DePaul University Athletics
Friday, February 22
Wintrust Arena
7:00 P.M. CT
DePaul University
vs
Xavier
Blue Demons Shooting for Fifth in a Row on Friday
2/21/2019 4:00:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
DePaul looking to continue BIG EAST surge against Xavier at Wintrust Arena
CHICAGO – This is about the time Doug Bruno-coached teams have traditionally begun gathering momentum towards the postseason and a 17th consecutive berth in the NCAA tournament.
There's evidence that is precisely what is happening as DePaul (19-7, 10-4) shoots for its fifth-straight BIG EAST Conference win Friday night at Wintrust Arena.
Scheduled to tip at 7 p.m. in the South Loop, the game against Xavier (11-14, 2-12) will be shown on the BIG EAST Digital Network that can be accessed at foxsportsgo.com.
During this recent run, forwards Mart'e Grays and Chante Stonewall have consistently impacted games both inside and outside. Grays in particular has become more and more assertive inside to the point that opposing teams find it difficult to defend her with just one player.
The 6-foot, 2-inch senior has scored in double figures the last seven games, averaging 18.6 points a game over that span. Much of that has come from her determination to score in the paint.
Her frontcourt partner Stonewall has finished in double figures 10 of the last 11 games, averaging 17.5 points in those games. At the same time, the 6-1 junior has excelled at defending the opposition's top scoring threat.
BIG EAST Freshman of the Week Lexi Held is showing signs of regaining her early-season form that had her making an immediate impact on the DePaul attack.
After an injury slowed her down, the 5-10 guard is once again elevating her game in crunch time. Her fourth-quarter heroics last weekend sparked the Blue Demons to a pair of hard-fought road wins against Seton Hall and St. John's. In her last three games, Held has scored a total of 57 points---an average of 19 points a game.
Bruno's ball club comes into the weekend leading the nation in three-pointers and three-point attempts. DePaul is No. 2 in the country in threes per game and free throw percentage, No. 7 in scoring offense and assists, No. 8 in assists per game and No. 22 in assist-turnover ratio. Point guard Kelly Campbell ranks No. 11 in the nation in assist-turnover ratio and Ashton Millender is No. 25 in three-point attempts.
Should the Blue Demons prevail on Friday night, it will be their 12th consecutive season with 20 or more wins. Overall, it would be their 27th season with at least 20 wins.
Xavier comes into Wintrust Arena saddled with a four-game losing streak, and the Musketeers (11-14, 2-12) have lost nine of their last 10.
They did give DePaul all it could handle at the end of January, falling in overtime 73-71 at the Cintas Center. A'riana Gray leads Xavier averaging 13.4 points a game and is the top rebounder at 11.3. She also leads in steals with 51. Na'Teshia Owens is scoring 11.7 points a game.
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There's evidence that is precisely what is happening as DePaul (19-7, 10-4) shoots for its fifth-straight BIG EAST Conference win Friday night at Wintrust Arena.
Scheduled to tip at 7 p.m. in the South Loop, the game against Xavier (11-14, 2-12) will be shown on the BIG EAST Digital Network that can be accessed at foxsportsgo.com.
During this recent run, forwards Mart'e Grays and Chante Stonewall have consistently impacted games both inside and outside. Grays in particular has become more and more assertive inside to the point that opposing teams find it difficult to defend her with just one player.
The 6-foot, 2-inch senior has scored in double figures the last seven games, averaging 18.6 points a game over that span. Much of that has come from her determination to score in the paint.
Her frontcourt partner Stonewall has finished in double figures 10 of the last 11 games, averaging 17.5 points in those games. At the same time, the 6-1 junior has excelled at defending the opposition's top scoring threat.
BIG EAST Freshman of the Week Lexi Held is showing signs of regaining her early-season form that had her making an immediate impact on the DePaul attack.
After an injury slowed her down, the 5-10 guard is once again elevating her game in crunch time. Her fourth-quarter heroics last weekend sparked the Blue Demons to a pair of hard-fought road wins against Seton Hall and St. John's. In her last three games, Held has scored a total of 57 points---an average of 19 points a game.
Bruno's ball club comes into the weekend leading the nation in three-pointers and three-point attempts. DePaul is No. 2 in the country in threes per game and free throw percentage, No. 7 in scoring offense and assists, No. 8 in assists per game and No. 22 in assist-turnover ratio. Point guard Kelly Campbell ranks No. 11 in the nation in assist-turnover ratio and Ashton Millender is No. 25 in three-point attempts.
Should the Blue Demons prevail on Friday night, it will be their 12th consecutive season with 20 or more wins. Overall, it would be their 27th season with at least 20 wins.
Xavier comes into Wintrust Arena saddled with a four-game losing streak, and the Musketeers (11-14, 2-12) have lost nine of their last 10.
They did give DePaul all it could handle at the end of January, falling in overtime 73-71 at the Cintas Center. A'riana Gray leads Xavier averaging 13.4 points a game and is the top rebounder at 11.3. She also leads in steals with 51. Na'Teshia Owens is scoring 11.7 points a game.
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Players Mentioned
Guard
/ WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Forward
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Guard
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Forward
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