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2019-20 Big East preview: DePaul still on top, Seton Hall rises

By Erica Ayala

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ - DECEMBER 02: Seton Hall Pirates forward Shadeen Samuels (24) during the women's college basketball game between the St. Peter's Peahens and Seton Hall Pirates on December 2, 2018, at Walsh Gymnasium in South Orange, NJ (Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ - DECEMBER 02: Seton Hall Pirates forward Shadeen Samuels (24) during the women's college basketball game between the St. Peter's Peahens and Seton Hall Pirates on December 2, 2018, at Walsh Gymnasium in South Orange, NJ (Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, IL – JANUARY 12: A’riana Gray #21 of the Xavier Musketeers drives to the basket during a women’s college basketball game against the DePaul Blue Demons at Wintrust Arena on January 12, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blue Demons won 79-48. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – JANUARY 12: A’riana Gray #21 of the Xavier Musketeers drives to the basket during a women’s college basketball game against the DePaul Blue Demons at Wintrust Arena on January 12, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blue Demons won 79-48. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

#8 – Xavier

Preseason predicted ranking: 8th
BIG EAST 2018-19 Record: 2-16
2018-19 Overall Record: 11-19

Key returners: Musketeers leading scorer A’riana Gray returns for her junior year. She averaged 13.9 points and 11.5 rebounds, enough to earn a nod to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Senior guard Na’Teshia Owens will also return and likely be a go-to for new head coach Melanie Moore. The Texas native averaged 11.5 points and 89 total assists for Xavier last season.

Newcomers: Nia Clark, Morgan Sharps, and Courtney Prenger will suit up for the Musketeers for the first time this season. Clark comes from Miami (Ohio) where she made six appearances before suffering a season-ending knee injury. In nine games (six starts), Clark averaged 11 points and shot 44% from the arc.

Head coach: Melanie Moore joins Xavier from Michigan. She inherits a team that hasn’t placed better than 7th in the BIG EAST.

Outlook: There is a decent amount of turnover for the Musketeers, but they retain Gray and Owens. Moore will have her work cut out for her as she enters her first head coach position. For her an her team to be successful, they must win more than two conference games.

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