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Xavier University Athletics
Saturday, January 14
Cincinnati, Ohio
2 p.m.
Xavier University
vs
DePaul
Xavier, DePaul Set for Saturday Matinee
01.12.23 | Women's Basketball
Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Cintas Center
CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball continues BIG EAST action vs DePaul on Saturday, Jan. 14. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Cintas Center.
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-10, 0-8) vs DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS (10-7, 3-3)
Game Info - Saturday, Jan. 14 - 2 p.m. - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video (BEDN/FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu
2022-23 Record: 10-7 (3-3 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Record: 22-11 (14-6 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Postseason: NCAA First Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 23-1
Last Meeting: DePaul 94, Xavier 74 (Jan. 23, 2022 - Cincinnati, Ohio)
NOTABLES
• DePaul was picked to finish tied for fourth in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches Poll after posting a 22-11 (14-6 BIG EAST) record last season. Aneesah Morrow was named to the preseason all-conference team. Morrow was the 2021-22 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and was selected to the Associated Press All-American Second Team.
• DePaul ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring (77.3) and steals (9.3), while ranking third in three pointers per game (7.5). The Blue Demons also rank fourth in assists (16.2) and 11th in scoring defense (70.2).
• Aneesah Morrow ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring (26.2), while ranking fourth in the NCAA. She also leads the BIG EAST in rebounding (12.0), while ranking sixth in the NCAA. Darrione Rogers ranks second in the conference in three pointers (2.6), third in assists (5.5) and fourth in scoring (18.0).
• Xavier trails the all-time series, 23-1. The Musketeers lone victory was on Jan. 23, 1984 in the first meeting between the two schools, 82-72, in Cincinnati.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS DEPAUL
Jan. 23, 2022 - DePaul 94, Xavier 74 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Dec. 5, 2021 - DePaul 103, Xavier 85 (Chicago, Ill.)
Feb. 17, 2021 - DePaul 83, Xavier 75 (Chicago, Ill.)
Feb. 16, 2020 - DePaul 97, Xavier 65 (Chicago, Ill.)
Jan. 17, 2020 - DePaul 91, Xavier 68 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
• Xavier is coming off a 64-50 road loss at Providence on Wednesday, Jan. 11. The Musketeers led 5-3 in the opening minutes of the game before the Friars closed the first quarter on an 11-5 run, taking a 14-10 lead they would never relinquish. Providence led by as many as 22 points (44-22) with 4:23 left in the third quarter.
• The Musketeers battled back in the final quarter, outscoring the Friars, 21-17, but couldn't overcome the cold shooting in the game's first three quarters. Xavier went 7-for-15 from the floor in the final frame and knocked down five 3-pointers.
• Kaysia Woods recorded her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. The 14 points matched her career high in scoring (also scored 14 points vs UConn on Feb. 18, 2022). The 10 rebounds match her season high in rebounding (also had 10 rebounds vs Creighton on Nov. 25). The Omaha, Neb., native was 5-for-7 from the floor and 4-for-6 from behind the arc. Woods added one steal and one assist in 29 minutes of action off the bench.
• Aanaya Harris added nine points, two rebounds and one steal. Mackayla Scarlett chipped in eight points, three rebounds, two steals and two assists.
• June Ruiz Azkue finished with six points in her first career start. Nila Blackford posted four rebounds and four points, while Courtney Prenger chipped in a team-high three blocks. Taylor Smith recorded three points and four rebounds.
• Xavier only committed 10 turnovers, the team's second-fewest of the season. Providence won the battle on the glass, 43-30, and held a 32-16 advantage in points in the paint. The Friars also scored three more points off of turnovers (10-7) and four more second-chance points (9-5). The Musketeers held a 29-10 advantage in bench points.
• 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
• Nila Blackford has 1,011 career points over four seasons of basketball (was at Kent State from 2019-22 before transferring to Xavier in the offseason). She has averaged 11.6 points per game during her career. Blackford is the first Xavier player to eclipse the 1,000-point mark since A'riana Gray (2017-21) who finished her career with 1,155 points.
• Junior guard Mackayla Scarlett ranks 16th in the BIG EAST in scoring, averaging 12.4 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 ninth in the BIG EAST in three pointers made (30). Kaysia Woods ranks second in the team in three pointers made (26), while Taylor Smith ranks third (23). In BIG EAST only games, Kaysia Woods ranks sixth in three pointers made (15) and 10th in the three-point field-goal percentage (.417).
• In BIG EAST only games, Mackayla Scarlett ranks seventh in free-throw percentage (.818). Nila Blackford ranks sixth in steals per game (1.8).
• Two other Musketeers are averaging nine or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (10.7) and Fernanda Ovalle (9.1). Ovalle also ranks second on the team in field-goal percentage (.438) and third in rebounding (4.8).
• Courtney Prenger is averaging 6.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. The senior forward averaged 2.2 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. She also has 27 blocks this season to lead the Musketeers, while ranking third in the BIG EAST. The last time Xavier had a player with 27 or more blocks in a season was in 2019-20 (Ayanna Townsend; 32 blocks).
• Xavier ranks sixth in the BIG EAST in three-point field goal percentage (.342). The Musketeers only hit 26 percent of their three pointers last season (ranking 11th in the BIG EAST). Xavier also ranks fourth in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.294).
• Xavier also ranks second in the BIG EAST in blocks (4.5) and fourth in steals (8.0). Mackayla Scarlett leads Xavier in both steals (23) and assists (48).
• Xavier ranks 69th in the NCAA in three-point field-goal percentage (.342) and 39th in blocks per game (4.5). Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 41st in the NCAA in total blocks (27).
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• The Musketeers return to action on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at Villanova. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Finneran Pavilion.
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THE MATCHUP VS DEPAUL |
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-10, 0-8) vs DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS (10-7, 3-3)
Game Info - Saturday, Jan. 14 - 2 p.m. - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video (BEDN/FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu
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ABOUT THE BLUE DEMONS |
2022-23 Record: 10-7 (3-3 BIG EAST)2021-22 Record: 22-11 (14-6 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Postseason: NCAA First Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 23-1
Last Meeting: DePaul 94, Xavier 74 (Jan. 23, 2022 - Cincinnati, Ohio)
NOTABLES
• DePaul was picked to finish tied for fourth in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches Poll after posting a 22-11 (14-6 BIG EAST) record last season. Aneesah Morrow was named to the preseason all-conference team. Morrow was the 2021-22 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and was selected to the Associated Press All-American Second Team.
• DePaul ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring (77.3) and steals (9.3), while ranking third in three pointers per game (7.5). The Blue Demons also rank fourth in assists (16.2) and 11th in scoring defense (70.2).
• Aneesah Morrow ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring (26.2), while ranking fourth in the NCAA. She also leads the BIG EAST in rebounding (12.0), while ranking sixth in the NCAA. Darrione Rogers ranks second in the conference in three pointers (2.6), third in assists (5.5) and fourth in scoring (18.0).
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SERIES HISTORY |
• Xavier trails the all-time series, 23-1. The Musketeers lone victory was on Jan. 23, 1984 in the first meeting between the two schools, 82-72, in Cincinnati.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS DEPAUL
Jan. 23, 2022 - DePaul 94, Xavier 74 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Dec. 5, 2021 - DePaul 103, Xavier 85 (Chicago, Ill.)
Feb. 17, 2021 - DePaul 83, Xavier 75 (Chicago, Ill.)
Feb. 16, 2020 - DePaul 97, Xavier 65 (Chicago, Ill.)
Jan. 17, 2020 - DePaul 91, Xavier 68 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
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LAST TIME OUT |
• Xavier is coming off a 64-50 road loss at Providence on Wednesday, Jan. 11. The Musketeers led 5-3 in the opening minutes of the game before the Friars closed the first quarter on an 11-5 run, taking a 14-10 lead they would never relinquish. Providence led by as many as 22 points (44-22) with 4:23 left in the third quarter.
• The Musketeers battled back in the final quarter, outscoring the Friars, 21-17, but couldn't overcome the cold shooting in the game's first three quarters. Xavier went 7-for-15 from the floor in the final frame and knocked down five 3-pointers.
• Kaysia Woods recorded her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. The 14 points matched her career high in scoring (also scored 14 points vs UConn on Feb. 18, 2022). The 10 rebounds match her season high in rebounding (also had 10 rebounds vs Creighton on Nov. 25). The Omaha, Neb., native was 5-for-7 from the floor and 4-for-6 from behind the arc. Woods added one steal and one assist in 29 minutes of action off the bench.
• Aanaya Harris added nine points, two rebounds and one steal. Mackayla Scarlett chipped in eight points, three rebounds, two steals and two assists.
• June Ruiz Azkue finished with six points in her first career start. Nila Blackford posted four rebounds and four points, while Courtney Prenger chipped in a team-high three blocks. Taylor Smith recorded three points and four rebounds.
• Xavier only committed 10 turnovers, the team's second-fewest of the season. Providence won the battle on the glass, 43-30, and held a 32-16 advantage in points in the paint. The Friars also scored three more points off of turnovers (10-7) and four more second-chance points (9-5). The Musketeers held a 29-10 advantage in bench points.
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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
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BLACKFORD - 1,000 POINT CLUB |
• Nila Blackford has 1,011 career points over four seasons of basketball (was at Kent State from 2019-22 before transferring to Xavier in the offseason). She has averaged 11.6 points per game during her career. Blackford is the first Xavier player to eclipse the 1,000-point mark since A'riana Gray (2017-21) who finished her career with 1,155 points.
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NOTABLES |
• Junior guard Mackayla Scarlett ranks 16th in the BIG EAST in scoring, averaging 12.4 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 ninth in the BIG EAST in three pointers made (30). Kaysia Woods ranks second in the team in three pointers made (26), while Taylor Smith ranks third (23). In BIG EAST only games, Kaysia Woods ranks sixth in three pointers made (15) and 10th in the three-point field-goal percentage (.417).
• In BIG EAST only games, Mackayla Scarlett ranks seventh in free-throw percentage (.818). Nila Blackford ranks sixth in steals per game (1.8).
• Two other Musketeers are averaging nine or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (10.7) and Fernanda Ovalle (9.1). Ovalle also ranks second on the team in field-goal percentage (.438) and third in rebounding (4.8).
• Courtney Prenger is averaging 6.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. The senior forward averaged 2.2 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. She also has 27 blocks this season to lead the Musketeers, while ranking third in the BIG EAST. The last time Xavier had a player with 27 or more blocks in a season was in 2019-20 (Ayanna Townsend; 32 blocks).
• Xavier ranks sixth in the BIG EAST in three-point field goal percentage (.342). The Musketeers only hit 26 percent of their three pointers last season (ranking 11th in the BIG EAST). Xavier also ranks fourth in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.294).
• Xavier also ranks second in the BIG EAST in blocks (4.5) and fourth in steals (8.0). Mackayla Scarlett leads Xavier in both steals (23) and assists (48).
• Xavier ranks 69th in the NCAA in three-point field-goal percentage (.342) and 39th in blocks per game (4.5). Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 41st in the NCAA in total blocks (27).
• 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).
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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.
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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.
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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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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 |
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UP NEXT |
• The Musketeers return to action on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at Villanova. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Finneran Pavilion.
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