Dominant Defense Leads Xavier Over Bearcats in Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout

Friday, December 9

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

7-3,0-3Big East

Cincinnati

5-5,0-0AAC

Cincinnati

Xavier

Dominant Defense Leads Xavier Over Bearcats in Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout

12.09.22 | Women's Basketball

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Xavier tops Cincinnati, 48-35, on Friday Night at Cintas Center

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball picked up a 48-35 win over Cincinnati on Friday night in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout. The Musketeers improved to 7-3 on the year, while the Bearcats dropped to 5-5.

Tied at 9-9 with 1:47 left in the first quarter, the Musketeers closed the frame on a 4-0 run capped by a Kaysia Woods layup. The Musketeers never relinquished the lead and led by as many as 20 points (45-25) with 6:30 left in regulation.

The Musketeers limited the Bearcats to a season-low 35 points and .179 field-goal percentage (10-for-56). Xavier held the Bearcats without a field-goal in the third quarter (0-for-9) and for nearly 15 minutes in the game (3:47 mark in the second quarter to the 9:13 mark in the fourth quarter).

NOTABLES

• 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). The 35 points are the fewest allowed by a Xavier team in the series history vs the Bearcats (previous low was 38 points on Dec. 6, 2009; Xavier won 69-38 at Cintas Center).

• The 35 points are the fewest points in a game for Cincinnati since March 5, 2018 at UConn (L, 75-21). The .190 field-goal percentage is the lowest field-goal percentage for the Bearcats since March 5, 2018 at UConn (.138 field-goal percentage on 8-for-58 shooting).

• Xavier has won five of the last eight meetings vs the Bearcats and snapped a three-game losing streak in the series following the win. The Musketeers are 3-1 in the last four meetings at Cintas Center and 6-5 all-time when playing the Bearcats at Cintas Center.

• Courtney Prenger led the Musketeers with 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting, her ninth career game in double figures and her fifth of the season. She added eight rebounds, three blocks and one steal.

• Shelby Calhoun added eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds. The guard also had a game-high six assists to go along with two steals. The 11 rebounds match her career high in the stat category, while the six assists established a new career high.

• Fernanda Ovalle added nine points, eight rebounds, two assists and one steal. Kaysia Woods chipped in five points and a team-high three steals, while Mackayla Scarlett finished with seven rebounds, three assists and three points.

• Xavier finished the game 18-for-56 from the floor and 3-for-11 from behind the arc. The Musketeers were also 9-for-17 from the foul line.

• Xavier held a 16-10 advantage in points off of turnovers and scored 14 more points in the paint (28-14). The Musketeers also scored six more bench points (19-13) and four more second-chance points (9-5).

• Xavier had six blocks in the game, the team's fourth game with six or more blocks this year. The Musketeers also had nine steals, the team's fifth game with nine or more steals this season.

UP NEXT

• The Musketeers continue their six-game homestand on Saturday, Dec. 17 vs Eastern Michigan at 1 p.m.

HIGHLIGHTS