Basketball Gameday: Wake Forest vs. Xavier
12/7/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeWBB)
| Gameday Central | Wake Forest vs. Xavier | |
| vs. Xavier | Thursday, Dec. 8 at 7:00 p.m. |
| Location | Winston-Salem, N.C. (LJVM Coliseum) - Facility Information |
| Game Coverage |  | @WakeWBB  |
| Game Info | Wake Forest Game Notes  | Buy Tickets |
Deacons Return Home for First of Four Straight at Home
• Wake Forest returns home after a three-game road swing to play its next four in a row at home starting Thursday night against undefeated Xavier.
• The matchup marks the second meeting all-time between the two teams. Xavier took the first meeting on Dec. 20, 1993, with a 62-53 win in a neutral-site game.
Last Time Out
• Wake Forest opened the game on an 18-2 run to take a 16-point lead late in the first quarter. But Seton Hall chipped away at the Deacon lead and took its first lead in the third quarter on the way to the 70-63.
• Trailing entering the fourth quarter, Wake Forest battled back to tie the game early in the fourth but Seton Hall went on an 8-2 run to take a 58-50 lead and never looked back from there.
• Elisa Penna led Wake Forest with 15 points while Milan Quinn had 14 points to go with nine rebounds. Amber Campbell finished with 13 points and Ariel Stephenson had her five-game streak of scoring in double figures snapped in finishing with nine points.
Scouting the Musketeers
•Thursday's game represents the first road game of the year for Xavier after playing each of its first six of the season at home. Xavier is undefeated after defeating Michigan 61-58 on Monday night.
• Raeshaun Gaffney leads Xavier with 15.0 points per game while Kindell Fincher is the only other player averaging in double figures with 10.3 points per contest.
• The Musketeers are averaging 68.8 points per game thus far this season while only allowing 50 points per game. They're also outrebounding opponents by a solid margin at plus-11.1 and are averaging 45.8 per contest.
• Aside from the Michigan win, Xavier has posted victories this season over Tennessee State, Southeast Missouri, North Florida, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Delaware State.
Wake Forest Storylines
• Wake Forest was picked to finish 11th this year in the ACC preseason poll by both the Blue Ribbon Panel and the league's head coaches.
• Prior to falling at Seton Hall, the Demon Deacons were on their first five-game winning streak since the 2013-14 season when Wake Forest defeated Belmont, UNCW, South Alabama, Florida A&M and FIU in December 2013.
• The 6-1 start to the season prior to the Seton Hall loss is tied for the best start to a season under head coach Jen Hoover. The Deacs duplicated the 6-1 record to start the 2014-15 season, but proceeded to drop its next three matchups after the stellar start.
Next Time Out
• Wake Forest's season-long four-game homestand will continue on Saturday, Dec. 10, against Radford. First tip is set for 2 p.m. inside LJVM Coliseum.
• The stretch at home also includes matchups against Samford (Dec. 18) and School Day at 11 a.m. against VCU (Dec. 21).
• After that, the Deacs will close nonconference play Dec. 31 at James Madison.
