TicketsThe 44th meeting between the two teams is set to tip off at 7 p.m. and will be available to stream on FloSports.
Cincinnati leads the all-time series 26-17 and is tied 10-10 at Xavier. Head Coach Michelle Clark-Heard is 3-0 against Xavier while at Cincinnati, defeating the Musketeers by an average margin of +11.3 points per game during her tenure. The rivalry is the fourth-longest in terms of total meetings in program history.
Cincinnati is 31-21 in regular season non-conference games and 22-27 on the road under Clark-Heard.
The Bearcats are currently on a three-game win streak in the series. Cincinnati defeated their rival 82-73 inside Fifth Third Arena in the last meeting on Dec. 12, 2021.
Cincinnati fell 66-58 to UIC at home last Sunday. Junior guard Jillian Hayes turned in her sixth career 20-point game with a game-high 20 points, six rebounds and five assists. Sophomore forward/center Clarissa Craig earned her first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in her second straight start, while senior guard Mya Jackson turned in her ninth straight double-digit scoring affair with 11 points and four assists.
Jackson played Xavier three times as a part of Big East conference play while at Seton Hall. She averaged 22.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game against the Musketeers, scoring 20-plus in all three games.
The Xavier Musketeers are 6-3 overall, 0-3 in the Big East in their fourth season under head coach Melanie Moore. The Musketeers are 4-2 at home this season. Xavier ranks second in the conference with a 39.1 three-point field goal percentage, while also standing second limiting opponents to 25.9 percent from behind the arc. Junior guard Mackayla Scarlett leads the team with 13.9 points, 3.7 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 28.4 minutes per game. She is one of three Musketeers averaging double digit scoring.
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OFF THE BENCH
Cincinnati has recorded 183 points, 20.3 points per game off its bench and is 4-1 when outscoring their opponent in bench points this season. Cincinnati posted a season-high 29 points from its bench in their last win at North Carolina A&T on Dec. 1. The Bearcats have received at least 20 points from its bench in seven of nine games. The Bearcats have had five double-digit scoring efforts off its bench this season - Clarissa Craig (3), Malea Williams (1) and A'riel Jackson (1). Cincinnati is outscoring their opponents 174-125 in bench points this season, including 99-42 over the last four games. Senior guard Caitlyn Wilson is leading the team with 6.8 points per game off the bench.
CLARISSA CRAIG CONTINUES TO CRUSH IT
Sophomore forward/center Clarissa Craig is averaging 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 21.6 minutes per game over the last four contests. Craig earned her first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds on 5-9 from the field in her second-straight start against UIC on Dec. 4. Craig is leading the team with a 83.3 (20-24) free throw percentage. The Cincinnati native has scored three double-digit scoring games off the bench this season.
JILLIAN HAYES NAMED TO AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE HONOR ROLL ON NOV. 28 AND DEC. 5
Junior guard Jillian Hayes was named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll for the second straight week on Dec. 5 after averaging 18.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game on 65.2 percent from the field last week. The Cincinnati native is leading the team in points and rebounds, averaging 15.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists in 29.7 minutes per game through the first nine contests this season. She has led team in scoring in six contests, including the last five. Her 76 rebounds ranks 51st in the nation and second in the conference, while her 8.4 rebounds per game ranks 82nd nationally and sixth in the conference as of Dec. 7. As of Dec. 7, 20 players in the AAC have recorded a double-double and Jillian Hayes is one of six players who have recorded at least three. The three double-doubles by Hayes is tied for 38th nationally. Hayes recorded her sixth career 20-plus point game vs. UIC on Dec. 4, scoring 20 points on 9-16 from the field, in addition to six rebounds and team-high five assists. Hayes earned her six career double-double and third of the season with 16 points and a career-high 14 rebounds vs. UT Arlington on Nov. 25. The 14 rebounds against UT Arlington was the most by a Bearcat this season and the most since Arame Niang recorded 16 vs. Temple on Feb. 3, 2021.
FROM THE LINE
Cincinnati ranks 73rd nationally and fourth in the conference with 20.2 free throw attempts per game and 94th nationally and fifth in the conference with 13.6 made per game as of Dec. 7. Despite shooting 65.4 percent on 17-26 from the line at North Carolina A&T, Cincinnati made 8 of their last nine free throws, 10 of their last 12 to secure the 78-73 road win. Cincinnati also attempted a season-high 26 free throws in the win. Cincinnati finished a season-best 18-23 for 78.3 percent from the free throw line at Lindenwood on Nov. 21. The 78.3 percent is the best since since the Bearcats shot 91.6 percent on 11-12 from the line at Tulane on Feb. 13, 2022. Jillian Hayes ranks 40th nationally, first in the conference with 50 free throw attempts this season. She also ranks second in the conference with 30 made (30-50) as of Dec. 7. Cincinnati is shooting 69-99 for 70.0 percent from the line over the last five games. Clarissa Craig is leading the team with a 83.3 free-throw percentage on 20-24, while Mya Jackson is converting on the 81.3 percent on 26-32.