Xavier Opens Three-Game Homestand on Friday vs Hoyas

Friday, February 25

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Georgetown

Xavier Opens Three-Game Homestand on Friday vs Hoyas

02.23.22 | Women's Basketball

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

Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball opens a three-game homestand on Friday, Feb. 25 vs Georgetown. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center.

Friday's gam will serve as the team's annual Play4Kay Pink Game.

THE MATCHUP VS GEORGETOWN

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (9-17, 4-13) vs GEORGETOWN HOYAS (7-18, 2-15)
Game Info - Friday, Feb. 25 - 7 p.m. ET - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video - bit.ly/3K5C8pl
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu

ABOUT GEORGETOWN

2021-22 Record: 7-18 (2-15 BIG EAST)
2020-21 Record: 2-15 (2-14 BIG EAST)
2021 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier trails, 10-9
Last Meeting: Xavier 70, Georgetown 67 (OT) (Jan. 28, 2022 - McDonough Arena)

NOTABLES
• Georgetown is on an eight-game losing streak, most recently falling to Villanova, 73-61, on Feb. 22.
• Georgetown ranks third in the BIG EAST in blocks (3.8) and fourth in steals (7.9). The Hoyas also rank 10th in scoring offense (60.6), seventh in scoring defense (69.7) and fourth in field-goal percentage defense (.406).
• Milan Bolden-Morris and Kelsey Ransom pace the offense, averaging 12.3 points per game. Ransom also ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in assists (4.0) and second in steals (2.5).
• Milan Bolden-Morris leads the BIG EAST in three pointers made per game (2.7), while ranking ninth in three-point field-goal percentage (.372). She also ranks sixth in the conference in minutes played (35.5).

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series with Georgetown, 10-9. The Musketeers have won three of the last five meetings vs the Hoyas and two straight in the series.

• Xavier is 4-4 vs the Hoyas when playing at Cintas Center.

LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS GEORGETOWN
Jan. 28, 2022 - Xavier 70, Georgetown 67 (OT) (Washington, D.C.)
Feb. 28, 2021 - Xavier 58, Georgetown 48 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 9, 2020 - Georgetown 63, Xavier 50 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Jan. 10, 2020 - Xavier 85, Georgetown 64 (Washington, D.C.)
March 3, 2019 - Georgetown 67, Xavier 64 (Cincinnati, Ohio)

LAST TIME OUT VS THE HOYAS

• Xavier won the first meeting between the two schools this season, 70-67, in overtime at McDonough Arena on Jan. 22.

• Aanaya Harris had 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Ayanna Townsend chipped in 12 points on 6-for-12 shooting. She added six rebounds, two steals and a block.

• Xavier went 17-for-22 from the foul line in the contest. The Musketeers didn't miss a free throw in the fourth quarter and overtime, going 14-for-14.

• Xavier had a season-high 13 steals, paced by Shaila Beeler's three steals.

• Georgetown won the battle on the glass, 47-40, and scored one more point off of turnovers (23-22). The Hoyas also scored two more second-chance points (9-7).

BIG EAST HONOREES

WEEKLY HONOREES
Nov. 22 - Nia Clark - BIG EAST Player of the Week
Dec. 20 - Ayanna Townsend - BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Jan. 3 - Kae Satterfield - BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier is coming off a 73-54 win at Butler on Feb. 20. Xavier finished the game with a .524 field-goal percentage (33-for-63) , the team's second-highest percentage of the season and fourth game shooting over 50 percent from the floor. The 33 made field goals are the third most in a game for the Musketeers this season.

• Xavier matched its season high in three pointers made with six (also had six vs Butler on Dec. 29). The Musketeers forced 20 turnovers, converting the miscues into 23 points (second most this season for the Musketeers). The Musketeers also held an 18-4 advantage in fastbreak points.

• Xavier won the battle on the glass, 35-30. Ayanna Townsend pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, while Shelby Calhoun chipped in six rebounds.

• Ayanna Townsend scored a game-high 15 points on 7-for-13 shooting, her 11th game in double figures this season.

• Courtney Prenger added a career-high 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting. She chipped in two rebounds and two assists.

• Shaila Beeler and Mackayla Scarlett each scored 11 points. Beeler posted a game-high 10 assists to go along with three rebounds. Scarlett knocked down a team-high three 3-pointers.

• Shelby Calhoun rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting. She added two assists and two steals.

• Xavier recorded 23 assists, the third most in a game for the Musketeers this season. Xavier now has five games with 20 or more assists this season.

• Xavier entered the game as the BIG EAST leader in free throws made, but was limited to only five free-throw attempts (1-for-5).

BALANCED OFFENSE

• Xavier has had nine different players lead the team in scoring through 26 games. Aanaya Harris has led the team in scoring five times, followed by Ayanna Townsend (four times), Shaila Beeler (three times), Mackayla Scarlett (three), Shelby Calhoun (once), Mikayla Hayes (once) and Kaysia Woods (once).

• All told, six players are averaging 8.1 points per game or more this season. Five different players have dished out 35 or more assists this season.

NOTABLES

• A win on Friday over the Hoyas would give Xavier the sweep of the season series. The Musketeers have not swept two BIG EAST opponents in the same season since the 2015-16 campaign (swept Providence and Butler). Xavier swept Butler this season following Sunday's win at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

• Shelby Calhoun has averaged 9.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in her last five games. She has added a team-high 11 steals during that stretch to go along with seven assists. Mackayla Scarlett has added 10.0 points per game during that span with a .810 free-throw percentage (17-for-21).

• Xavier ranks fourth the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (.757), while ranking 36th in the NCAA. The Musketeers rank 46th in the NCAA in free-throws made (349). Xavier has made more free throws than any other team in the BIG EAST this season (next closest team is DePaul with 338 free throws).

• Ayanna Townsend ranks 13th in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage (.475) and 16th in rebounding (5.3). Shaila Beeler ranks seventh in the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (.790) and sixth in assists (4.0).

• Freshman Aanaya Harris ranks third on the team in scoring, averaging 9.5 points per game. She has hit 47.6 percent (89-for-187) of her shot attempts this season, ranking 12th in the BIG EAST. She ranks fourth on the team in total blocks (8) and fourth in total assists (47).

• Sophomore Mackayla Scarlett has averaged 8.1 points per game this season and has made a team-high 34 three pointers. The guard averaged 0.6 points per game as a freshman and made one three pointer. She is averaging 9.0 points per game in BIG EAST only games this season.

• Xavier picked up its first BIG EAST win of the season on Dec. 29, defeating Butler, 77-55, at Cintas Center. The 22-point win was the third largest margin of victory for the Musketeers vs a BIG EAST opponent since joining the conference in 2013-14.

• 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.

AYANNA TOWNSEND CAREER WATCH

• Ayanna Townsend has 75 career blocks, ranking eighth all-time at Xavier. She is three blocks away from moving into seventh place with Carol Madsen (1991-94).

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Xavier played 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 began on Dec. 3 at Marquette and concludes on March 1 at Cintas Center vs Seton Hall. The Musketeers played 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. Xavier will play in an opening round game on Friday, March 5.

• The Musketeers have won 52 non-conference games over the last six seasons with a 42-10 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 its homestand on Sunday, Feb. 27 vs Villanova. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Cintas Center. The team will hold a pregame Senior Day ceremony for Ayanna Townsend.