Bluejay WBB Battles Xavier in Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio - Fresh off a 52-42 win at Butler Friday afternoon, the Creighton women's basketball team will take on Xavier on Sunday in the Cintas Center at 1:00 (CT). Earlier this season the Bluejays bested the Musketeers, 74-47, in Omaha on Jan. 8.

2/7: - 1:01 pm: Creighton (12-12, 6-6 BIG EAST) at Xavier (16-6, 7-4 BIG EAST)

Online Stream - BIG EAST Digital Network:
http://foxsportsgo.com
Mike Schmaltz (Play-by-Play) and Rich Hoyt (Color Analyst)

Stats (Free): http://sidearmstats.com/xavier/wbball/

Series History: Creighton leads 4-1
Creighton won last meeting 74-47 on January 8, 2016 at Creighton

Download Full Game Notes

Bird Seeds

The Musketeers are coming off an easy 72-47 win over Providence on Friday evening that saw 12 different Xavier players score.
The Bluejays posted a hard fought 52-42 win at Butler on Friday. The Bluejays got 18 points from Sydney Lamberty. The key to Creighton's victory was a 13-2 run in the fourth quarter.
Both Xavier and Creighton used a strong fourth quarter push to best Butler recently as the Musketeers held Butler to one point in the fourth quarter of their 55-47 win on Jan. 29.
Creighton won the first meeting with Xavier on Jan 8, 74-47 in Omaha. In that contest the Bluejays got 17 points from Audrey Faber and 16 from MC McGrory.

Scouting Xavier (16-6, 7-4 BIG EAST)
Most teams are tougher to play at home, but the Musketeers take that to a higher level in the Cintas Center. Xavier is 14-2 on its home court this season, including 5-1 in BIG EAST play. The two home losses this season came against Middle Tennessee (62-53) and to DePaul (70-53).

Xavier's success comes from a combination of sharing the basketball (the three top scorers on the team are within 1.2 ppg of one another), execution and strong defense.

Raeshaun Gaffney, Briana Glover and Aliyah Zantt each average double figures, led by 12.0 ppg from Gaffney.

The Musketeers thrive at the free throw line, shooting 74.2%.

Keys to the Game w/Xavier

Get started early: Over the last two games the Bluejays have struggled from the field. Playing in a hostile
environment, Creighton cannot afford to fall behined early.
Move the ball to get open looks: In the first meeting Creighton had a season-high 24 assists, led by five from Sydney Lamberty. The Bluejays thrive when they can get multiple players going.
Win the battle of the boards: The Bluejays posted a 40-28 edge on the glass in the first meeting. On the road that number is bound to dwindle, but Creighton must attack the glass with the same intensity.

Saving the Best for Last
In just his third season in the BIG EAST, Creighton head coach Jim Flanery has already posted a victory in every venue except one, at DePaul.

Flanery claimed his first win at Butler on Friday, Feb. 5 (52-42) and earlier this
season his Bluejays posted a win at Villanova.

The Bluejays hope to give their head coach more than one win at McGrath-Phillips Arena later this season as the BIG EAST Touranment will be played there from March 5-8.

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Players Mentioned

Audrey Faber

Sydney Lamberty

MC McGrory