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Tuesday, November 21
Cincinnati, Ohio
7 p.m.
Xavier University
vs
Kent State
Xavier, Kent State Set for Tuesday Night Matchup
11.20.23 | Women's Basketball
Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center
CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball continues non-conference action on Tuesday, Nov. 21 vs Kent State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center.
The Musketeers are playing the second of three straight games against opponents from the Mid-American Conference.
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (0-4) vs KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (1-1)
Tuesday, Nov. 21 - 7 p.m. - Cintas Center (10,224) - Cincinnati, Ohio
Watch Live (FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - bit.ly/3FoMvmH
• Kent State is led by Todd Starkey who has been the head coach since the spring of 2016. He has led the team to three Postseason WNIT Appearances and two MAC East Division Titles.
• The Golden Flashes are 1-1 on the year with a win at Louisiana (W, 64-55) on Nov. 12 and a loss at No. 7 LSU (L, 109-79) on Nov. 14.
• Kent State was picked to finish third in the Preseason Coaches' Poll after posting a 21-11 (12-6) record last year. Katie Shumate was named to the preseason all-conference first team.
• Katie Shumate leads the team in scoring (15.5) and rebounding (9.5) this season. Jenna Batsch has also added 15.5 points per game to go along with a team-high 12 field goals (12-for-25).
• Xavier trails the all-time series with the Golden Flashes, 5-0. The two teams are meeting for the first time since Jan. 2, 1989. Kent State defeated Xavier, 74-69, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
• Xavier is coming off a 73-64 home loss to Bowling Green on Nov. 18 at Cintas Center. The Musketeers scored a season-high 64 points behind a season-high .464 field-goal percentage (26-for-56). Xavier also made a season-high seven 3-pointers and outrebounded an opponent for the first time this season (32-24).
• Mackayla Scarlett scored a career-high 25 points on 9-for-16 shooting. She was also 4-for-7 from behind the arc and 3-for-3 from the foul line. She now has two career games with 20 or more points.
• Nila Blackford added 10 points and eight rebounds. The forward finished the week averaging 12.0 rebounds and 8.0 rebounds per game.
• Mackayla Scarlett leads the team in scoring (13.5), minutes played (36.2) and free throws made (16-for-21). The guard ranks 19th in the BIG EAST in scoring and first in minutes played (also ranks 39th in the NCAA in minutes played per game).
• Nila Blackford ranks second in the BIG EAST in rebounding (10.0), while ranking 43rd in the NCAA. She has added 9.8 points per game to rank second on the team in scoring. The forward also has a team-high seven assists and four blocks. The Louisville, Ky., native will be competing against her former team on Tuesday as she played for the Golden Flashes from 2019-22.
• Kaysia Woods ranks second on the team in scoring (9.8), while adding a team-high nine 3-pointers. She ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in three pointers made and 121st in the NCAA. She ranks 19th in the NCAA in three pointers attempted.
• Tae'lor Purvis has a team-high seven steals this season to go along with six assists (tied for second on the team). She has added 6.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. The guard is averaging 34.2 minutes per game, ranking fifth in the BIG EAST.
• The Musketeers opened the regular season on the road for the fourth consecutive year, traveling to Youngstown State on Nov. 8. The Musketeers and Penguins are played each other for the first time since 2004.
• Xavier's home opener was on Saturday, Nov. 11 vs James Madison. It marked the first meeting between the two programs. All told, the Musketeers will play five home games at Cintas Center during non-conference action. Xavier will play six games on the road, including a trip to the Arizona State Tournament on Dec. 1-2.
• The annual Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout is set for Sunday, Dec. 10 at Fifth Third Arena. Xavier won the meeting last season, 48-35, at Cintas Center on Dec. 9.
• Xavier will play teams from seven different leagues during non-conference action: Mid-American (3), Horizon (2), Sun Belt (2), American, Pac-12, Big 12 and Ohio Valley. The Musketeers non-conference opponents combined to post a 181-166 record last year with three postseason appearances.
• Xavier plays an 18-game BIG EAST schedule beginning on Wednesday, Dec. 20 vs DePaul. The Musketeers will only play UConn (Feb. 14) and Villanova (Dec. 30) once during the 2023-24 season.
• The 2024 BIG EAST Tournament presented by JEEP will be played at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on March 8-11. FOX Sports will air the quarterfinal, semifinal and championship games.
• Xavier will play three nationally televised games: Jan. 13 vs Seton Hall (FS1), Feb. 14 vs UConn (SNY) and Feb. 21 at Butler (FS2).
• The Musketeers have won 59 non-conference games over the last seven seasons with a 47-14 mark at Cintas Center.
Saturday, Jan. 13 vs Seton Hall - 4 PM - FS1
Wednesday, Feb. 14 vs UConn - 7 PM - SNY
Wednesday, Feb. 21 at Butler - 6:30 PM - FS2
• Xavier is under the direction of first-year head coach Billi Chambers. She joined the Musketeers after spending 10 seasons at Iona University (2013-23). She led the Gaels to the NCAA Tournament twice (2015-16, 2022-23), captured two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Regular-Season Championships (2013-14, 2022-23) and won two MAAC Tournament Championships (2015-16, 2022-23). The conference titles and NCAA Tournament appearances were program firsts.
• The two-time MAAC Coach of the Year led the Gaels to a 26-7 (18-2 MAAC) record in 2022-23 and earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Three players earned All-MAAC honors, highlighted by Juana Camilion who was named the MAAC Player of the Year and MAAC Defensive Player of the Year.
• Xavier returns three of its top five scorers from a year ago in Mackayla Scarlett (10.9), Taylor Smith (7.5) and Nila Blackford (6.3). Blackford also led the team in rebounding (5.5).
• The Musketeers also return Shelby Calhoun. The guard led the team in total assists (67), while ranking second in rebounding (4.6) and eighth in scoring (4.2).
1. UConn (10) - 100
2. Creighton (1) - 90
3. Marquette - 79
4. Villanova - 76
5. Seton Hall - 58
6. St. John's - 52
7. DePaul - 49
8. Butler - 37
9. Providence - 32
10. Georgetown - 20
11. Xavier - 12
• 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.
• Season and single-game tickets are available for purchase at GoXavier.com/Tickets or by calling the Xavier Ticket Office at (513) 745-3411 x. 7.
• Xavier opens a three-game road swing at Miami (Ohio) on Monday, Nov. 27. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Millett Hall.
The Musketeers are playing the second of three straight games against opponents from the Mid-American Conference.
GAME INFORMATION
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (0-4) vs KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (1-1)
Tuesday, Nov. 21 - 7 p.m. - Cintas Center (10,224) - Cincinnati, Ohio
Watch Live (FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - bit.ly/3FoMvmH
ABOUT KENT STATE
• Kent State is led by Todd Starkey who has been the head coach since the spring of 2016. He has led the team to three Postseason WNIT Appearances and two MAC East Division Titles.
• The Golden Flashes are 1-1 on the year with a win at Louisiana (W, 64-55) on Nov. 12 and a loss at No. 7 LSU (L, 109-79) on Nov. 14.
• Kent State was picked to finish third in the Preseason Coaches' Poll after posting a 21-11 (12-6) record last year. Katie Shumate was named to the preseason all-conference first team.
• Katie Shumate leads the team in scoring (15.5) and rebounding (9.5) this season. Jenna Batsch has also added 15.5 points per game to go along with a team-high 12 field goals (12-for-25).
SERIES HISTORY
• Xavier trails the all-time series with the Golden Flashes, 5-0. The two teams are meeting for the first time since Jan. 2, 1989. Kent State defeated Xavier, 74-69, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
LAST TIME OUT
• Xavier is coming off a 73-64 home loss to Bowling Green on Nov. 18 at Cintas Center. The Musketeers scored a season-high 64 points behind a season-high .464 field-goal percentage (26-for-56). Xavier also made a season-high seven 3-pointers and outrebounded an opponent for the first time this season (32-24).
• Mackayla Scarlett scored a career-high 25 points on 9-for-16 shooting. She was also 4-for-7 from behind the arc and 3-for-3 from the foul line. She now has two career games with 20 or more points.
• Nila Blackford added 10 points and eight rebounds. The forward finished the week averaging 12.0 rebounds and 8.0 rebounds per game.
NOTABLE
• Mackayla Scarlett leads the team in scoring (13.5), minutes played (36.2) and free throws made (16-for-21). The guard ranks 19th in the BIG EAST in scoring and first in minutes played (also ranks 39th in the NCAA in minutes played per game).
• Nila Blackford ranks second in the BIG EAST in rebounding (10.0), while ranking 43rd in the NCAA. She has added 9.8 points per game to rank second on the team in scoring. The forward also has a team-high seven assists and four blocks. The Louisville, Ky., native will be competing against her former team on Tuesday as she played for the Golden Flashes from 2019-22.
• Kaysia Woods ranks second on the team in scoring (9.8), while adding a team-high nine 3-pointers. She ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in three pointers made and 121st in the NCAA. She ranks 19th in the NCAA in three pointers attempted.
• Tae'lor Purvis has a team-high seven steals this season to go along with six assists (tied for second on the team). She has added 6.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. The guard is averaging 34.2 minutes per game, ranking fifth in the BIG EAST.
SCHEDULE NOTES
• The Musketeers opened the regular season on the road for the fourth consecutive year, traveling to Youngstown State on Nov. 8. The Musketeers and Penguins are played each other for the first time since 2004.
• Xavier's home opener was on Saturday, Nov. 11 vs James Madison. It marked the first meeting between the two programs. All told, the Musketeers will play five home games at Cintas Center during non-conference action. Xavier will play six games on the road, including a trip to the Arizona State Tournament on Dec. 1-2.
• The annual Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout is set for Sunday, Dec. 10 at Fifth Third Arena. Xavier won the meeting last season, 48-35, at Cintas Center on Dec. 9.
• Xavier will play teams from seven different leagues during non-conference action: Mid-American (3), Horizon (2), Sun Belt (2), American, Pac-12, Big 12 and Ohio Valley. The Musketeers non-conference opponents combined to post a 181-166 record last year with three postseason appearances.
• Xavier plays an 18-game BIG EAST schedule beginning on Wednesday, Dec. 20 vs DePaul. The Musketeers will only play UConn (Feb. 14) and Villanova (Dec. 30) once during the 2023-24 season.
• The 2024 BIG EAST Tournament presented by JEEP will be played at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on March 8-11. FOX Sports will air the quarterfinal, semifinal and championship games.
• Xavier will play three nationally televised games: Jan. 13 vs Seton Hall (FS1), Feb. 14 vs UConn (SNY) and Feb. 21 at Butler (FS2).
• The Musketeers have won 59 non-conference games over the last seven seasons with a 47-14 mark at Cintas Center.
NATIONAL TV GAMES
Saturday, Jan. 13 vs Seton Hall - 4 PM - FS1
Wednesday, Feb. 14 vs UConn - 7 PM - SNY
Wednesday, Feb. 21 at Butler - 6:30 PM - FS2
ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS
• Xavier is under the direction of first-year head coach Billi Chambers. She joined the Musketeers after spending 10 seasons at Iona University (2013-23). She led the Gaels to the NCAA Tournament twice (2015-16, 2022-23), captured two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Regular-Season Championships (2013-14, 2022-23) and won two MAAC Tournament Championships (2015-16, 2022-23). The conference titles and NCAA Tournament appearances were program firsts.
• The two-time MAAC Coach of the Year led the Gaels to a 26-7 (18-2 MAAC) record in 2022-23 and earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Three players earned All-MAAC honors, highlighted by Juana Camilion who was named the MAAC Player of the Year and MAAC Defensive Player of the Year.
• Xavier returns three of its top five scorers from a year ago in Mackayla Scarlett (10.9), Taylor Smith (7.5) and Nila Blackford (6.3). Blackford also led the team in rebounding (5.5).
• The Musketeers also return Shelby Calhoun. The guard led the team in total assists (67), while ranking second in rebounding (4.6) and eighth in scoring (4.2).
BIG EAST PRESEASON POLL
1. UConn (10) - 100
2. Creighton (1) - 90
3. Marquette - 79
4. Villanova - 76
5. Seton Hall - 58
6. St. John's - 52
7. DePaul - 49
8. Butler - 37
9. Providence - 32
10. Georgetown - 20
11. Xavier - 12
XAVIER 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.
TICKET INFORMATION
• Season and single-game tickets are available for purchase at GoXavier.com/Tickets or by calling the Xavier Ticket Office at (513) 745-3411 x. 7.
UP NEXT
• Xavier opens a three-game road swing at Miami (Ohio) on Monday, Nov. 27. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Millett Hall.
Players Mentioned
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