Xavier, No. 5 UConn Set for Thursday Night Matchup on SNY

Thursday, January 5

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

UConn

Xavier, No. 5 UConn Set for Thursday Night Matchup on SNY

01.04.23 | Women's Basketball

Watch Live Listen Live Live Stats UConn Notes (PDF)XU (PDF)

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

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball continues BIG EAST action vs No. 5 UConn on Thursday, Jan. 5. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center.

The game will air live on SNY, which can be streamed out of market on the FOX Sports App and FOXSports.com.

THE MATCHUP VS UCONN

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-7, 0-5) vs NO. 5 UCONN HUSKIES (12-2, 5-0)
Game Info - Thursday, Jan. 5 - 7 p.m. - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video (SNY) - bit.ly/3WQxYZ1
Live Audio - bit.ly/3Z5k6vH
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu

ABOUT THE HUSKIES

2022-23 Record: 12-2 (5-0 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Record: 30-6 (16-1 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Postseason: NCAA Runner-Up
Series History: Xavier trails, 5-0
Last Meeting: No. 10 UConn 89, Xavier 35 (Feb. 18, 2022 - Cincinnati, Ohio)

NOTABLES
• UConn was picked to finish first in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll after posting a 30-6 (16-1 BIG EAST) record last season. The Huskies advance to the NCAA Championship Game, falling to South Carolina, 64-49.
• UConn leads the BIG EAST in scoring offense (81.2), scoring margin (+18.3) and field-goal percentage (.521). The Huskies also rank first in three-point field-goal percentage (.402), rebounding margin (+12.4) and assists (21.2). UConn leads the NCAA in assists per game (21.2) and field-goal percentage (.521).
• Nika Muhl leads the NCAA in total assists (121) and assists per game (9.3), while ranking ninth in assist/turnover ratio (2.95). Three players are averaging 12 or more points per game: Aaliyah Edwards (17.4), Lou Lopez Sénéchal (16.9) and Aubrey Griffin (12.9).

SERIES HISTORY

• UConn leads the all-time series with the Musketeers, 5-0. The Huskies won the last meeting at Cintas Center, 89-35, on Feb. 18, 2022.

• The Huskies also won the first meeting in program history, 86-84, on March 14, 1999 inside Gampel Pavilion. The meeting was in the NCAA Midwest Second Round with the Musketeers as the No. 8 seed, and the Huskies as the No. 1 seed.

SERIES HISTORY VS UCONN
Feb. 18, 2022 - UConn 89, Xavier 35 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Jan. 15, 2022 - UConn 78, Xavier 41 (Hartford, Conn.)
Feb. 20, 2021 - UConn 83, Xavier 32 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Dec. 19, 2020 - UConn 106, Xavier 59 (Storrs, Conn.)
March 14, 1999 - UConn 86, Xavier 84 (Storrs, Conn.)

XU VS THE TOP-25

• The Musketeers are 11-51 all-time against teams ranked in the top-25. The last time Xavier played a top-25 team was on Nov. 25, 2022 (L, 57-51 vs No. 16 Creighton).

• The Musketeers last win over a top-25 team was on Nov. 26, 2009 over No. 18 Kansas, 76-71, at the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas.

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier is coming off a 77-49 BIG EAST loss to Villanova on Jan. 1. The Wildcats started the game on a 13-0 run and led by as many as 35 points (60-25) with 5:36 left in the third quarter. The Wildcats only outscored the Musketeers by three points (31-28) in the second half. Xavier couldn't overcome the slow start as the Wildcats held a 46-21 lead at halftime.

• Courtney Prenger scored a team-high 12 points on 6-for-12 shooting, her 11th career game in double figures (seventh during the 2022-23 season). The senior forward added three steals, two blocks and one rebound.

• Mackayla Scarlett added 10 points, three rebounds and one steal in 20 minutes of action. Aanaya Harris added nine points on 4-for-6 shooting to go along with a team-high three assists.

• Three other Musketeers scored six points: Nila Blackford, Shelby Calhoun and Taylor Smith. Calhoun added four rebounds, two steals and two assists. Smith chipped in three rebounds and two assists.

• Xavier had 10 steals in the game, the team's fourth game of the year with 10 or more steals. Villanova won the battle on the glass, 37-22, and held a 19-12 advantage in points off of turnovers.

• Villanova also scored 11 more second-chance points (14-3) and had 10 more bench points (16-6). The Wildcats also held a 13-2 advantage in fastbreak points and a 32-28 advantage in points in the paint.

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

BLACKFORD - MILESTONE WATCH

• Nila Blackford has 998 career points over four seasons of basketball (was at Kent State from 2019-22 before transferring to Xavier in the offseason). She has averaged 11.9 points per game during her career.

NOTABLES

• Junior guard Mackayla Scarlett ranks 14th in the BIG EAST in scoring, averaging 12.9 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 seventh in the BIG EAST in three pointers made (27). Kaysia Woods rank second on the team in three pointers made (20), while ranking 11th in the BIG EAST in three-point field-goal percentage (.400).

• Two other Musketeers are averaging 10 or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (11.2) and Fernanda Ovalle (10.3). Ovalle also ranks second on the team in field-goal percentage (.464) and second in rebounding (5.5).

• Courtney Prenger is averaging 8.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. The senior forward averaged 2.2 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. She also has 18 blocks this season to lead the Musketeers, while ranking tied for second in the BIG EAST.

• Xavier ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in three-point field goal percentage (.364). The Musketeers only hit 26 percent of their three pointers last season (ranking 11th in the BIG EAST). Xavier also ranks third in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.292) and fifth in field-goal percentage defense (.380).

• Xavier also ranks third in the BIG EAST in blocks (4.6) and fourth in steals (8.5). Mackayla Scarlett leads Xavier in both steals (20) and assists (42).

• Xavier ranks 29th in the NCAA in three-point field-goal percentage (.364) and 38th in blocks per game (4.6). Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 44th in the NCAA in total blocks (22).

• 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).

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.

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.

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.

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