By Spencer Tracy, Staff Writer 

After a nearly three-year drought, Xavier women’s basketball won their first Big East game of the season against Butler University this past Saturday. This win added a sixth win to their record for this season, the most wins they have had in a single season in the last six years. 

“Our big word this week has been communication on both ends. I think that last bucket by Loren Christie was a result of great communication,” graduate guard Tae’lor Purvis said. 

The bar was low entering this season after a 1-27 record in head coach Billi Chambers first season with Xavier. Taking over a program that hasn’t won more than eight games since the 2018-19 season has not been an easy task. However, this year’s team has won six games and alongside a few close losses, which has shifted the team’s momentum. This includes a big win this past weekend when the Musketeers won their first Big East game since February of 2022. 

The Musketeers team defeated the Butler Bulldogs at the Cintas Center 50-49, aided by standout performances from freshman guard Meri Kanerva and senior forward Loren Christie. Kanerva finished with 16 points on 7-10 shooting and four assists, and Christie had 10 points on 5-7 shooting and led the team with four rebounds in just 18 minutes.  

Chambers utilized both the transfer portal and recruiting tool to make the necessary additions to steer this ship in the right direction. Through 18 games this year, the top two leaders in points and assists have been new additions either through the transfer portal or recruiting process. Christie transferred to Xavier before last season from the University of San Francisco, but missed every game that year due to an injury. 

Christie has been extremely impactful in the team’s success, playing an important role as the tallest member of the team at 6’3” and getting 5.3 rebounds per game. She also averages nine points and two blocks per game. Showcasing her strengths on both sides of the court has helped bring a much needed energy to the team. 

Helping lead the charge is Kanerva, who leads the team in minutes, points, assists and three-point percentage. Chambers did not ease Kanerva into the lineup – the Finland native has started all 18 games, often playing 34 or more minutes a game. Since the holiday break, Kanerva has averaged 16 points and four assists in the last four home games. However, playing on the road has been a tough transition for the freshman, cutting her averages in those categories nearly in half.  

Kanerva has not been the only one to struggle on the road. The team as a whole has lacked consistency outside of Cintas. They have only won one of their seven road games with many tough losses. They will have a chance to break the road curse tonight against DePaul, who beat them by only five points earlier this season. 

Watching Kanerva run the offense and lead the defense on the perimeter while Christie roams the paint presents what may be going on inside the mind of Chambers. Plenty of work still needs to be done for them to see the success they are hoping for, especially in the talented Big East conference. This team has made big steps compared to the squads of previous seasons. There are still 11 games left in the season for the Musketeers to show their skills and get more wins to their name. 

“The coaches told us to have faith in our hard work, and it definitely paid off,” Purvis said.