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Wednesday, January 25
Milwaukee, Wis.
8 p.m. ET
Xavier University
at
Marquette
Women's Basketball Travels to Marquette on Wednesday Night
01.24.23 | Women's Basketball
Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET from the Al McGuire Center
CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball continues BIG EAST action at Marquette on Wednesday, Jan. 25. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET from the Al McGuire Center.
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-12, 0-10) at MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES (12-7, 5-5)
Game Info - Wednesday, Jan. 25 - 8 p.m. ET - Al McGuire Center (3,700)
Live Video (BEDN/FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - bit.ly/2Ei4mxU
2022-23 Record: 12-7 (5-5 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Record: 23-11 (13-7 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Postseason: WNIT - Third Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 19-7
Last Meeting: Marquette 65, Xavier 46 (Jan. 21, 2022 - Cincinnati, Ohio)
NOTABLES
• Marquette was picked to finish sixth in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll after posting a 23-11 (13-7 BIG EAST) record last year. Senior guard Jordan King earned preseason all-conference honors.
• The Golden Eagles rank third in the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (.763), assists (16.7) and rebounding margin (+5.0). Marquette also ranks fourth in steals (8.5), field-goal percentage defense (.389) and scoring defense (59.0).
• Jordan King ranks ninth in the BIG EAST in scoring (15.9), while Chloe Marotta ranks 12th in scoring (14.1). Marotta also leads the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (.992), while ranking sixth in rebounding (8.2).
• Xavier trails the all-time series with Marquette, 19-7. The Musketeers have dropped 12 straight in the series.
• The Musketeers last win over the Golden Eagles was on Jan. 15, 2016 at Cintas Center. Xavier defeated Marquette, 71-66.
• Xavier is 3-14 vs the Golden Eagles since joining the BIG EAST for the 2013-14 season. The Musketeers are 1-7 vs Marquette when playing in Milwaukee with the lone win coming on Dec. 30, 2014 (W, 75-54).
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS MARQUETTE
Jan. 21, 2022 - Marquette 65, Xavier 46 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Dec. 3, 2021 - Marquette 76, Xavier 48 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Dec. 22, 2020 - Marquette 69, Xavier 56 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 14, 2020 - Marquette 61, Xavier 48 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Jan. 19, 2020 - Marquette 80, Xavier 60 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
• Xavier is coming off a 76-38 loss at No. 22 Villanova on Jan. 17. The Wildcats led 27-13 after one quarter of action and never relinquished the lead. Villanova led by as many as 40 points late in the fourth quarter to pull away for its eight straight victory. The Wildcats held Xavier to its second-lowest scoring game of the season (scored 37 points vs No. 5 UConn on Jan. 5).
• Fernanda Ovalle led the Musketeers with 12 points on 3-for-9 shooting, her seventh game of the year in double figures. The freshman guard added three rebounds and one steal. She was also 5-for-8 from the foul line.
• Mackayla Scarlett added eight points, three rebounds and one steal. Aanaya Harris and Kaysia Woods both chipped in six points.
• Nila Blackford led the team on the glass with five rebounds. She added four points on 2-for-5 shooting. Villanova won the battle on the glass, 35-24.
• 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 1,022 career points over four seasons of basketball (was at Kent State from 2019-22 before transferring to Xavier in the offseason). She has averaged 11.5 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 20th in the BIG EAST in scoring, averaging 12.1 points per game. She averaged 0.6 points per game as a freshman and 8.1 points per game as a sophomore. She also ranks fifth in free-throw percentage (.813) and 12th in steals (1.3).
• Mackayla Scarlett ranks tied for ninth in the BIG EAST in three pointers made (32). Kaysia Woods ranks second in the team in three pointers made (28), while Taylor Smith ranks third (23). In BIG EAST only games, Kaysia Woods ranks ninth in three pointers made (17) and seventh in the three-point field-goal percentage (.415).
• In BIG EAST only games, Mackayla Scarlett ranks fifth in free-throw percentage (.816). Nila Blackford ranks eighth in steals per game (1.8).
• Two other Musketeers are averaging nine or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (9.6) and Fernanda Ovalle (9.4). Ovalle also ranks second on the team in field-goal percentage (.419) and third in rebounding (4.7).
• Courtney Prenger is averaging 6.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. The senior forward averaged 2.2 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. She also has 29 blocks this season to lead the Musketeers, while ranking third in the BIG EAST. The last time Xavier had a player with 29 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 (.337). The Musketeers only hit 26 percent of their three pointers last season (ranking 11th in the BIG EAST). Xavier also ranks sixth in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.314).
• Xavier also ranks third in the BIG EAST in blocks (4.3) and fifth in steals (7.9). Mackayla Scarlett leads Xavier in both steals (24) and assists (54).
• Xavier ranks 89th in the NCAA in three-point field-goal percentage (.337) and 53rd in blocks per game (4.3). Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 60th in the NCAA in total blocks (29).
• 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 Saturday, Jan. 28 vs Providence. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Cintas Center.
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THE MATCHUP AT MARQUETTE |
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-12, 0-10) at MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES (12-7, 5-5)
Game Info - Wednesday, Jan. 25 - 8 p.m. ET - Al McGuire Center (3,700)
Live Video (BEDN/FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - bit.ly/2Ei4mxU
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ABOUT THE GOLDEN EAGLES |
2022-23 Record: 12-7 (5-5 BIG EAST)2021-22 Record: 23-11 (13-7 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Postseason: WNIT - Third Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 19-7
Last Meeting: Marquette 65, Xavier 46 (Jan. 21, 2022 - Cincinnati, Ohio)
NOTABLES
• Marquette was picked to finish sixth in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll after posting a 23-11 (13-7 BIG EAST) record last year. Senior guard Jordan King earned preseason all-conference honors.
• The Golden Eagles rank third in the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (.763), assists (16.7) and rebounding margin (+5.0). Marquette also ranks fourth in steals (8.5), field-goal percentage defense (.389) and scoring defense (59.0).
• Jordan King ranks ninth in the BIG EAST in scoring (15.9), while Chloe Marotta ranks 12th in scoring (14.1). Marotta also leads the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (.992), while ranking sixth in rebounding (8.2).
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SERIES HISTORY |
• Xavier trails the all-time series with Marquette, 19-7. The Musketeers have dropped 12 straight in the series.
• The Musketeers last win over the Golden Eagles was on Jan. 15, 2016 at Cintas Center. Xavier defeated Marquette, 71-66.
• Xavier is 3-14 vs the Golden Eagles since joining the BIG EAST for the 2013-14 season. The Musketeers are 1-7 vs Marquette when playing in Milwaukee with the lone win coming on Dec. 30, 2014 (W, 75-54).
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS MARQUETTE
Jan. 21, 2022 - Marquette 65, Xavier 46 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Dec. 3, 2021 - Marquette 76, Xavier 48 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Dec. 22, 2020 - Marquette 69, Xavier 56 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 14, 2020 - Marquette 61, Xavier 48 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Jan. 19, 2020 - Marquette 80, Xavier 60 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
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LAST TIME OUT |
• Xavier is coming off a 76-38 loss at No. 22 Villanova on Jan. 17. The Wildcats led 27-13 after one quarter of action and never relinquished the lead. Villanova led by as many as 40 points late in the fourth quarter to pull away for its eight straight victory. The Wildcats held Xavier to its second-lowest scoring game of the season (scored 37 points vs No. 5 UConn on Jan. 5).
• Fernanda Ovalle led the Musketeers with 12 points on 3-for-9 shooting, her seventh game of the year in double figures. The freshman guard added three rebounds and one steal. She was also 5-for-8 from the foul line.
• Mackayla Scarlett added eight points, three rebounds and one steal. Aanaya Harris and Kaysia Woods both chipped in six points.
• Nila Blackford led the team on the glass with five rebounds. She added four points on 2-for-5 shooting. Villanova won the battle on the glass, 35-24.
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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 1,022 career points over four seasons of basketball (was at Kent State from 2019-22 before transferring to Xavier in the offseason). She has averaged 11.5 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 20th in the BIG EAST in scoring, averaging 12.1 points per game. She averaged 0.6 points per game as a freshman and 8.1 points per game as a sophomore. She also ranks fifth in free-throw percentage (.813) and 12th in steals (1.3).
• Mackayla Scarlett ranks tied for ninth in the BIG EAST in three pointers made (32). Kaysia Woods ranks second in the team in three pointers made (28), while Taylor Smith ranks third (23). In BIG EAST only games, Kaysia Woods ranks ninth in three pointers made (17) and seventh in the three-point field-goal percentage (.415).
• In BIG EAST only games, Mackayla Scarlett ranks fifth in free-throw percentage (.816). Nila Blackford ranks eighth in steals per game (1.8).
• Two other Musketeers are averaging nine or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (9.6) and Fernanda Ovalle (9.4). Ovalle also ranks second on the team in field-goal percentage (.419) and third in rebounding (4.7).
• Courtney Prenger is averaging 6.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. The senior forward averaged 2.2 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. She also has 29 blocks this season to lead the Musketeers, while ranking third in the BIG EAST. The last time Xavier had a player with 29 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 (.337). The Musketeers only hit 26 percent of their three pointers last season (ranking 11th in the BIG EAST). Xavier also ranks sixth in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.314).
• Xavier also ranks third in the BIG EAST in blocks (4.3) and fifth in steals (7.9). Mackayla Scarlett leads Xavier in both steals (24) and assists (54).
• Xavier ranks 89th in the NCAA in three-point field-goal percentage (.337) and 53rd in blocks per game (4.3). Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 60th in the NCAA in total blocks (29).
• 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 Saturday, Jan. 28 vs Providence. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Cintas Center.
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