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Xavier University Athletics
Tuesday, February 27
Omaha, Neb.
7 p.m. ET
Xavier University
at
Creighton
Xavier Travels to No. 23 Creighton for BIG EAST Road Finale
02.25.24 | Women's Basketball
Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. ET from D.J. Sokol Arena
CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball travels to No. 23 Creighton on Tuesday, Feb. 27 for the team's final BIG EAST road game of the 2023-24 season. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. ET from D. J. Sokol Arena.
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (1-24, 0-16) at NO. 23 CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (22-4, 13-3)
Tuesday, Feb. 27 - 7 p.m. ET - D. J. Sokol Arena (2,950) - Omaha, Neb.
Watch Live - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - bit.ly/48uaJsI
• Creighton was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll after posting a 22-9 (15-5 BIG EAST) record last season and advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
• Lauren Jensen, Morgan Maly and Emma Ronsiek were all named to the preseason all-conference team. All three players are averaging double figures this season: Ronsiek (17.6), Jensen (17.3) and Maly (14.7). Maly also leads the team in rebounding (6.3).
• Creighton leads the NCAA in free-throw percentage (.819), while ranking fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.58), 14th in three pointers per game (9.0) and 29th in three-point field-goal percentage (.359). The Bluejays also rank third in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage (.445) and scoring margin (+10.8).
• Xavier trails the all-time series with Creighton, 18-2. Xavier has dropped 14 straight in the series and is 0-9 when playing at D. J. Sokol Arena.
• The Musketeers last win in the series was on Feb. 7, 2016 at Cintas Center. Xavier won the game, 57-55.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS CREIGHTON
Feb. 6, 2024 - Creighton 77, Xavier 46 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 12, 2023 - Creighton 73, Xavier 53 (Omaha, Neb.)
Nov. 25, 2022 - Creighton 57, Xavier 51 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 11, 2022 - Creighton 68, Xavier 47 (Omaha, Neb.)
Jan. 2, 2022 - Creighton 67, Xavier 51 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
• Xavier dropped the first meeting between the two schools, 77-46, on Feb. 6 at Cintas Center. Mackayla Scarlett scored a career and game-high 26 points. She added five rebounds a career and game-high five steals (also had five steals at St. John's on Jan. 31, 2024).
• Aizhanique Mayo added eight points in 21 minutes off the bench. Daniela López chipped in seven points and five rebounds.
• Taylor Smith pulled down a season-high seven rebounds in her first start of the season. Júlia Garcia Roig finished with a team-high four assists. The freshman guard added four rebounds and two points.
• The Musketeers are 11-58 all-time against teams ranked in the top-25. The last time Xavier played a top-25 team was on Feb. 14, 2024 (L, 86-40 vs No. 15 UConn).
• 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.
• Mackayla Scarlett was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Feb. 12. She is the only Xavier player to earn the recognition this season.
• Mackayla Scarlett is averaging a team-high 14.0 points per game. She has scored in double figures 14 times this season with four, 20-point performances. She has averaged 13.0 points per game in her last five outings.
• Aizhanique Mayo has added 9.8 points per game to rank second on the team scoring. The freshman guard scored a season-high 20 points vs Providence on Jan. 27. She has a team-best .349 three-point field-goal percentage (29-for-83). Mayo has averaged 10.4 points per game in her last five outings with a .455 field-goal percentage (20-for-44).
• Nila Blackford ranks third on the team in scoring (8.5) and first in rebounding (8.2). The forward also ranks first in total blocks (15). Blackford has added 25 assists and 19 steals. She ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in rebounding (8.2). She has 61 career double-figure scoring games and 34 career double-figure rebounding games.
• Tae'lor Purvis has a team-high 39 steals and 65 assists. She has added 7.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. The guard is averaging 29.5 minutes per game, ranking 28th in the BIG EAST. Purvis also ranks 13th in steals per game (1.6).
• Daniela López is averaging 31.5 minutes per game, ranking 15th in the BIG EAST. She leads all BIG EAST freshmen in the category. The guard is averaging 6.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game this season. López ranks 16th in the NCAA in minutes per game by a freshman. She has averaged 10.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in her last five outings.
• Xavier went 14-for-14 from the foul line on Jan. 27 vs Providence, the team's second game of the season going perfect from the charity stripe (went 11-for-11 at Villanova on Dec. 30). Previously, 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).
• Seven different Musketeers have led the team in scoring this season, paced by Mackayla Scarlett who has led the team in scoring 11 times. Four Musketeers are averaging 7.5 or more points per game this year.
• Xavier's freshmen have logged 42.8 percent of the team's 5,025 minutes this season. The Musketeer freshmen have played 2,149 minutes this season.
• Mackayla Scarlett (14.3) and Aizhanique Mayo (9.6) lead the Musketeers in scoring during BIG EAST action. Scarlett has a team-high 27 steals, while Mayo has added a team-high 27 three pointers.
• Aizhanique Mayo ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring among freshmen, averaging 9.6 points per game. She also ranks 10th in three pointers made per game (1.7).
• Nila Blackford has chipped in a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game to go along with 6.4 points per game. The forward ranks ninth in the conference in rebounding.
• Xavier ranks fifth in steals (7.1) and three pointers made per game (6.4), while ranking seventh in three-point field-goal percentage (.307).
• Xavier's freshmen have logged 50.1 percent of the team's 3,200 minutes through 16 conference games. The Musketeer freshmen have played 1,603 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 concludes regular-season action on Saturday, March 2 vs Georgetown. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. ET from Cintas Center.
GAME INFORMATION
XAVIER MUSKETEERS (1-24, 0-16) at NO. 23 CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (22-4, 13-3)
Tuesday, Feb. 27 - 7 p.m. ET - D. J. Sokol Arena (2,950) - Omaha, Neb.
Watch Live - flosports.link/3RvqOqo
Live Stats - bit.ly/48uaJsI
ABOUT CREIGHTON
• Creighton was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll after posting a 22-9 (15-5 BIG EAST) record last season and advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
• Lauren Jensen, Morgan Maly and Emma Ronsiek were all named to the preseason all-conference team. All three players are averaging double figures this season: Ronsiek (17.6), Jensen (17.3) and Maly (14.7). Maly also leads the team in rebounding (6.3).
• Creighton leads the NCAA in free-throw percentage (.819), while ranking fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.58), 14th in three pointers per game (9.0) and 29th in three-point field-goal percentage (.359). The Bluejays also rank third in the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage (.445) and scoring margin (+10.8).
SERIES HISTORY
• Xavier trails the all-time series with Creighton, 18-2. Xavier has dropped 14 straight in the series and is 0-9 when playing at D. J. Sokol Arena.
• The Musketeers last win in the series was on Feb. 7, 2016 at Cintas Center. Xavier won the game, 57-55.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS CREIGHTON
Feb. 6, 2024 - Creighton 77, Xavier 46 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 12, 2023 - Creighton 73, Xavier 53 (Omaha, Neb.)
Nov. 25, 2022 - Creighton 57, Xavier 51 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Feb. 11, 2022 - Creighton 68, Xavier 47 (Omaha, Neb.)
Jan. 2, 2022 - Creighton 67, Xavier 51 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
LAST MEETING VS CREIGHTON
• Xavier dropped the first meeting between the two schools, 77-46, on Feb. 6 at Cintas Center. Mackayla Scarlett scored a career and game-high 26 points. She added five rebounds a career and game-high five steals (also had five steals at St. John's on Jan. 31, 2024).
• Aizhanique Mayo added eight points in 21 minutes off the bench. Daniela López chipped in seven points and five rebounds.
• Taylor Smith pulled down a season-high seven rebounds in her first start of the season. Júlia Garcia Roig finished with a team-high four assists. The freshman guard added four rebounds and two points.
Xavier vs the top-25
• The Musketeers are 11-58 all-time against teams ranked in the top-25. The last time Xavier played a top-25 team was on Feb. 14, 2024 (L, 86-40 vs No. 15 UConn).
• 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.
BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
• Mackayla Scarlett was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Feb. 12. She is the only Xavier player to earn the recognition this season.
NOTABLES
• Mackayla Scarlett is averaging a team-high 14.0 points per game. She has scored in double figures 14 times this season with four, 20-point performances. She has averaged 13.0 points per game in her last five outings.
• Aizhanique Mayo has added 9.8 points per game to rank second on the team scoring. The freshman guard scored a season-high 20 points vs Providence on Jan. 27. She has a team-best .349 three-point field-goal percentage (29-for-83). Mayo has averaged 10.4 points per game in her last five outings with a .455 field-goal percentage (20-for-44).
• Nila Blackford ranks third on the team in scoring (8.5) and first in rebounding (8.2). The forward also ranks first in total blocks (15). Blackford has added 25 assists and 19 steals. She ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in rebounding (8.2). She has 61 career double-figure scoring games and 34 career double-figure rebounding games.
• Tae'lor Purvis has a team-high 39 steals and 65 assists. She has added 7.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. The guard is averaging 29.5 minutes per game, ranking 28th in the BIG EAST. Purvis also ranks 13th in steals per game (1.6).
• Daniela López is averaging 31.5 minutes per game, ranking 15th in the BIG EAST. She leads all BIG EAST freshmen in the category. The guard is averaging 6.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game this season. López ranks 16th in the NCAA in minutes per game by a freshman. She has averaged 10.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in her last five outings.
• Xavier went 14-for-14 from the foul line on Jan. 27 vs Providence, the team's second game of the season going perfect from the charity stripe (went 11-for-11 at Villanova on Dec. 30). Previously, 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).
• Seven different Musketeers have led the team in scoring this season, paced by Mackayla Scarlett who has led the team in scoring 11 times. Four Musketeers are averaging 7.5 or more points per game this year.
• Xavier's freshmen have logged 42.8 percent of the team's 5,025 minutes this season. The Musketeer freshmen have played 2,149 minutes this season.
BIG EAST ONLY NOTABLES
• Mackayla Scarlett (14.3) and Aizhanique Mayo (9.6) lead the Musketeers in scoring during BIG EAST action. Scarlett has a team-high 27 steals, while Mayo has added a team-high 27 three pointers.
• Aizhanique Mayo ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring among freshmen, averaging 9.6 points per game. She also ranks 10th in three pointers made per game (1.7).
• Nila Blackford has chipped in a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game to go along with 6.4 points per game. The forward ranks ninth in the conference in rebounding.
• Xavier ranks fifth in steals (7.1) and three pointers made per game (6.4), while ranking seventh in three-point field-goal percentage (.307).
• Xavier's freshmen have logged 50.1 percent of the team's 3,200 minutes through 16 conference games. The Musketeer freshmen have played 1,603 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 concludes regular-season action on Saturday, March 2 vs Georgetown. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. ET from Cintas Center.
Players Mentioned
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