By: Paul Fritschner ~Staff Writer~

The women’s basketball team is having an up-and-down season as it fights its way to a current 17-10 record.

It is currently 8-8 in the Big East and has dropped four tough games since winning three straight. Two of those four losses came over this past weekend.

The St. John’s Red Storm came to town for a Friday night tilt against the Musketeers at the Cintas Center. Xavier was looking to avenge its previous loss to St. John’s this season, a 57-41 defeat in Queens.

The second quarter was the undoing for the Musketeers. They took a 20-18 lead into it but could only muster four points opposed to St. John’s 26. They emerged from the halftime locker room and put forth a valiant effort in an attempt to draw even again to no avail.

The Red Storm’s lead was down to just six points with under eight minutes remaining, but the team went on a run of its own to seal a 69-56 victory and return to New York with a regular-season sweep of the Musketeers. Marquia Turner led Xavier with 14 points and Briana Glover was close behind with 11.

One of the truly great traditions of college sports is the honoring of seniors on Senior Day. The event, which usually takes place during a team’s last home game, honors the contributions of the oldest players.

Sunday, the women’s team honored its three seniors Briana Glover, Aliyah Zantt and Jenna Crittendon, before its game against Seton Hall.

The game, however, did not pan out as those seniors would have liked. Xavier was down by eight entering the final quarter, but a 12-4 run tied the score with about a minute remaining.

The Pirates hit one free throw, and it was the Musketeers’ ball with 47 seconds remaining and a chance to end their home slate with a win.

Xavier got its shots but could not get the lead, and players were forced to play the foul game as time wound down. Seton Hall converted at the charity stripe and handed the Musketeers a 72-67 loss. Glover and Zantt both had 13 points to go along with 10 each for Raeshaun Gaffney and Maddison Blackwell.

Xavier concludes its regular season with trips to Villanova, and then Georgetown for a matchup with the Hoyas on Feb. 28.

The Big East tournament starts Mar. 5 and will be played at DePaul’s McGrath-Phillips Arena.