Gophers-Xavier women's basketball preview

Two unbeatens to clash in Barn

Preview: Both teams bring unbeaten records into their second meeting ever. The Musketeers (3-0), picked to finish 10th (last) in the Big East Conference preseason poll, are coming off a 72-67 victory over Grambling State at home Thursday. The Gophers, who are 4-0 for the fourth consecutive season, are coming off a 78-68 victory over Boston College on Sunday at Williams Arena. Xavier defeated the Gophers on Nov. 28, 2009, at the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas.

Players to watch: Senior G Jada Byrd leads the Musketeers in scoring (12.7 points per game) after scoring a game-high 18 points against Grambling. Junior F Imani Partlow leads the Musketeers in rebounding (8.3) and is second in scoring (12.3). Freshman G Aaliyah Dunham is averaging 10.7 points off the bench. Junior G Kenisha Bell leads the Gophers in scoring (21.3). She scored a career-high 31 points and had her third consecutive double-double in the victory over Boston College. Freshman G/F Destiny Pitts is averaging 13.3 points and 12 rebounds.

Numbers: The Musketeers, who were 12-18 overall and 4-14 in the Big East last season, held Mount St. Mary's to 45 points last week — the fifth time in the past two seasons that they have held an opponent under 50 points. A victory will give the Gophers their best season-start since they opened the 2007-08 season 6-0.

JOEL RIPPEL