Dec. 27, 2012

Xavier Notes | Northern Illinois Notes | Listen Live | Live Stats

CINCINNATI - The Xavier women's basketball team has returned from some time at home with family for the Christmas holiday and is heading to Charlottesville, Va., to participate in the 2012 Holiday Inn Cavalier Classic Dec. 28 and 29. The Musketeers are set to face Northern Illinois Friday at 4:30 at Virginia's Jones Arena. On Saturday, XU will face either Norfolk State or the host Cavaliers.

About the Musketeers
Xavier (5-6) dropped a 66-55 decision at Indiana on Dec. 21, the Musketeers' last game before the Christmas holiday. The Musketeers rank in the top eight teams in the Atlantic 10 in several categories including: second in defensive rebounds (28.2), fifth in scoring offense (64.1) and rebounding offense (40.0), seventh in rebounding margin (+3.4) and assist/turnover ratio (0.8) and eighth in field goal percentage (.397).

XU is led offensively by senior Amber Gray who is averaging 11.7 ppg. (19th A-10) and shoots at a team-best .506 clip (7th A-10). Junior Shatyra Hawkes dishes out a team-high 3.7 apg. (10th A-10) and holds a team-best 1.6 assist/turnover ratio (5th A-10). Sophomore Lakeisha Crouch is the team's leading rebounder grabbing 7.2 boards per contest (15th A-10) while junior Ashley Wanninger is lethal from downtown averaging 2.1 3-point baskets per game (t-5th A-10) and a .365 3-point field goal percentage (10th A-10).

Scouting Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois (4-6) suffered a 66-61 overtime loss at Illinois Chicago on Dec. 22. Amanda Corral scored a team-high 19 points for the Huskies in the loss while five players tallied five or more rebounds in the contest. As a team, Northern Illinois ranks third or better in the MAC in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.288 - 2nd), rebounding defense (33.3 - 2nd) and scoring defense (58.9 - 3rd).

The Huskies are led by Corral with 13.3 ppg. (6th MAC) while Jada Buggs shoots 44.4 percent from the floor (12th MAC). Satavia Taylor boasts a 41.2 3-point field goal percentage (t-4th MAC) and averages 1.4 3-point field goals per game (t-11th MAC).

The Series
Xavier and Northern Illinois have previously met three times with the Huskies holding the slim 2-1 advantage in the series. The Musketeers and Huskies last met Dec. 20, 1997 in Cincinnati as XU claimed the 81-58 win over visiting NIU.

Last Time Out
The Musketeers hit the road on December 21 to take on the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington, Ind., dropping the 66-55 decision to IU. Senior Amber Gray out up a team-high 16 points for the Musketeers, including a perfect 6-for-6 night at the line. Senior Jessica Pachko also posted double-figures scoring with 10 points to go with a team-high eight rebounds and junior Ty O'Neill dished out a game-high four assists and chipped in five points as well for XU in the loss.

Xavier Musketeers Women's Basketball

Printer-friendly format	Email this article