TicketsUC Cagers to Remember the Titans
Bearcats host Detroit, seeking to extend 5-game winning streak.
Contact: Brian Teter
12/10/2004
CINCINNATI vs. DETROIT
Date: Saturday, Dec. 11, 2004
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Site: Fifth Third Arena (13,176), Cincinnati, Ohio
Records:
Cincinnati (20USA): 5-0
Detroit: 1-5
TV: WXIX-TV 19 (Jeff Piecoro, Anthony Buford).
Radio: WLW-AM 700 (Dan Hoard, Chuck Machock).
Tickets: Available, $25, 513-556-CATS or www.UCBearcats.com.
Series: Detroit leads, 2-1.
Last Meeting: Nov. 19, 1997 in Cincinnati (first round of the Preseason NIT); Cincinnati 76, Detroit 66.
The Coaches:
? BOB HUGGINS (West Virginia ?77)
At Cincinnati: 16th year, 379-119 (.761)
Overall: 24th year, 547-191 (.741)
Huggins is the nation?s seventh-winningest active coach and is 13th in victories.
? PERRY WATSON (East. Michigan ?72)
At UD: 12th year, 214-129 (.624)
Overall: 12th year, 214-129 (.624)
Watson has directed the Titans to three Horizon League championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
CINCINNATI PROBABLE STARTERS 2004-05 Statistics
F 33 Armein Kirkland, 6-8 Jr., Tyler, Texas......12.8 pts, 3.4 reb, 2.0 ast
F 14 Eric Hicks, 6-6 Jr., Greensboro, N.C........13.4 pts, 8.8 reb, 3.0 blk
F 54 Jason Maxiell, 6-7 Sr., Carrollton, Texas...14.6 pts, 9.8 reb, 2.2 blk
G 21 James White, 6-7 Jr., Kensington, Md........11.0 pts, 5.6 reb, 2.6 ast
G 13 Jihad Muhammad, 5-11 Jr., Plainfield, N.J...13.6 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.8 ast
DETROIT PROBABLE STARTERS 2004-05 Statistics
F 20 Ethan Shaw, 6-8 Jr., Detroit, Mich...........4.0 pts, 2.8 reb, 1.2 ast
C 45 Ryvon Covile, 6-9 Jr., Detroit, Mich........10.0 pts, 6.0 reb, 1.0 ast
G 12 Jonathan Kelly, 6-1 So., Detroit, Mich.......5.5 pts, 2.0 reb, 2.3 ast
G 15 James Thues, 5-10 Sr., Detroit, Mich........12.0 pts, 2.0 reb, 2.2 ast
G 24 Ben Green, 6-4 Jr., Detroit, Mich............7.0 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.0 stl
SETTING THE SCENE: The University of Cincinnati will try to extend its season-opening win streak to six games when the Bearcats host Detroit on Saturday at Fifth Third Arena. Tipoff is 7 p.m. EST. UC, ranked No. 20 in this week?s ESPN/USA Today poll, boosted its record to 5-0 with an 88-72 win over Vanderbilt on Thursday. The visiting Titans will be out to snap a five-game losing skid. After beating Southwest Missouri State, 76-65, in its opener, Detroit has suffered losses to Purdue, Ball State, Western Michigan, Bowling Green and Northeastern. In its most recent outing, UD was edged, 73-68, by Northeastern on Wednesday in Boston.
BEARCATS IN THE POLLS: Cincinnati has climbed to the No. 20 spot in this week?s ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. UC is No. 28 in the latest Associated Press poll. For only the third time in the last 13 seasons, Cincinnati was not ranked in the preseason Top 25 of either of the two major polls. Cincinnati last opened unranked in 2001-02. UC climbed as high as No. 4 that year en route to a 31-4 campaign and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
STORY LINES:
? Cincinnati will be out to break even in its series with Detroit when hosting the Titans on Saturday. UC lost two contests to UD in 1930-31. The Bearcats won the only other meeting, a 76-66 victory at Fifth Third Arena in 1997-98 in the opening round of the Preseason NIT.
? UC has won its last 11 games over teams from the Horizon League and is 9-0 vs. that league in Fifth Third Arena.
? Jason Maxiell, with 1,133 career points, can move into 25th place on the UC career scoring list with 13 points in Saturday?s game.
? Saturday?s game is the second of six consecutive home games for the Bearcats. UC hosts Northwestern State (Dec. 18), Jackson State (Dec. 20), LaSalle (Dec. 22) and Miami (Dec. 27). The Miami (Ohio) game will be played at U.S. Bank Arena.
LEFTOVERS FROM THURSDAY?S WIN OVER VANDERBILT:
? UC?s 88 points matched the season scoring high. The Bearcats tallied 88 in the season opening win over Valparaiso.
? Cincinnati shot .525 from the field and .500 from 3-point range, both season highs.
? The Bearcats garnered a season-high 14 steals, four by Chadd Moore. That defense helped Vanderbilt compile 23 turnovers, a season high by a UC opponent.
? Vanderbilt?s 72 points, .481 field goal percentage and .455 3-point field goal percentage were season highs by a UC opponent.
SHARING THE LOAD: A key to Cincinnati?s success this season has been the team?s balanced scoring attack. All five starters have double-digit scoring averages. UC has had no fewer than three players reach double figures (twice), with four players hitting the mark in one game, five in another and six in still another. Seven different players have scored in double figures a total of 21 times.
CAPTAIN KIRKLAND: Armein Kirkland has been Cincinnati?s scoring leader in each of the last three games. The 6-8 junior had a career-high 23 points in last Saturday?s win over Dayton sandwiched between performances of 16 points vs. Purdue (Nov. 27) and 19 points in Thursday?s victory over Vanderbilt. Kirkland has shot .528 (19 of 36) from the field and .500 (5 of 10) from 3-point range during this span.
SECOND HALF CATS: Cincinnati has literally been saving its best for last this season. The Bearcats have a +2.4 point scoring margin (36.2 to 33.8) in the first halves of games this season, boosted by the 15-point lead they posted in Thursday?s win over Vanderbilt. UC has trailed in two of those first four contests, with deficits of two points in last Saturday?s win over Dayton and 12 points vs. Northern Iowa on Nov. 24. UC has taken charge, both offensively and defensively, in the second half. Cincinnati has averaged 39.0 points while holding its opposition to 28.6.
FOUL PLAY: Cincinnati, which converted 19 of 21 free throw attempts for a .857 percentage in last Saturday?s win over Dayton, is shooting a sizzling .765 from the charity stripe this season. UC has shot .808 from the foul line (59 of 73) over its last three games.
DEFENSE TRADITION CONTINUES: Defense has been the staple of Cincinnati?s success during Bob Huggins? coaching reign, and the 2004-05 Bearcats appear poised to continue that tradition. UC has held three of its first five foes to sub-.400 shooting from the floor. The Bearcats have a team field goal percentage defense of .379. Last season, UC held its opposition to .394 shooting, ranking 11th nationally.
MUHAMMAD TAKING CHARGE: Jihad Muhammad has wasted little time making an impact at Cincinnati. The junior college transfer, who has taken over the point guard duties, is the Bearcats? second leading scorer, averaging 13.6 points. He has also quickly become the team?s top long-distance scoring threat, with 15 treys in 40 attempts from behind the arc.
Muhammad tallied 23 points in the Nov. 24 win over Northern Iowa, keying UC?s late comeback by scoring 12 points in the final 6:46 of regulation. He turned in a four-point play, connecting on a 3-pointer and then adding a free throw, to tie the game at 56 with 1:23 to play and send it into overtime. He was 5-of-6 at the foul line in the second overtime to help clinch the victory.
HICKS STARTING FAST: Eric Hicks, who was UC?s leading scorer (21.0) and rebounder (16.0) during preseason, has continued to show the fine offensive play in Cincinnati?s first five games that he demonstrated during the exhibition contests.
? The 6-6 junior forward scored a career-high 18 points, making 6-of-8 field goals, and gathered nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals in the Bearcats? season opening win over Valparaiso.
? Hicks followed that by scoring 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds , his fourth career double-double, in the Nov. 24 win over Northern Iowa.
? Hicks posted his second straight and fifth career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds vs. Purdue on Nov. 27. He also blocked four shots.
? He is the team leader in blocks (3.0).
? He is the team?s third-leading scorer (13.3 points) and second-leading rebounder (8.8).
? A career .515 foul shooter entering the season, Hicks is 13-of-15 from the line over the last two games and has shot .767 at the charity stripe for the season.
MOORE ASSISTS THE OFFENSE: Cincinnati?s assist leader is a non-starter?Chadd Moore. The junior, who dished out six assists in the Nov. 27 win over Purdue, is averaging 3.6 assists over the team?s first five games. Not only does Moore not start (extenuating circumstances put him in the starting lineup for the season opener), he has averaged only 17.4 minutes of playing time.
VETERAN TEAM: The Bearcats opened the season with a combined total of 160 games of starting experience. By comparison, last year?s team brought 108 games of starting experience into the 2003-04 campaign, while the 2002-03 team began with 59 career starts.
MAX GETS INTO THE ACT: Jason Maxiell played a huge role in Cincinnati?s 76-70 double overtime win over Northern Iowa on Nov. 24. The 6-7 senior, who is on the watch lists for the Naismith and Wooden national player of the year awards, scored 21 points, blocked five shots and pulled down a career high-tying 15 rebounds. He sealed the victory with 1:03 remaining in the second overtime by stealing the ball and going in for a dunk which gave UC an insurmountable seven-point lead.
Maxiell recorded his 16th career double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds in Thursday?s win over Vanderbilt to take over the team lead in both scoring (14.6) and rebounding (9.8).
MAXIELL ON WOODEN, NAISMITH LISTS: Jason Maxiell has been named to the watch lists of both the John Wooden Award and the Naismith Award, both honoring college basketball?s player of the year. Maxiell was named to the John Wooden Award Preseason All-American team for the third year in a row. His selection marks the fifth time in the last six seasons that a Cincinnati player has been represented. Kenyon Martin was selected prior to the 1999-00 season and won the John R. Wooden Award that year. Steve Logan was on the 2001-02 list and finished as one of the top five finalists. This is the first time Maxiell has earned early consideration for the Naismith Award, which Martin won in 2000.
Maxiell averaged 13.6 points and 6.9 rebounds last season, and during his three-season career as a Bearcat has averaged 11.0 points and 6.8 rebounds. He is No. 26 on the UC career scoring list with 1,133 points and second in career blocked shots with 172.
MAXIELL EARNS C-USA HONORS: Jason Maxiell was named to the Conference USA preseason all-league team for the third straight year. Maxiell joined Louisville?s Francisco Garcia, who was named Preseason Player of the Year, Memphis forward Sean Banks, Marquette guard Travis Diener and Charlotte forward Curtis Withers on the all-league team. Cincinnati, which has won eight of the previous nine C-USA regular season championships, was picked to finish third behind Louisville and Memphis.
SEVENTH-WINNINGEST PROGRAM: Cincinnati has been college basketball?s seventh-winningest program over the past five years. The Bearcats have compiled a 127-37 record for an .774 percentage during this period.
? UC?s 127 wins are the eighth-most among Division I teams over this period.
? Cincinnati has won 25 or more games eight of the last nine seasons.
? UC?s 13 straight NCAA Tournament appearances is the third-longest active streak in Division I.
? Cincinnati has been a top-four seed nine times during this streak and seven times in the last nine seasons.
CONFERENCE RULERS: The Bearcats have been regular season champions nine times in the past 10 seasons, eight in Conference USA and once in the Great Midwest Conference. The Bearcats have won either a regular season or tournament title in 12 of the past 13 seasons, and six times during that span, UC has claimed both during the same season.
BEARCAT NEWCOMERS TOP 10: The University of Cincinnati's men's basketball recruiting class for this season has achieved a top 10 ranking for the third straight year. The Bearcats' incoming class was ranked No. 10 by All Star Sports and received a No. 16 rating from PrepStars. All Star Sports' final individual rankings placed Roy Bright No. 47 among high school graduating seniors, Vincent Banks No. 3 among prep school players, and Jihad Muhammad No. 7 among junior college transfers. PrepStars rated Bright No. 18 and Banks No. 120 among high school seniors and Muhammad a top 10 junior college prospect. UC's 2002 recruiting class was ranked No. 5 by All Star Sports and No. 9 by both ESPN.com and FutureStars. The 2003 newcomers were rated No. 7 by PrepStars and No. 8 by HoopStars.
HISTORIC COMEBACK: The Bearcats staged their greatest comeback ever in the 16-year history of Fifth Third Arena on Nov. 24. Trailing by 18 points (50-32) with 10:03 remaining in the second half, UC went on a 24-6 run at the end of regulation, then prevailed in double overtime, 76-70. On Feb. 28, 1998, the Bearcats trailed Saint Louis by 18 in the first half, before rallying for a 61-58 win.
BEARCATS EXTEND HOME OPENER STREAK: With the Nov. 19 win over Valparaiso, Cincinnati extended its streak of consecutive home-opening wins to 39. UC?s last loss in a home opener occurred in 1964-65 when Miami (Ohio) defeated the Bearcats, 65-55, at Cincinnati Gardens. Cincinnati is 85-19 in home openers and has the same record in season openers.
TICKET UPDATE: Single game tickets for all University of Cincinnati home games except the Jan. 15 Louisville, Jan. 22 Wake Forest, and Feb. 10 Xavier contest are on sale at the UC Athletic Ticket Office at One Edwards Center. The UofL, Wake and XU games are already sold out. Groups of 15 or more qualify for discounted prices of $15 adult and $12 youth for every game in December except Miami (U.SA. Bank Arena), plus the Conference USA games vs. Houston and Southern Miss.
Tickets may be ordered by phone using American Express, VISA, MasterCard or Discover, by calling 513-556-CATS during office hours. They may also be purchased on-line via the university's athletic web site: UCBearcats.com.
SIX BEARCATS IN THE NBA: Six former Bearcats are currently on rosters of NBA teams. The six Bearcat pros is the most among C-USA schools.
Last Draft NBA
UC Yr. Pos. Season Team____________
Tony Bobbitt 2004 fa 1st Los Angeles Lakers
Danny Fortson 1997 10 8th Seattle Super Sonics
DerMarr Johnson 2000 6 4th Denver Nuggets
Kenyon Martin 2000 1st 5th Denver Nuggets
Ruben Patterson 1998 31 7th Portland Trail Blazers
Nick Van Exel 1993 37 12th Portland Trail Blazers
TV TIME: UC will again be one of the most televised programs in the nation this season. All but one of the Bearcats? games this year (Dec. 18 vs. Northwestern State) will be televised, and 18 of those games will be carried nationally or regionally by ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, CBS, Fox Sports Net and ESPN Plus, not including the postseason.
LOOKING AHEAD: Cincinnati has a week off between games, but when they return to action next Saturday (Dec. 18), the Bearcats will begin a very busy stretch of their schedule. Next Saturday?s 7 p.m. home contest vs. Northwestern State as part of the Las Vegas Holiday Classic, is the first of three games in a five-day span. UC hosts Jackson State on Dec. 20 and LaSalle on Dec. 22.