeers lone win in the series was a 74-67 overtime victory on Dec. 31, 2015 at Cintas Center.

• The Musketeers have lost 12 straight in the series and are 1-7 when playing the Wildcats at Cintas Center.

LAST FIVE MEETINGS
Feb. 27, 2022 - Villanova 58, Xavier 49 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Jan. 30, 2022 - Villanova 82, Xavier 57 (Villanova, Pa.)
March 6, 2020 - Villanova 64, Xavier 56 (OT) (Chicago, Ill.)
Feb. 7, 2020 - Villanova 55, Xavier 54 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Jan. 12, 2020 - Villanova 66, Xavier 54 (Villanova, Pa.)

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier is coming off a 79-65 loss to Butler on Dec. 28, snapping a two-game win streak in the series for the Musketeers. The Musketeers scored six unanswered points to start the game before the Bulldogs went on a 19-0 run to take a lead they would never relinquish. Butler hit a season-high 14 three pointers in the game.

• Mackayla Scarlett led the Musketeers in scoring with 16 points, her 21st career game in double figures. She matched her career high in rebounding with seven rebounds. The guard added two steals and one assists.

• Taylor Smith added 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting to go along with three rebounds, one steal and one assist. She now has 18 career games with 10 or more points.

• Aanaya Harris rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points on 5-for-9 shooting. She added two assists and one steal. Shelby Calhoun chipped in seven points and a game-high nine rebounds. The guard added three assists and one steal.

• Xavier posted a season-high .923 free-throw percentage (12-for-13), paced by Mackayla Scarlett who was 8-for-8 from the foul line. The Musketeers also had a .421 field-goal percentage (24-for-57) and a .455 three-point field-goal percentage (5-for-11).

• Both teams pulled down 31 rebounds in the contest. Butler held a 22-14 advantage in points off of turnovers and scored two more fastbreak points (11-9).

• Xavier scored two more second-chance points (10-8) and held a 34-18 advantage in points in the paint. The Musketeers also scored two more bench points (21-19).

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

• Xavier has had two players earn Freshman of the Week honors this season, most recently Fernanda Ovalle on Nov. 28.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOREES
Nov. 14 - Kaleigh Addie - Freshman of the Week
Nov. 21 - Fernanda Ovalle - Freshman of the Week
Nov. 28 - Fernanda Ovalle - Freshman of the Week

BLACKFORD - MILESTONE WATCH

• Nila Blackford has 992 career points over four seasons of basketball (was at Kent State from 2019-22 before transferring to Xavier in the offseason). She has averaged 12.0 points per game during her career.

NOTABLES

• Junior guard Mackayla Scarlett ranks 15th in the BIG EAST in scoring, averaging 13.2 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 tied for seventh in the BIG EAST in three pointers made (25). Kaysia Woods rank second on the team in three pointers made (20), while ranking 14th in the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage (.400).

• Two other Musketeers are averaging 10 or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (11.6) and Fernanda Ovalle (10.3). Ovalle also ranks second on the team in field-goal percentage (.464) and third in rebounding (5.5).

• Courtney Prenger is averaging 7.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. The senior forward averaged 2.2 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. She also has 18 blocks this season to lead the Musketeers, while ranking tied for second in the BIG EAST.

• Xavier ranks third in the BIG EAST in three-point field goal percentage (.365). The Musketeers only hit 26 percent of their three pointers last season (ranking 11th in the BIG EAST). Xavier also ranks third in both three-point field-goal percentage defense (.282) and field-goal percentage defense (.370).

• Xavier also ranks second in the BIG EAST in blocks (4.7) and fourth in both assists (16.0) and steals (8.4). Mackayla Scarlett leads Xavier in both steals (19) and assists (41).

• Xavier ranks 28th in the NCAA in three-point field-goal percentage (.365), 35th in blocks per game (4.7) and 84th in field-goal percentage defense (.370). Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 32nd in the NCAA in total blocks (20).

• Fernanda Ovalle (20 points) and Mackayla Scarlett (21 points) both set career highs in scoring at SIUE on Nov. 27. It marked the first time since Jan. 10, 2020 that Xavier had two players score 20 or more points in a game (A'riana Gray and Aaliyah Dunham each scored 20 points at Georgetown).

• Xavier defeated Cincinnati, 48-35, on Dec. 9 in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout. The 35 points are the fewest allowed by a Xavier team since Nov. 17, 2018 vs Fairfield (W, 48-35). The .179 field-goal percentage is the lowest field-goal percentage allowed by a Xavier team since Nov. 25, 2015 (held Southeastern Louisiana to a .190 field-goal percentage on 11-for-58 shooting).

• 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 10th 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).

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

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

• The Musketeers have won 59 non-conference games over the last seven seasons with a 47-12 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

UP NEXT

• The Musketeers return to action on Thursday, Jan. 5 vs No. 8 UConn at Cintas Center. The game will be aired nationally on SNY with tip-off set for 7 p.m.