Xavier Comes to Omaha as Women's Basketball Begins Second Half
1/28/2015 4:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. - The Creighton women's basketball team will kick off the second half of BIG EAST play by hosting Xavier on Friday, Jan. 30.
1/30: Xavier (12-8, 4-5 BIG EAST) at Creighton (10-10, 3-6 BIG EAST) - 7:05 p.m.
Webstream: http://www.nmnathletics.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1000&DB_OEM_ID=1000
Radio: None
Stats: creighton.statbroadcast.com
Twitter: @GoCreighton, @CreightonWBB
Creighton and Xavier met for the first time last season, with the Bluejays taking both meetings. Xavier responded with a win at home, 66-65, in the closing moments on Jan. 2.
Series vs. Xavier:
Date Result Score/Site
1/15/14 W 79-50 in Omaha
2/18/14 W 70-61 at Xavier
1/2/15 L 65-66 at Xavier
Since upending Creighton in early January the Musketeers have gone 2-4 in BIG EAST play. The lone victories came against Providence and Gerogetown. The low point of the stretch came on Jan. 18 as Xavier fell to Villanova, 54-34, in a nationally televised game.
Briana Glover and Raeshaun Gaffney lead Xavier with 10.9 ppg this season. Gaffney did not play in the first meeting with the Bluejays. The player that hurt the Bluejays the most in the first matchup was Leah Schaefer as she led Xavier with 14 points.
The Musketeers are averaging 19.4 turnovers per game in BIG EAST action.
Keys to the Game w/Xavier:
- Ramp up the defense: In the first matchup Xavier shot 54% in the first half and had 19 assists overall.
- Limit Offensive Boards: Xavier got four offensive rebounds in the last three minutes of the first game, leading to a critical three-pointer.
- Stop Kynard's dribble penetration: Kynard scored the game-winning basket on a coast-to-coast layup in the first meeting.
20-20 is Easy, Lets Make it 25-25
Alexis Akin-Otiko (28) and Marissa Janning (27) combined to score 55 points in the Bluejays' 93-71 win over Marquette on Jan. 25. The duo marked the first time under Jim Flanery that two players have scored 25 points or more in the same game.
It is also the first time since at least 1998-99 for any Creighton duo.
Dropping 50
For the third consecutive season the Bluejays scored at least 50 points in a half, putting up 59 in the second half at Marquette on Jan. 25. It was the 17th time Flanery's teams have posted 50 in a half. The 59-point outburst was the most points scored by the Jays in a half since putting up 59 points at Siena on March 22, 2003.
Creighton is 16-1 when scoring 50 or more in a half under Flanery.
Leading at the Turn
Through 20 games Creighton has held the lead at halftime six times, the Bluejays are 6-0 in those contests. By contrast, Creighton is 4-10 when trailing at half and have yet to go into the break tied.
Dishing it Out
Sophomore MC McGrory served up a career-best eight assists in the Bluejays' 93-71 win at Marquette on Jan. 25. Her total ties the team high set by Marissa Janning against Villanova on Jan. 4. McGrory's previous high for assists in a game was five against Georgetown on Dec. 30.
