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Xavier University Athletics
Tuesday, January 16
Chicago, Ill.
8 p.m.
Xavier University
at
DePaul
Xavier Opens BIG EAST Road Swing at DePaul
01.14.24 | Women's Basketball
Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET from Wintrust Arena on Tuesday
CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball opens a two-game road swing at DePaul on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET from Wintrust Arena.
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (1-13, 0-5) at DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS (9-9, 1-4)
Tuesday, Jan. 16 - 8 p.m. ET - Wintrust Arena (10,387) - Chicago, Ill.
Watch Live (BEDN/FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - statb.us/b/490234
• DePaul was picked to finish seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll after posting a 16-17 (8-12 BIG EAST) record last season. Graduate student guard Anaya Peoples was named to the preseason all-conference team.
• DePaul has lost four straight games, most recently a 78-47 setback at No. 23 Marquette on Jan. 13. The Blue Demons lone BIG EAST win this season was on Dec. 20 at Xavier (W, 76-55).
• DePaul leads the BIG EAST in steals (11.4), while ranking 21st in the NCAA. Katlyn Gilbert leads the conference in total steals (54), while ranking sixth in the NCAA.
• The Blue Demons rank third in the BIG EAST in scoring offense (75.2), while ranking 11th in scoring defense (68.6). DePaul ranks 60th in the NCAA in scoring offense. Anaya Peoples ranks fifth in the conference in scoring (18.0) and eighth in rebounding (7.4).
• Xavier trails the all-time series, 26-1. The Musketeers lone victory was on Jan. 23, 1984 in the first meeting between the two schools, 82-72, in Cincinnati.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS DEPAUL
Dec. 20, 2023 - DePaul 76, Xavier 55 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 4, 2023 - DePaul 93, Xavier 48 (Chicago, Ill.)
Jan. 14, 2023 - DePaul 91, Xavier 56 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Jan. 23, 2022 - DePaul 94, Xavier 74 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Dec. 5, 2021 - DePaul 103, Xavier 85 (Chicago, Ill.)
• Xavier is coming off an 0-2 week with home losses to St. John's (L, 60-42) on Jan. 9 and Seton Hall (L, 61-47) on Jan. 13.
• Aizhanique Mayo led the team in scoring, averaging 14.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. The guard went 7-for-14 from behind the arc and added three assists and one steal.
• Tae'lor Purvis added 11.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. The senior guard recorded a team-high five steals and five assists.
• Nila Blackford posted a team-high 10.5 rebounds per game to go along with 4.0 points per game. Daniela López added 5.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
• Mackayla Scarlett is averaging a team-high 11.9 points per game. She has scored in double figures five times this season with two, 20-point performances. The guard leads the team in made free throws (25) and free-throw percentage (.714).
• Nila Blackford ranks third on the team in scoring (9.1) and first in rebounding (9.0). The forward also ranks first in total blocks (13), while ranking second in total assists (20) and total steals (15). She ranks third in the BIG EAST in rebounding (9.0), while ranking 52nd in the NCAA. She has 60 career double-figure scoring games and 34 career double-figure rebounding games.
• Kaysia Woods ranks fourth on the team in scoring (8.6), while ranking first in three pointers made (28). She ranks eighth in the BIG EAST in three pointers made per game, while ranking 125th in the NCAA.
• Kaysia Woods has increased her scoring by 5.7 points per game from her freshman season (2021-22) to her junior season (2023-24). The guard averaged 2.9 points per game as a freshman and 5.8 points per game as a sophomore. She is now averaging 8.6 points per game and has 11 career double-figure scoring games.
• Tae'lor Purvis has a team-high 24 steals and 41 assists. She has added 6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. The guard is averaging 30.9 minutes per game, ranking 16th in the BIG EAST. Purvis also ranks 11th in steals per game (1.7).
• Daniela López is averaging 33.7 minutes per game, ranking fourth in the BIG EAST. She leads all BIG EAST freshmen in the category. The guard is averaging 6.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game this season. López ranks ninth in the NCAA in minutes per game by a freshman.
• Xavier was a perfect 11-for-11 from the foul line with five different Musketeers knocking down a free throw on Dec. 30 at Villanova. The last time the Musketeers were perfect from the charity stripe (minimum 10 made free throws) was on Dec. 22, 2018 vs New Orleans (10-for-10).
• Six different Musketeers have led the team in scoring this season, paced by Kaysia Woods who has led the team in scoring four times. Four Musketeers are averaging 8.6 or more points per game this year.
• Xavier's freshmen have logged 37.2 percent of the team's 2,625 minutes this season. The Musketeer freshmen have played 1,050 minutes this season.
• Aizhanique Mayo is averaging a team-high 9.6 points per game in BIG EAST action with a team-high 11 three pointers. She ranks third in the conference in three pointers made and 13th in three-point field-goal percentage (.440). Nila Blackford has added 8.0 rebounds per game, ranking fourth in the conference.
• Xavier ranks second in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.288), third in three-point field-goal percentage (.378) and fourth in free-throw percentage (.750).
• Xavier's freshmen have logged 50.4 percent of the team's 1,000 minutes through five conference games. The Musketeer freshmen have played 504 minutes in those contests.
• 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 60 non-conference games over the last seven seasons with a 48-15 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 returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 20 at Georgetown. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. ET from McDonough Arena.
GAME INFORMATION
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (1-13, 0-5) at DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS (9-9, 1-4)
Tuesday, Jan. 16 - 8 p.m. ET - Wintrust Arena (10,387) - Chicago, Ill.
Watch Live (BEDN/FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - statb.us/b/490234
ABOUT DEPAUL
• DePaul was picked to finish seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll after posting a 16-17 (8-12 BIG EAST) record last season. Graduate student guard Anaya Peoples was named to the preseason all-conference team.
• DePaul has lost four straight games, most recently a 78-47 setback at No. 23 Marquette on Jan. 13. The Blue Demons lone BIG EAST win this season was on Dec. 20 at Xavier (W, 76-55).
• DePaul leads the BIG EAST in steals (11.4), while ranking 21st in the NCAA. Katlyn Gilbert leads the conference in total steals (54), while ranking sixth in the NCAA.
• The Blue Demons rank third in the BIG EAST in scoring offense (75.2), while ranking 11th in scoring defense (68.6). DePaul ranks 60th in the NCAA in scoring offense. Anaya Peoples ranks fifth in the conference in scoring (18.0) and eighth in rebounding (7.4).
SERIES HISTORY
• Xavier trails the all-time series, 26-1. The Musketeers lone victory was on Jan. 23, 1984 in the first meeting between the two schools, 82-72, in Cincinnati.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS DEPAUL
Dec. 20, 2023 - DePaul 76, Xavier 55 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 4, 2023 - DePaul 93, Xavier 48 (Chicago, Ill.)
Jan. 14, 2023 - DePaul 91, Xavier 56 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Jan. 23, 2022 - DePaul 94, Xavier 74 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Dec. 5, 2021 - DePaul 103, Xavier 85 (Chicago, Ill.)
LAST WEEK
• Xavier is coming off an 0-2 week with home losses to St. John's (L, 60-42) on Jan. 9 and Seton Hall (L, 61-47) on Jan. 13.
• Aizhanique Mayo led the team in scoring, averaging 14.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. The guard went 7-for-14 from behind the arc and added three assists and one steal.
• Tae'lor Purvis added 11.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. The senior guard recorded a team-high five steals and five assists.
• Nila Blackford posted a team-high 10.5 rebounds per game to go along with 4.0 points per game. Daniela López added 5.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
NOTABLES
• Mackayla Scarlett is averaging a team-high 11.9 points per game. She has scored in double figures five times this season with two, 20-point performances. The guard leads the team in made free throws (25) and free-throw percentage (.714).
• Nila Blackford ranks third on the team in scoring (9.1) and first in rebounding (9.0). The forward also ranks first in total blocks (13), while ranking second in total assists (20) and total steals (15). She ranks third in the BIG EAST in rebounding (9.0), while ranking 52nd in the NCAA. She has 60 career double-figure scoring games and 34 career double-figure rebounding games.
• Kaysia Woods ranks fourth on the team in scoring (8.6), while ranking first in three pointers made (28). She ranks eighth in the BIG EAST in three pointers made per game, while ranking 125th in the NCAA.
• Kaysia Woods has increased her scoring by 5.7 points per game from her freshman season (2021-22) to her junior season (2023-24). The guard averaged 2.9 points per game as a freshman and 5.8 points per game as a sophomore. She is now averaging 8.6 points per game and has 11 career double-figure scoring games.
• Tae'lor Purvis has a team-high 24 steals and 41 assists. She has added 6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. The guard is averaging 30.9 minutes per game, ranking 16th in the BIG EAST. Purvis also ranks 11th in steals per game (1.7).
• Daniela López is averaging 33.7 minutes per game, ranking fourth in the BIG EAST. She leads all BIG EAST freshmen in the category. The guard is averaging 6.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game this season. López ranks ninth in the NCAA in minutes per game by a freshman.
• Xavier was a perfect 11-for-11 from the foul line with five different Musketeers knocking down a free throw on Dec. 30 at Villanova. The last time the Musketeers were perfect from the charity stripe (minimum 10 made free throws) was on Dec. 22, 2018 vs New Orleans (10-for-10).
• Six different Musketeers have led the team in scoring this season, paced by Kaysia Woods who has led the team in scoring four times. Four Musketeers are averaging 8.6 or more points per game this year.
• Xavier's freshmen have logged 37.2 percent of the team's 2,625 minutes this season. The Musketeer freshmen have played 1,050 minutes this season.
BIG EAST ONLY NOTABLES
• Aizhanique Mayo is averaging a team-high 9.6 points per game in BIG EAST action with a team-high 11 three pointers. She ranks third in the conference in three pointers made and 13th in three-point field-goal percentage (.440). Nila Blackford has added 8.0 rebounds per game, ranking fourth in the conference.
• Xavier ranks second in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.288), third in three-point field-goal percentage (.378) and fourth in free-throw percentage (.750).
• Xavier's freshmen have logged 50.4 percent of the team's 1,000 minutes through five conference games. The Musketeer freshmen have played 504 minutes in those contests.
SCHEDULE NOTES
• 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 60 non-conference games over the last seven seasons with a 48-15 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 returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 20 at Georgetown. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. ET from McDonough Arena.
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