By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Xavier women's basketball team can earn its 12th win when it hosts Massachusetts at 7 p.m. today at Cintas Center.

With a victory, the Musketeers would match their win total for all of last season, when Xavier went a disappointing 12-19.

The Musketeers have a new coach in Kevin McGuff and a stronger supporting cast to complement seniors Amy Waugh and Reetta Piipari. The combination has produced an 11-5 start and whispers of making the NCAA Tournament. Only two years ago, Xavier reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA.

McGuff said he's not surprised at XU's start, but it might be too early to predict postseason success.

"When I got here, I knew this team was hungry to win," McGuff said. "They talked about wanting to be successful, and they backed it up. We're still taking it week by week. They've been a resilient group and have rebounded well after losses."

The inside presence provided by freshman Tara Boothe arguably has been the most important ingredient in Xavier's success. McGuff recognized Boothe's talent early in the season, and she averages 15.9 points and 6.4 rebounds.

McGuff knows Boothe, a Highlands graduate, might be at the beginning of a great career at Xavier, and he intends to get everything he can out of her.

"I'm probably as hard on her as I am on anybody," McGuff said. "She is so talented, and she's very coachable."

Boothe's frontcourt teammate Alexis Henderson increased her intensity in January to lead the team in rebounds with 7.1 per game. Her prowess on the boards will be necessary today against UMass' Jennifer Butler, who averages 17.8 points and 14.9 rebounds.

"That's been an important stat for us," McGuff said. "When we rebound, we tend to win."

Butler and Waugh are the leading candidates for the A-10 Player of the Year award.

Waugh was named A-10 Player of the Week last week, averaging 27.5 points in two Xavier wins. She is scoring 18.8 points a game and making 40 percent of her 3-point attempts.

"We're in a position now where there is a future," Waugh said. "So each game is important to get to the (NCAA) Tournament."

E-mail ddow@enquirer.com

Weekend at Cintas

Tonight

Tipoff: vs. Massachusetts, 7 p.m. , Cintas Center

Sunday

Tipoff: vs. Rhode Island, 2 p.m.

Tickets: $6 adults, $4 children (reserved club seats); $5 adults, $3 children (general admission)