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Tuesday, January 31
Cincinnati, Ohio
7 p.m.
Xavier University
vs
Georgetown
Women's Basketball Plays Host to Georgetown on Tuesday Night
01.30.23 | Women's Basketball
Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center
CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball continues BIG EAST action vs Georgetown on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. ET from Cintas Center.
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-14, 0-12) vs GEORGETOWN HOYAS (11-10, 4-8)
Game Info - Tuesday, Jan. 31 - 7 p.m. ET - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video (BEDN/FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu
2022-23 Record: 11-10 (4-8 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Record: 10-19 (4-15 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier trails, 12-9
Last Meeting: Georgetown 74, Xavier 52 (Dec. 4, 2022 - Washington, D.C.)
NOTABLES
• Georgetown was picked to finish tied for ninth in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll after posting a 10-19 (4-15 BIG EAST) record last season. The Hoyas return two starters from last season, including No. 2 scorer Kelsey Ransom (12.0 ppg). The Hoyas have seven newcomers on the 2022-23 roster.
• Georgetown leads the BIG EAST in steals (9.3), while ranking 69th in the NCAA. The Hoyas also rank third in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage defense (.386), fifth in blocks (4.0) and sixth in scoring defense (61.5).
• Kelsey Ransom ranks 15th in th BIG EAST in scoring (13.4), 10th in rebounding (7.0) and eighth in assists (3.5). She also leads the conference in steals (2.9). Graceann Bennett ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage (.523).
• Xavier trails the all-time series with Georgetown, 12-9. The Musketeers are 2-3 in the last five meetings vs the Hoyas.
• Xavier is 6-5 all-time vs the Hoyas when playing at home. A win on Tuesday would be the Musketeers first home win over Georgetown since Feb. 28, 2021 (W, 58-48).
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS GEORGETOWN
Dec. 4, 2022 - Georgetown 74, Xavier 52 (Washington, D.C.)
Feb. 25, 2022 - Georgetown 54, Xavier 40 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
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)
• Xavier dropped the first meeting between the two schools, 74-52, on Dec. 4 at Georgetown. Kaysia Woods led three Musketeers in double figures with 11 points on 4-for-9 shooting. The sophomore guard made three 3-pointers to go along with three rebounds, one steal and one assist.
• Taylor Smith and Mackayla Scarlett each added 10 points. Smith added four rebounds, two assists and one steal, while Scarlett chipped in four assists and two rebounds.
• Shelby Calhoun posted a team-high five rebounds and five assists. The guard added one block and one point. Fernanda Ovalle finished with nine points, three rebounds, two assists and one block.
• Georgetown forced 21 turnovers, converting the miscues into 22 points. Xavier held a 20-13 advantage in bench points, while the Hoyas scored 16 more points in the paint (32-16).
• Xavier is coming off a 50-48 home loss to Providence on Jan. 28. The game featured eight lead changes and four ties. Xavier took a one-point lead (40-39) into the final quarter, but the Friars outscored the Musketeers, 11-8, in the final frame to escape Cintas Center with the two-point victory.
• Aanaya Harris led Xavier with 10 points on 5-for-11 shooting, her 20th career game in double figures. She added five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
• Nila Blackford and Kaysia Woods each added eight points. Blackford chipped in a team-high seven rebounds, while Woods pulled down five rebounds.
• Fernanda Ovalle, Courtney Prenger and Taylor Smith all added five points. The three players combined for 12 rebounds, three assists and one steal.
• Xavier had six blocks in the game, the team's sixth game of the year with six or more blocks. Courtney Prenger posted a game-high four blocks, matching her career high in the stat category.
• 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 1,036 career points over four seasons of basketball (was at Kent State from 2019-22 before transferring to Xavier in the offseason). She has averaged 11.4 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 11.4 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 fourth in free-throw percentage (.821) and 12th in steals (1.3).
• Mackayla Scarlett ranks tied for 10th in the BIG EAST in three pointers made (34). Kaysia Woods ranks second in the team in three pointers made (30), while Taylor Smith ranks third (23). In BIG EAST only games, Kaysia Woods ranks tied for 11th in three pointers made (19).
• In BIG EAST only games, Mackayla Scarlett ranks fourth in free-throw percentage (.833). Nila Blackford ranks ninth in steals per game (1.7), 13th in blocked shots (0.9) and 17th in rebounding (5.3).
• Two other Musketeers are averaging nine or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (9.1) and Fernanda Ovalle (9.1). Ovalle also ranks second on the team in field-goal percentage (.415) and third in rebounding (4.8).
• Fernanda Ovalle leads all BIG EAST freshmen in rebounding (4.8), while ranking second in scoring (9.1). Georgetown's Kennedy Fauntleroy leads all BIG EAST freshmen in scoring (12.0).
• Courtney Prenger is averaging 6.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. The senior forward averaged 2.2 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. She also has 33 blocks this season to lead the Musketeers, while ranking third in the BIG EAST. The last time Xavier had a player with 33 or more blocks in a season was in 2016-17 (Leah Schaefer; 33 blocks). She is six blocks away from moving into 10th in Xavier single-season school history (10th - Terri Coughman - 39 blocks during the 1986-87 season).
• Xavier ranks sixth in the BIG EAST in three-point field goal percentage (.330). The Musketeers only hit 26 percent of their three pointers last season (ranking 11th in the BIG EAST). Xavier also ranks seventh in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.321).
• Xavier also ranks second in the BIG EAST in blocks (4.3) and fifth in steals (8.0). Mackayla Scarlett leads Xavier in both steals (27) and assists (57).
• Xavier ranks 107th in the NCAA in three-point field-goal percentage (.330) and 44th in blocks per game (4.3). Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 43rd in the NCAA in total blocks (33).
• 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, Feb. 4 at DePaul. Tip-off is slated for 4 p.m. ET from Wintrust Arena.
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THE MATCHUP VS GEORGETOWN |
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-14, 0-12) vs GEORGETOWN HOYAS (11-10, 4-8)
Game Info - Tuesday, Jan. 31 - 7 p.m. ET - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video (BEDN/FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu
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ABOUT THE HOYAS |
2022-23 Record: 11-10 (4-8 BIG EAST)2021-22 Record: 10-19 (4-15 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier trails, 12-9
Last Meeting: Georgetown 74, Xavier 52 (Dec. 4, 2022 - Washington, D.C.)
NOTABLES
• Georgetown was picked to finish tied for ninth in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll after posting a 10-19 (4-15 BIG EAST) record last season. The Hoyas return two starters from last season, including No. 2 scorer Kelsey Ransom (12.0 ppg). The Hoyas have seven newcomers on the 2022-23 roster.
• Georgetown leads the BIG EAST in steals (9.3), while ranking 69th in the NCAA. The Hoyas also rank third in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage defense (.386), fifth in blocks (4.0) and sixth in scoring defense (61.5).
• Kelsey Ransom ranks 15th in th BIG EAST in scoring (13.4), 10th in rebounding (7.0) and eighth in assists (3.5). She also leads the conference in steals (2.9). Graceann Bennett ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage (.523).
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SERIES HISTORY |
• Xavier trails the all-time series with Georgetown, 12-9. The Musketeers are 2-3 in the last five meetings vs the Hoyas.
• Xavier is 6-5 all-time vs the Hoyas when playing at home. A win on Tuesday would be the Musketeers first home win over Georgetown since Feb. 28, 2021 (W, 58-48).
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS GEORGETOWN
Dec. 4, 2022 - Georgetown 74, Xavier 52 (Washington, D.C.)
Feb. 25, 2022 - Georgetown 54, Xavier 40 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
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)
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LAST TIME OUT VS THE HOYAS |
• Xavier dropped the first meeting between the two schools, 74-52, on Dec. 4 at Georgetown. Kaysia Woods led three Musketeers in double figures with 11 points on 4-for-9 shooting. The sophomore guard made three 3-pointers to go along with three rebounds, one steal and one assist.
• Taylor Smith and Mackayla Scarlett each added 10 points. Smith added four rebounds, two assists and one steal, while Scarlett chipped in four assists and two rebounds.
• Shelby Calhoun posted a team-high five rebounds and five assists. The guard added one block and one point. Fernanda Ovalle finished with nine points, three rebounds, two assists and one block.
• Georgetown forced 21 turnovers, converting the miscues into 22 points. Xavier held a 20-13 advantage in bench points, while the Hoyas scored 16 more points in the paint (32-16).
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LAST TIME OUT |
• Xavier is coming off a 50-48 home loss to Providence on Jan. 28. The game featured eight lead changes and four ties. Xavier took a one-point lead (40-39) into the final quarter, but the Friars outscored the Musketeers, 11-8, in the final frame to escape Cintas Center with the two-point victory.
• Aanaya Harris led Xavier with 10 points on 5-for-11 shooting, her 20th career game in double figures. She added five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
• Nila Blackford and Kaysia Woods each added eight points. Blackford chipped in a team-high seven rebounds, while Woods pulled down five rebounds.
• Fernanda Ovalle, Courtney Prenger and Taylor Smith all added five points. The three players combined for 12 rebounds, three assists and one steal.
• Xavier had six blocks in the game, the team's sixth game of the year with six or more blocks. Courtney Prenger posted a game-high four blocks, matching her career high in the stat category.
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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 1,036 career points over four seasons of basketball (was at Kent State from 2019-22 before transferring to Xavier in the offseason). She has averaged 11.4 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 11.4 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 fourth in free-throw percentage (.821) and 12th in steals (1.3).
• Mackayla Scarlett ranks tied for 10th in the BIG EAST in three pointers made (34). Kaysia Woods ranks second in the team in three pointers made (30), while Taylor Smith ranks third (23). In BIG EAST only games, Kaysia Woods ranks tied for 11th in three pointers made (19).
• In BIG EAST only games, Mackayla Scarlett ranks fourth in free-throw percentage (.833). Nila Blackford ranks ninth in steals per game (1.7), 13th in blocked shots (0.9) and 17th in rebounding (5.3).
• Two other Musketeers are averaging nine or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (9.1) and Fernanda Ovalle (9.1). Ovalle also ranks second on the team in field-goal percentage (.415) and third in rebounding (4.8).
• Fernanda Ovalle leads all BIG EAST freshmen in rebounding (4.8), while ranking second in scoring (9.1). Georgetown's Kennedy Fauntleroy leads all BIG EAST freshmen in scoring (12.0).
• Courtney Prenger is averaging 6.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. The senior forward averaged 2.2 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. She also has 33 blocks this season to lead the Musketeers, while ranking third in the BIG EAST. The last time Xavier had a player with 33 or more blocks in a season was in 2016-17 (Leah Schaefer; 33 blocks). She is six blocks away from moving into 10th in Xavier single-season school history (10th - Terri Coughman - 39 blocks during the 1986-87 season).
• Xavier ranks sixth in the BIG EAST in three-point field goal percentage (.330). The Musketeers only hit 26 percent of their three pointers last season (ranking 11th in the BIG EAST). Xavier also ranks seventh in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.321).
• Xavier also ranks second in the BIG EAST in blocks (4.3) and fifth in steals (8.0). Mackayla Scarlett leads Xavier in both steals (27) and assists (57).
• Xavier ranks 107th in the NCAA in three-point field-goal percentage (.330) and 44th in blocks per game (4.3). Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 43rd in the NCAA in total blocks (33).
• 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, Feb. 4 at DePaul. Tip-off is slated for 4 p.m. ET from Wintrust Arena.
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