Jan. 5, 2008

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Sunday's Game Notes

CINCINNATI - The Xavier University women's basketball team will look to notch its second win over a ranked opponent this season when the Musketeers welcome No. 7 Georgia to Cintas Center on Sunday.  Game time is set for 2 p.m. 

XU vs. Ranked Teams
XU is 6-17 all-time vs. teams ranked in the Associated Press Poll but the Musketeers are 1-0 vs. ranked teams this year.  XU downed No. 24 NC State by a 51-49 score on December 12.  Georgia comes into Sunday's contest ranked No. 7 in both the AP Poll and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.  Georgia is the highest ranked opponent XU will play since the Musketeers fell 88-78 to No. 9 Purdue in the 2001 NCAA Mideast Regional Final.  Xavier is 1-3 all-time vs. ranked teams at Cintas Center.  Georgia will be the highest ranked opponent ever to visit Cintas Center.

Xavier Not at a Loss
XU's loss to Cincinnati on December 1, 2007 marked the Musketeers' first two-game losing streak since the team dropped a 74-72 decision to Louisville on November 30, 2006.  Since the 2004-05 season, XU is 26-2 following a loss.

New Year's "D" at UK
The Musketeers improved to 5-1 all-time vs. Kentucky with a 51-46 victory on New Year's Day in Lexington.  The victory came thanks in large part to a solid defensive effort by XU.  Xavier held Kentucky to 25.4 percent from the floor, marking the lowest field goal percentage for an XU opponent on its home floor since Rhode Island shot 23.6 percent from the floor on January 6, 2000 in Kingston, R.I.  Xavier held UK to 11.1 percent shooting in the second half (3-for-27), which marked the worst field goal percentage on record an opponent has shot in a half.  Xavier is now 5-1 vs. SEC teams since the 2005-06 season.

Solid Debuts
Transfers Tudy Reed (Rutgers) and April Phillips (Georgia Tech) made their long-awaited Xavier debuts on December 28 at Akron.  Neither Reed (junior) nor Phillips (sophomore) disappointed.  Reed scored a career-high 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting while Phillips scored seven points in a one-minute span against the Zips.  Xavier is 3-1 since Phillips and Reed became eligible.

XU vs. the Power Conferences
Xavier is 26-27 all-time vs. teams from the ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Pac-10.  XU played a record nine schools from the power conferences in 2006-07, besting the previous record of five set during the 2005-06 season.  Xavier is scheduled to play eight games vs. teams from the power conferences this year.  XU is 16-15 vs. BCS schools since Kevin McGuff was named head coach prior to the 2002-03 season and finished the 2006-07 season at 5-4 vs. the power conferences.

The Series vs. Georgia
Xavier is 0-1 all-time vs. the Lady Bulldogs with the only previous matchup between the two squads coming on January 3, 1985, a 106-38 setback for the Musketeers.  Xavier is 5-1 vs. SEC teams since the 2005-06 season and the Musketeers are 12-9 all-time vs. teams currently playing in the Southeastern Conference.

XU Snaps Streak vs. Ranked Teams
The Musketeers won at No. 24 North Carolina State on December 4, marking XU's first win vs. a ranked opponent since the team defeated No. 3 Tennessee in the Regional Semifinal of the 2001 NCAA Tournament.  The Musketeers had lost their previous 10 meetings with ranked opponents and improved to 6-17 all-time vs. the ranked.  The loss snapped NC State's 30-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents.

The Block Party (Part II)
The Musketeers finished the 2006-07 season fifth in the country at 6.3 blocks per game and Amber Harris was third in the nation with 4.0 blocks per game last season.  It is more of the same in 2007-08 as Harris entered the week 13th in the country at 2.8 blocks per game and XU is tied for 22nd in the land with a blocked shots average of 5.3.  Harris' 3.0 blocks per game lead the Atlantic 10.