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Saturday, February 25
Cincinnati, Ohio
2 p.m.
Xavier University
vs
Marquette
Senior Day, Play4Kay Pink Game Set for Saturday vs Marquette
02.23.23 | Women's Basketball
Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Cintas Center
CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball continues BIG EAST action vs Marquette on Saturday, Feb. 25. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. ET from Cintas Center.
Prior to tip-off, Xavier recognize three senior players (Shaila Beeler, Mikayla Hayes and Courtney Prenger) and two student managers (Jay Lozano and Savannah Schwallie).
The game will also serve as the team's Play4Kay Pink game presented by Mammotome.
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-20, 0-18) vs MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES (18-9, 11-7)
Game Info - Saturday, Feb. 25 - 2 p.m. ET - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video (BEDN/FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu
2022-23 Record: 18-9 (11-7 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Record: 23-11 (13-7 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Postseason: WNIT - Third Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 20-7
Last Meeting: Marquette 64, Xavier 40 (Jan. 25, 2023 - Milwaukee, Wis.)
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 had their four-game win streak snapped by Creighton on Feb. 22 (L, 55-44). Marquette has won seven of its last nine games and is 4-5 in road games this season.
• Marquette leads the BIG EAST in scoring defense (57.1), while ranking second in rebounding margin (+4.4) and third in field-goal percentage defense (.385). Jordan King ranks eighth in the conference in scoring (16.1), while Chloe Marotta ranks 12th in scoring (14.6) and fourth in rebounding (9.0).
• Xavier trails the all-time series with Marquette, 20-7. The Musketeers have dropped 13 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 3-15 vs the Golden Eagles since joining the BIG EAST for the 2013-14 season. The Musketeers are 2-7 vs Marquette when playing at Cintas Center since the start of the 2013-14 season.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS MARQUETTE
Jan. 25, 2023 - Marquette 64, Xavier 40 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
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.)
• Xavier dropped the first meeting between the two schools, 64-40, in Milwaukee on Jan. 25. The first half was back-and-forth before the Golden Eagles closed the stanza on an 11-2 run, taking a 10-point lead into the locker room (28-18). Marquette outscored Xavier, 36-22, in the second half to pull away for the 24-point victory.
• Fernanda Ovalle led the Musketeers with nine points to go along with seven rebounds and two assists. Nila Blackford finished with six points and seven rebounds. Mackayla Scarlett added seven points.
• Marquette forced 21 Xavier turnovers, converting the miscues into 22 points. The Golden Eagles also held an 11-8 advantage in fastbreak points. Xavier scored four more points in the paint (26-22) than Marquette.
• Xavier is coming off a 60-43 road loss at Butler on Feb. 21. Butler opened the game on an 11-0 run and led by 18 points (37-19) with 7:55 left in the third quarter. Xavier used a 17-4 run to close within five points (41-36) with six seconds left in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs outscored Xavier, 19-7, to end the game - pulling away for the 17-point victory.
• Courtney Prenger led the Musketeers with 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting. She added five rebounds, two assists and one steal. The senior forward now has 14 career double-figure scoring games.
• Shelby Calhoun and Nila Blackford each added eight points, combining to go 7-for-8 from the floor. Blackford also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. Xavier also won the battle on the glass, 30-29.
• Butler forced 17 Xavier turnovers, converting the miscues into 16 points. The Bulldogs also held a 32-20 advantage in points in the paint. Xavier scored six more bench points (21-15) and held a 6-4 advantage in second-chance 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 1,096 career points over four seasons of basketball (was at Kent State from 2019-22 before transferring to Xavier in the offseason). She has averaged 11.3 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.
• Xavier has 98 blocks this season, ranking seventh in single-season school history. The 98 blocks also rank fifth in the BIG EAST this season, while ranking 99th in the NCAA.
• Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 82nd in the NCAA in total blocks (36). She is three blocks away from moving into 10th in Xavier single-season school history (10th - Terri Coughman - 39 blocks during the 1986-87 season).
• Junior guard Mackayla Scarlett ranks 22nd in the BIG EAST in scoring, averaging 10.8 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 (.831).
• Mackayla Scarlett ranks 13th in the BIG EAST in three pointers made per game (1.5). Scarlett and Kaysia Woods lead the team in three pointers made (35).
• In BIG EAST only games, Mackayla Scarlett ranks third in free-throw percentage (.851). Nila Blackford ranks 11th in steals per game (1.6) and 15th in rebounding (5.8).
• Two other Musketeers are averaging eight or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (8.0) and Fernanda Ovalle (8.6). Ovalle also ranks second on the team in field-goal percentage (.439) and third rebounding (4.5).
• Fernanda Ovalle leads all BIG EAST freshmen in rebounding (4.5), while ranking second in scoring (8.6). Georgetown's Kennedy Fauntleroy leads all BIG EAST freshmen in scoring (11.3).
• Courtney Prenger is averaging 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. The senior forward averaged 2.2 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. She also has 36 blocks this season to lead the Musketeers, while ranking fourth in the BIG EAST.
• Xavier ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in steals (8.0). Nila Blackford paces the team with 29 steals, while three players rank tied for second with 28 steals: Mackayla Scarlett, Taylor Smith and Aanaya Harris.
• 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 played 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 finish regular-season action at No. 4 UConn on Monday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. The game will be aired nationally on CBS Sports Network.
Prior to tip-off, Xavier recognize three senior players (Shaila Beeler, Mikayla Hayes and Courtney Prenger) and two student managers (Jay Lozano and Savannah Schwallie).
The game will also serve as the team's Play4Kay Pink game presented by Mammotome.
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THE MATCHUP VS MARQUETTE |
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-20, 0-18) vs MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES (18-9, 11-7)
Game Info - Saturday, Feb. 25 - 2 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 GOLDEN EAGLES |
2022-23 Record: 18-9 (11-7 BIG EAST)2021-22 Record: 23-11 (13-7 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Postseason: WNIT - Third Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 20-7
Last Meeting: Marquette 64, Xavier 40 (Jan. 25, 2023 - Milwaukee, Wis.)
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 had their four-game win streak snapped by Creighton on Feb. 22 (L, 55-44). Marquette has won seven of its last nine games and is 4-5 in road games this season.
• Marquette leads the BIG EAST in scoring defense (57.1), while ranking second in rebounding margin (+4.4) and third in field-goal percentage defense (.385). Jordan King ranks eighth in the conference in scoring (16.1), while Chloe Marotta ranks 12th in scoring (14.6) and fourth in rebounding (9.0).
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SERIES HISTORY |
• Xavier trails the all-time series with Marquette, 20-7. The Musketeers have dropped 13 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 3-15 vs the Golden Eagles since joining the BIG EAST for the 2013-14 season. The Musketeers are 2-7 vs Marquette when playing at Cintas Center since the start of the 2013-14 season.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS MARQUETTE
Jan. 25, 2023 - Marquette 64, Xavier 40 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
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.)
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LAST TIME OUT VS MARQUETTE |
• Xavier dropped the first meeting between the two schools, 64-40, in Milwaukee on Jan. 25. The first half was back-and-forth before the Golden Eagles closed the stanza on an 11-2 run, taking a 10-point lead into the locker room (28-18). Marquette outscored Xavier, 36-22, in the second half to pull away for the 24-point victory.
• Fernanda Ovalle led the Musketeers with nine points to go along with seven rebounds and two assists. Nila Blackford finished with six points and seven rebounds. Mackayla Scarlett added seven points.
• Marquette forced 21 Xavier turnovers, converting the miscues into 22 points. The Golden Eagles also held an 11-8 advantage in fastbreak points. Xavier scored four more points in the paint (26-22) than Marquette.
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LAST TIME OUT |
• Xavier is coming off a 60-43 road loss at Butler on Feb. 21. Butler opened the game on an 11-0 run and led by 18 points (37-19) with 7:55 left in the third quarter. Xavier used a 17-4 run to close within five points (41-36) with six seconds left in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs outscored Xavier, 19-7, to end the game - pulling away for the 17-point victory.
• Courtney Prenger led the Musketeers with 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting. She added five rebounds, two assists and one steal. The senior forward now has 14 career double-figure scoring games.
• Shelby Calhoun and Nila Blackford each added eight points, combining to go 7-for-8 from the floor. Blackford also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. Xavier also won the battle on the glass, 30-29.
• Butler forced 17 Xavier turnovers, converting the miscues into 16 points. The Bulldogs also held a 32-20 advantage in points in the paint. Xavier scored six more bench points (21-15) and held a 6-4 advantage in second-chance 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 1,096 career points over four seasons of basketball (was at Kent State from 2019-22 before transferring to Xavier in the offseason). She has averaged 11.3 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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XU BLOCK RECORDS |
• Xavier has 98 blocks this season, ranking seventh in single-season school history. The 98 blocks also rank fifth in the BIG EAST this season, while ranking 99th in the NCAA.
• Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 82nd in the NCAA in total blocks (36). She is three blocks away from moving into 10th in Xavier single-season school history (10th - Terri Coughman - 39 blocks during the 1986-87 season).
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NOTABLES |
• Junior guard Mackayla Scarlett ranks 22nd in the BIG EAST in scoring, averaging 10.8 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 (.831).
• Mackayla Scarlett ranks 13th in the BIG EAST in three pointers made per game (1.5). Scarlett and Kaysia Woods lead the team in three pointers made (35).
• In BIG EAST only games, Mackayla Scarlett ranks third in free-throw percentage (.851). Nila Blackford ranks 11th in steals per game (1.6) and 15th in rebounding (5.8).
• Two other Musketeers are averaging eight or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (8.0) and Fernanda Ovalle (8.6). Ovalle also ranks second on the team in field-goal percentage (.439) and third rebounding (4.5).
• Fernanda Ovalle leads all BIG EAST freshmen in rebounding (4.5), while ranking second in scoring (8.6). Georgetown's Kennedy Fauntleroy leads all BIG EAST freshmen in scoring (11.3).
• Courtney Prenger is averaging 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. The senior forward averaged 2.2 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. She also has 36 blocks this season to lead the Musketeers, while ranking fourth in the BIG EAST.
• Xavier ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in steals (8.0). Nila Blackford paces the team with 29 steals, while three players rank tied for second with 28 steals: Mackayla Scarlett, Taylor Smith and Aanaya Harris.
• 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 played 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 finish regular-season action at No. 4 UConn on Monday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. The game will be aired nationally on CBS Sports Network.
Players Mentioned
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