Xavier University Athletics

CINCINNATI – Xavier continues BIG EAST action on Saturday, Jan. 18 vs Butler. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. from Cintas Center.

 

GAME INFORMATION

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (5-12, 0-6) vs BUTLER BULLDOGS (12-7, 2-4)
Game Info – Saturday, Jan. 18 – 2 p.m. ET – Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Stats – bit.ly/4hlXijz
Watch Live (FloCollege) – flosports.link/3zR1kxj

 

ABOUT BUTLER

2024-25 Record: 12-7 (2-4 BIG EAST)
2023-24 Record: 15-17 (6-12 BIG EAST)
2024 Postseason: WNIT Second Round
Series History: Xavier trails, 35-21
Last Meeting: Butler 84, Xavier 46 (Feb. 21, 2024 – Indianapolis, Ind.)

NOTABLES

• Butler was picked to finish eighth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Senior guard Caroline Strande was named to the preseason all-conference team.

• Butler has won two straight games, most recently a 10-point win (63-53) vs Georgetown on Jan. 14 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs are 2-4 in road games this season with a 0-3 mark in BIG EAST games.

• In BIG EAST games, Kilyn McGuff leads the team in scoring (12.8) and rebounding (8.3). She has added a team-high nine steals and four blocks. Lily Carmody has added 9.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

• The Bulldogs rank fifth in the BIG EAST in scoring defense (60.0) and eighth in scoring offense (55.0) in conference only games. Butler also ranks fifth in field-goal percentage (.397) and eighth in field-goal percentage defense (.409).

 

SERIES HISTORY

• Xavier trails the all-time series, 35-21. The Musketeers are 1-4 in their last five meetings vs the Bulldogs.

• Xavier is 7-15 vs Butler since joining the BIG EAST in 2013-14 with a 3-7 record at Cintas Center.

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

Feb. 21, 2024 – Butler 84, Xavier 46 (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Jan. 24, 2024 – Butler 90, Xavier 57 (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Feb. 21, 2023 – Butler 60, Xavier 43 (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Dec. 28, 2022 – Butler 79, Xavier 65 (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Feb. 20, 2022 – Xavier 73, Butler 54 (Indianapolis, Ind.)

    

LAST TIME OUT

• Xavier is coming off a 51-45 loss at Providence on Jan. 15. Aizhanique Mayo led Xavier with 14 points and a career-high seven rebounds. The guard now has 16 career double-figure scoring games.
• Loren Christie added 11 points, five rebounds and two assists. Petra Oborilova chipped in six points and four rebounds. Tae’lor Purvis had four points, three rebounds, two assists and a game-high five steals. 

 

CHRISTIE BREAKOUT SEASON

• Loren Christie entered the season with a career scoring average of 4.2 points per game and a career rebounding average of 3.9 rebounds per game. The forward also had a career field-goal percentage of .369 (166-for-450). She entered the season playing in 104 games over four seasons between two schools: Buffalo (2019-2022) and San Francisco (2022-23).
• This season, Loren Christie has increased her scoring average by 5.1 points per game and her rebounding average by 1.5 rebounds per game. The forward has also posted a .473 field-goal percentage (62-for-131), an increase of 10.4 percent.
• Loren Christie has 34 blocks through 17 games. She posted a career-best 35 blocks during the 2021-22 season at Buffalo.

    

NOTABLE

 

• Meri Kanerva leads the team in scoring (10.2) and assists (3.2). The freshman guard has added 20 steals and 23 three pointers.
• Loren Christie ranks first on the team in rebounding (5.4), while ranking second in scoring (9.3). The forward ranks first in the BIG EAST in blocks (2.0), while ranking 28th in the NCAA.
• Loren Christie ranks 22nd in the NCAA in total blocks (34). Xavier has 50 blocks on the year, ranking sixth in the BIG EAST.
• Tae’lor Purvis leads the team in total steals (37), while ranking second in field-goal percentage (.459). The senior guard has added 5.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
• The Musketeers rank fourth in the BIG EAST in turnovers forced per game (17.2). Tae’lor Purvis ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in steals (2.2), while ranking 111th in the NCAA.
• The Musketeers have posted 10 or more steals in six games this season. Xavier only had five games with 10 or more steals during the 2023-24 season.
• Aizhanique Mayo ranks fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 6.4 points per game. The guard has made a team-high 24 three pointers.
• Xavier has made 10 or more three pointers in a game three times this season.
• In BIG EAST only games, the Musketeers rank fourth in the conference in three pointers made per game (6.7) and sixth in three-point field-goal percentage (.294).
• Xavier has scored a season-high 71 points twice this season. The Musketeers did not score 70 or more points during the 2023-24 season and only scored 70 or more points four times during the 2022-23 campaign.
• Xavier scored 27 points in the opening quarter vs the RedHawks on Nov. 10, the most points in a quarter for the Musketeers since Nov. 13, 2022 vs Saint Francis (PA) at Cintas Center. The Musketeers scored 28 points in the third quarter vs the Red Flash (W, 78-52).
• Xavier hit over 50 percent of its shot attempts in back-to-back games vs Miami (Ohio) and Mercyhurst – the first time the Musketeers have hit over 50 percent of their shot attempts in back-to-back games since Feb. 12, 2011 – Feb. 16, 2011 (Xavier hit 53.8 percent of its shot attempts in a 77-55 win vs Fordham on Feb. 12; Xavier hit 66.1 percent of its shot attempts in a 92-60 win at Saint Louis on Feb. 16).
• The Musketeers scored 26 points off of turnovers vs Mercyhurst on Nov. 15. The last time Xavier scored 26 or more points off of turnovers was on Nov. 13, 2022 vs Saint Francis (PA) – scored 29 points off of turnovers in a 78-52 win at Cintas Center.
• Xavier has dropped 47 straight BIG EAST games. The last time Xavier won a BIG EAST game was on Feb. 20, 2022 at Butler (W, 73-54).

 

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Xavier will play two games on national television: Jan. 8 at UConn (SNY) and Feb. 8 at Seton Hall (FS1).
• Xavier played six home non-conference games at Cintas Center, including four straight to open the 2024-25 season. The Musketeers will play a total of 15 home games during the season (including nine home BIG EAST games).
• Xavier played teams from six different leagues during non-conference action: Mid-American (4), Horizon, Sun Belt, Big 12, Mountain West and Northeast. The Musketeers non-conference opponents combined to make three postseason appearances last season.
• Xavier played three opponents for the first time in program history in Arkansas State, Mercyhurst and San Jose State.
• Xavier played Bowling Green, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Temple and Youngstown State for the second time in as many seasons.
• The Musketeers have won 65 non-conference games over the last eight seasons with a 52-17 mark at Cintas Center.

 

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• Xavier entered the season with 12 international players from the following countries: Spain (4), Finland, Australia, Slovakia, Croatia, Germany, Serbia, England, Republic of Georgia.
• Xavier returns six letterwinners from the 2023-24 season, highlighted by Aizhanique Mayo who earned All-BIG EAST Freshman Team honors. The guard ranked second in conference only games among freshman in scoring, averaging 9.8 points per game. The Musketeers also return graduate student Tae’lor Purvis who led the team in assists (69) and steals (43) a year ago. The guard ranked 12th in the BIG EAST in steals last season.
• The Musketeers also welcome back sophomores Júlia Garcia Roig and Daniela López. The Spanish guards combined to average 9.4 points and 3.9 rebounds during their freshmen campaigns, while adding 82 assists and 37 steals.
• Second-year head coach Billi Chambers welcomes eight newcomers to the team this summer, including local standout MacKenzie Givens (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton HS). Xavier also returns Loren Christie who brings a wealth of experience to the frontcourt, having played in 104 games during her college career – including a game in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. She missed the 2023-24 season due to injury.

 

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.

 

PRESEASON COACHES POLL

1. UConn – 100 (10 first-place votes)
2. Creighton – 91 (1)
3. Providence – 71
4. St. John’s – 67
5. Georgetown – 66
6. Villanova – 56
7. Seton Hall – 51
8. Butler – 46
9. DePaul – 24
10. Marquette – 23
11. Xavier – 10

 

TICKET INFORMATION

• Single-game tickets start as low as $10. Group tickets can be purchased for $3 (Groups of 15-24) and $2 (Groups of 25-99).
• Fans can purchase season tickets for as low as $50 for 15 home games.
• Xavier faculty and staff receive two complimentary tickets to all home games. Tickets can be claimed by showing your Xavier ID at the main ticket office window at the south entrance to Cintas Center.
• For more information on season tickets, single-game tickets and group tickets – fans can contact the Xavier Athletics Ticket Office at (513) 745-3411 x7 or tickets@xavier.edu

 

UP NEXT

• Xavier continues BIG EAST action at DePaul on Wednesday, Jan. 22. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET from Wintrust Arena.