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Xavier University Athletics
Wednesday, February 8
Cincinnati, Ohio
7 p.m.
Xavier University
vs
St. John's
Xavier, St. John's Set for Wednesday Night Matchup
02.06.23 | Women's Basketball
Wednesday's game will serve as the team's Black Fives Foundation game
CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball continues BIG EAST action vs St. John's on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. ET from Cintas Center.
Wednesday's game will serve as the team's Black Fives Foundation game.
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-16, 0-14) vs ST. JOHN'S RED STORM (17-5, 8-5)
Game Info - Wednesday, Feb. 8 - 7 p.m. ET - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Video (BEDN/FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - bit.ly/2qqIPeu
2022-23 Record: 17-5 (8-5 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Record: 12-19 (7-12 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier trails, 17-2
Last Meeting: St. John's 71, Xavier 52 (Jan. 8, 2023 - Queens, N.Y.)
NOTABLES
• The Red Storm were picked to finish seventh in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll after posting a 12-19 (7-12 BIG EAST) record last season. Kadaja Bailey was named to the preseason all-conference team.
• St. John's ranks second in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage (.450) and blocks (4.1), while ranking third in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.298) and fourth in scoring defense (59.5).
• Jayla Everett ranks seventh in the BIG EAST in scoring (16.5), while Kadaja Bailey ranks 14th in scoring (13.7). Everett also leads the conference in three pointers made per game (2.5). Two players are averaging eight or more rebounds per game in Rayven Peeples (8.7) and Jillian Archer (8.0).
• Xavier trails the all-time series with St. John's, 17-2. The Musketeers have dropped 15 straight in the series and are 2-6 when playing the Red Storm at Cintas Center.
• Xavier's last win over St. John's was on March 1, 2015 at Cintas Center by a score of 74-61.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS ST. JOHN'S
Jan. 8, 2023 - St. John's 71, Xavier 52 (Queens, N.Y.)
March 4, 2022 - St. John's 76, Xavier 69 (Uncasville, Conn.)
Feb. 6, 2022 - St. John's 96, Xavier 62 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 2, 2022 - St. John's 83, Xavier 63 (Queens, N.Y.)
March 5, 2021 - St. John's 65, Xavier 57 (Uncasville, Conn.)
• Xavier dropped the first meeting between the two schools this season, 71-52, on Jan. 8. Xavier only trailed by one point 22-21 with 6:36 left in the first half before the Red Storm closed the frame on a 10-4 run, taking a seven-point lead (32-25) into halftime. The Red Storm outscored Xavier, 24-12, in the third quarter to build a double-figure lead they would never relinquish.
• Mackayla Scarlett led Xavier with 18 points on 5-for-12 shooting. The guard added four rebounds and three assists. She was also 8-for-10 from the foul line.
• Taylor Smith added 10 points on 4-for-11 shooting with two 3-pointers. The guard also had two rebounds and one block.
• The Red Storm held a 17-3 advantage in points off of turnovers and scored one more second-chance point (7-6). Xavier scored six more points in the paint (24-18) than St. John's.
• Xavier is coming off a 93-48 road loss at DePaul on Feb. 4. DePaul took a 21-7 lead at the end of the first quarter before the Musketeers battled back to get within eight points (36-28) on a Shelby Calhoun basket with 36 seconds left in the first half. DePaul sank a pair of free throws in the closing seconds to take a 38-28 lead into the break.
• DePaul hit 52.4 percent (22-for-42) of its shot attempts in the second half, outscoring the Musketeers, 55-20, to pull away for the win.
• Fernanda Ovalle led Xavier with 16 points on 7-for-7 shooting with a pair of three pointers. The freshman guard added three rebounds, three blocks and one steal. She now has eight double-figure scoring games this season.
• Aanaya Harris added eight points, two rebounds, two steals and two assists. Nila Blackford finished with seven points and a team-high seven rebounds.
• DePaul forced 30 Xavier turnovers, converting the miscues into 43 points. Xavier scored 18 points off of 16 DePaul turnovers. Xavier had 10 steals in the game, its seventh game of the season with 10 or more steals.
• 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 1,053 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 94 blocks this season, ranking seventh in single-season school history. The 94 blocks also rank tied for second in the BIG EAST this season, while ranking 60th in the NCAA.
• Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 54th in the NCAA in total blocks (34). She is five 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 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 sixth 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 per game (1.6). Kaysia Woods ranks second in the team in three pointers made (32), while Taylor Smith ranks third (24). In BIG EAST only games, Kaysia Woods ranks 14th in three pointers made (21).
• In BIG EAST only games, Mackayla Scarlett ranks fourth in free-throw percentage (.833). Nila Blackford ranks 10th in steals per game (1.6) and 14th in rebounding (6.2).
• Two other Musketeers are averaging eight or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (8.5) and Fernanda Ovalle (9.2). Ovalle also ranks second on the team in field-goal percentage (.440) and third in rebounding (4.5).
• Fernanda Ovalle leads all BIG EAST freshmen in rebounding (4.5), while ranking second in scoring (9.2). Georgetown's Kennedy Fauntleroy leads all BIG EAST freshmen in scoring (11.4).
• Courtney Prenger is averaging 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. The senior forward averaged 2.2 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. She also has 34 blocks this season to lead the Musketeers, while ranking third in the BIG EAST.
• Xavier ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in steals (8.0). Mackayla Scarlett leads Xavier in both steals (27), while ranking 12th in the conference in steals per game (1.3).
• 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 return to action on Sunday, Feb. 12 at Creighton. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. ET from D.J. Sokol Arena.
Wednesday's game will serve as the team's Black Fives Foundation game.
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THE MATCHUP VS ST. JOHN'S |
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (7-16, 0-14) vs ST. JOHN'S RED STORM (17-5, 8-5)
Game Info - Wednesday, Feb. 8 - 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 RED STORM |
2022-23 Record: 17-5 (8-5 BIG EAST)2021-22 Record: 12-19 (7-12 BIG EAST)
2021-22 Postseason: None
Series History: Xavier trails, 17-2
Last Meeting: St. John's 71, Xavier 52 (Jan. 8, 2023 - Queens, N.Y.)
NOTABLES
• The Red Storm were picked to finish seventh in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll after posting a 12-19 (7-12 BIG EAST) record last season. Kadaja Bailey was named to the preseason all-conference team.
• St. John's ranks second in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage (.450) and blocks (4.1), while ranking third in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.298) and fourth in scoring defense (59.5).
• Jayla Everett ranks seventh in the BIG EAST in scoring (16.5), while Kadaja Bailey ranks 14th in scoring (13.7). Everett also leads the conference in three pointers made per game (2.5). Two players are averaging eight or more rebounds per game in Rayven Peeples (8.7) and Jillian Archer (8.0).
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SERIES HISTORY |
• Xavier trails the all-time series with St. John's, 17-2. The Musketeers have dropped 15 straight in the series and are 2-6 when playing the Red Storm at Cintas Center.
• Xavier's last win over St. John's was on March 1, 2015 at Cintas Center by a score of 74-61.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS ST. JOHN'S
Jan. 8, 2023 - St. John's 71, Xavier 52 (Queens, N.Y.)
March 4, 2022 - St. John's 76, Xavier 69 (Uncasville, Conn.)
Feb. 6, 2022 - St. John's 96, Xavier 62 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 2, 2022 - St. John's 83, Xavier 63 (Queens, N.Y.)
March 5, 2021 - St. John's 65, Xavier 57 (Uncasville, Conn.)
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LAST TIME OUT VS SJU |
• Xavier dropped the first meeting between the two schools this season, 71-52, on Jan. 8. Xavier only trailed by one point 22-21 with 6:36 left in the first half before the Red Storm closed the frame on a 10-4 run, taking a seven-point lead (32-25) into halftime. The Red Storm outscored Xavier, 24-12, in the third quarter to build a double-figure lead they would never relinquish.
• Mackayla Scarlett led Xavier with 18 points on 5-for-12 shooting. The guard added four rebounds and three assists. She was also 8-for-10 from the foul line.
• Taylor Smith added 10 points on 4-for-11 shooting with two 3-pointers. The guard also had two rebounds and one block.
• The Red Storm held a 17-3 advantage in points off of turnovers and scored one more second-chance point (7-6). Xavier scored six more points in the paint (24-18) than St. John's.
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LAST TIME OUT |
• Xavier is coming off a 93-48 road loss at DePaul on Feb. 4. DePaul took a 21-7 lead at the end of the first quarter before the Musketeers battled back to get within eight points (36-28) on a Shelby Calhoun basket with 36 seconds left in the first half. DePaul sank a pair of free throws in the closing seconds to take a 38-28 lead into the break.
• DePaul hit 52.4 percent (22-for-42) of its shot attempts in the second half, outscoring the Musketeers, 55-20, to pull away for the win.
• Fernanda Ovalle led Xavier with 16 points on 7-for-7 shooting with a pair of three pointers. The freshman guard added three rebounds, three blocks and one steal. She now has eight double-figure scoring games this season.
• Aanaya Harris added eight points, two rebounds, two steals and two assists. Nila Blackford finished with seven points and a team-high seven rebounds.
• DePaul forced 30 Xavier turnovers, converting the miscues into 43 points. Xavier scored 18 points off of 16 DePaul turnovers. Xavier had 10 steals in the game, its seventh game of the season with 10 or more steals.
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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 1,053 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 94 blocks this season, ranking seventh in single-season school history. The 94 blocks also rank tied for second in the BIG EAST this season, while ranking 60th in the NCAA.
• Individually, Courtney Prenger ranks 54th in the NCAA in total blocks (34). She is five 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 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 sixth 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 per game (1.6). Kaysia Woods ranks second in the team in three pointers made (32), while Taylor Smith ranks third (24). In BIG EAST only games, Kaysia Woods ranks 14th in three pointers made (21).
• In BIG EAST only games, Mackayla Scarlett ranks fourth in free-throw percentage (.833). Nila Blackford ranks 10th in steals per game (1.6) and 14th in rebounding (6.2).
• Two other Musketeers are averaging eight or more points per game in newcomers Taylor Smith (8.5) and Fernanda Ovalle (9.2). Ovalle also ranks second on the team in field-goal percentage (.440) and third in rebounding (4.5).
• Fernanda Ovalle leads all BIG EAST freshmen in rebounding (4.5), while ranking second in scoring (9.2). Georgetown's Kennedy Fauntleroy leads all BIG EAST freshmen in scoring (11.4).
• Courtney Prenger is averaging 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. The senior forward averaged 2.2 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. She also has 34 blocks this season to lead the Musketeers, while ranking third in the BIG EAST.
• Xavier ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in steals (8.0). Mackayla Scarlett leads Xavier in both steals (27), while ranking 12th in the conference in steals per game (1.3).
• 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 return to action on Sunday, Feb. 12 at Creighton. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. ET from D.J. Sokol Arena.
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