TicketsBearcats Launch C-USA Play vs. DePaul
UC will try to extend streak of wins in conference openers.
Contact: Brian Teter
1/4/2005
Eric Hicks in last year's C-USA Tournament championship game vs. DePaul. |
CINCINNATI vs. DE PAUL
GAME FACTS
Date: Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Site: Fifth Third Arena (13,176), Cincinnati, Ohio
Records:
Cincinnati (20USA/23AP): 11-1, 0-0 C-USA
DePaul: 8-3, 0-0 C-USA
TV: ESPN2 (Mark Jones, Fran Fraschilla).
Radio: WLW-AM 700 (Dan Hoard, Chuck Machock).
Tickets: Available, $25, 513-556-CATS or www.UCBearcats.com.
Series: Cincinnati leads, 27-11
Last Meeting: March 13, 2004 at U.S. Bank Arena (Championship Game of C-USA Tournament); UC 55, DePaul 50.
The Coaches:
? BOB HUGGINS (West Virginia ?77)
At Cincinnati: 16th year, 385-120 (.762)
Overall: 24th year, 553-192 (.742)
Huggins is the nation?s sixth-winningest active coach and is 12th in victories.
? DAVE LEITAO (Northeastern ?83)
At DePaul: 3rd year, 46-26 (.639)
Overall: 5th year, 68-61 (.527)
Leitao coached DePaul to its first second straight postseason appearance in 2003-04, guiding the Blue Demons to the NCAA Touranemtn second round.
CINCINNATI PROBABLE STARTERS 2004-05 Statistics
F 33 Armein Kirkland, 6-8 Jr., Tyler, Texas......13.0 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.9 ast
F 14 Eric Hicks, 6-6 Jr., Greensboro, N.C........14.3 pts, 9.3 reb, 2.5 blk
F 54 Jason Maxiell, 6-7 Sr., Carrollton, Texas...15.2 pts, 8.4 reb, 3.7 blk
G 21 James White, 6-7 Jr., Kensington, Md.........9.8 pts, 4.4 reb, 2.6 ast
G 1 Chadd Moore, 6-2 Jr., Huntsville, Ala........4.6 pts, 2.2 reb, 3.7 ast
DePAUL PROBABLE STARTERS 2004-05 Statistics
F 44 Marlon Brumfield, 6-9 Jr., Chicago, Ill......4.4 pts, 7.7 reb, 1.0 stl
F 45 Quemont Greer, 6-7 Sr., Milwaukee, Wis......22.4 pts, 8.4 reb, 0.9 blk
G 12 Cliff Clinkscales, 6-1 Fr., Queens, N.Y......3.6 pts, 1.3 reb, 5.3 ast
G 3 LeVar Seals, 6-5 Sr., Chicago, Ill...........9.7 pts, 2.6 reb, 2.2 ast
G 33 Drake Diener, 6-5 Sr., Fond du Lac, Wis.....10.2 pts, 3.6 reb, 3.2 ast
SETTING THE SCENE: The University of Cincinnati launches Conference USA play on Thursday, hosting DePaul at Fifth Third Arena. The 7 p.m. EST contest, which will be televised nationally by ESPN2, is a rematch of last year?s C-USA Tournament championship game, which was played in Cincinnati at U.S. Bank Arena. The Bearcats won that battle, 55-50, to complete a sweep of the league?s regular season and tournament titles as well as extend their dominance in their series with DePaul to 27-11. The contest marks the debut of ESPN2 HD and is the second time this season the Bearcats have appeared in high definition.
Cincinnati, No. 20 in this week?s ESPN/USA Today poll and No. 23 by the Associated Press, enters the game with an 11-1 record. UC fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 67-45 loss to No. 1 Illinois in the championship game of the Las Vegas Holiday Classic on New Year?s Eve. DePaul is 8-3. coming off a 73-60 win over Old Dominion on Jan. 2.
BEARCATS IN THE POLLS: Cincinnati fell to No. 20 in last week?s ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, and No. 23 in the Associated Press poll. In the computer ratings, Cincinnati is No. 13 in the Sagarin Index (1/4/05) and No. 30 in the RPI (1/4/05).
LAST TIME VS. DePAUL: Tony Bobbitt, now with the Los Angeles Lakers, scored 17 points to lead Cincinnati to a 55-50 win over DePaul in the championship game of the Conference USA Tournament last season. The Bearcats opened a 37-23 lead by halftime. The Blue Demons cut that margin to single digits in the second half, but could never get it down to a single-possession game.
LAST TIME IN C-USA OPENER: Cincinnati got 18 points from Tony Bobbitt while the Bearcat defense posted season lows of 44 points and .288 shooting allowed to defeat Tulane, 71-44, in New Orleans on Jan. 7, 2004. In their last C-USA home opener, Cincinnati defeated DePaul, 90-65, on Jan. 10, 2004.
STORY LINES:
? Cincinnati enters Thursday?s game with a streak of nine consecutive wins in C-USA openers, and nine straight C-USA home opener victories.
? The Bearcats will have the challenge of defending the leading scorer in Conference USA when they host DePaul on Thursday. Quemont Greer is tops in the league in scoring, averaging 22.4 points. The multi-talented senior forward is sixth in rebounding (8.4), third in field goal percentage (.564) and third in 3-point field goal percentage (.481).
? Cincinnati?s ability to block shots continues to be a factor in its defense. The Bearcats, who ranked third nationally in blocked shots in the most recent NCAA statistics (12/20/04), lead Conference USA, averaging 8.0 per contest. Jason Maxiell is first in C-USA and ninth nationally in blocks (3.7) with Eric Hicks fourth in C-USA in blocks (2.5).
? Hicks needs two more blocks to reach the century mark in career rejections.
? Maxiell, with 1,242 career points, needs 10 more points to move into 21st place on UC?s career scoring list, currently held by Steve Collier (1975-78).
? Cincinnati has a 212-27 (.887) record at Fifth Third Arena since the building became the Bearcats? home in 1989-90. UC is 66-6 (.916) in C-USA games played at Fifth Third Arena, and is 13-1 vs. DePaul in the building.
COMMON OPPONENTS: Cincinnati and DePaul have played one common opponent, Dayton. DePaul downed the Flyers, 70-59, in Chicago on Dec. 1. UC topped Dayton, 65-55, at Dayton on Dec. 4.
TOPS IN C-USA: Cincinnati is the winningest team in the history of Conference USA, both in league play and overall. The Bearcats have compiles a 111-29 ledger (.793) in the previous nine seasons in C-USA play, winning or sharing the regular season crown in all but one of those years. The Bearcats have posted a 245-63 (.793) overall record during this span. With the inclusion of Cincinnati?s four previous seasons in the Great Midwest Conference, the Bearcats have been regular season champions 10 times in the past 13 seasons. UC has 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.
RECAPPING THE ILLINOIS GAME:
? After matching a season high the previous nights by scoring 95 points vs. Longwood, the Bearcats scored just 45 points vs. the No. 1 Illini, their lowest output since a 50-44 loss to Xavier on Dec. 7, 2002 (138 games).
? Cincinnati held Illinois, which entered the game with the nation?s leading field goal percentage (.518), to .393 shooting, the ninth foe held to sub-.400 shooting this season. UC was ranked No. 3 in field goal percentage defense in the most recent NCAA statistics (12/20/04).
BEARCAT DATA:
? Cincinnati has beaten 10 of their first 12 opponents by 10 or more points, and nine of those foes by at least 16 points.
? The Bearcats have held nine opponents to sub-.400 shooting, five to 32 percent or less. UC held two opponents, Detroit (.293) and Jackson State (.239) under 30 percent.
? Six UC?s first 12 opponents appeared in postseason play in 2003-04.
BLOCK PARTY: Cincinnati entered the week ranked third nationally in blocked shots, with Jason Maxiell ninth and Eric Hicks 20th in the individual rankings. UC?s ranking should rise with the next release of the national statistics. The Bearcats recorded a season-high 13 blocks in their Dec. 27 win over Miami (Ohio) and had 10 blocks in the Dec. 30 win over Longwood. Maxiell was responsible for six rejections vs. Miami and matched a career high with seven vs. Longwood. UC has averaged 8.7 blocked shots over its last six games, and Maxiell has averaged 4.8 blocks during that span.
SHARING THE LOAD: A key to Cincinnati?s success this season has been the team?s balanced scoring attack. At least four Bearcats have reached double figures in seven of the 11 games. UC has had four double-digit scorers in three games, five in two games and six in two others. Eight different players have scored in double figures a total of 46 times.
WAY TO START: Cincinnati has won 12 of 14 jump balls the Bearcats have encountered this season. UC has captured the opening tip in 10 games, and captured the tipoffs of both overtime periods of its Nov. 24 victory over Northern Iowa. Jason Maxiell has been the jumper in each of the tipoffs.
MAXIELL REACHES MORE MILESTONES: Jason Maxiell?s 30 points in the Dec. 30 win over Longwood was the most by a Bearcat since Leonard Stokes tallied 31 vs. Louisville on Feb. 22, 2003.
? Maxiell, with 1,242 points, ranks 22nd on the UC career scoring list.
? Maxiell also tied a career high with seven blocks in the Longwood game, which put him over the 200-mark in career blocks. He enters the week with 205 career rejections, fifth on the C-USA career list and second to Kenyon Martin at UC.
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. Over the last six games, UC foes have managed to shoot just .343 (148 of 432) from the field as the Bearcats have lowered their team field goal percentage defense to .358.
HICKS IS HOT: Eric Hicks has averaged 15.8 points and 9.8 rebounds over his last five games, shooting .500 (27-of-54) from the field.
? He had career highs of 21 points and 17 rebounds in the Dec. 27 win over Miami (Ohio).
? Hicks tallied 18 points, matching his previous career high, in the Dec. 20 win over Jackson State, going 7-of-10 from the field.
? Hicks has taken over the team rebounding (9.3) lead.
ABSENCE DOESN?T CHILL KIRKLAND: Armein Kirkland was playing the best basketball of his college career when an ankle injury sidelined him for two games. The 6-8 junior had been the team?s scoring leader in four of the previous five contests, which included a career-high 23 points in the win over Dayton (12/4/04). Kirkland returned to action during the Dec. 27 win over Miami (Ohio), and returned to his offensive form. He scored 18 points, sinking 4-of-5 treys.
MAX RESPONDS: Jason Maxiell seems to play at his best with the game is on the line. In the Dec. 18 win over Northwestern State, after the Tigers had whittled Cincinnati?s lead to one point midway through the second half, the 6-7 senior scored all nine points in a 9-2 run which enabled the Bearcats to regain control of the game. Maxiell finished with 21 points, tying his season high. His other 21-point performance occurred in the Nov. 24 win over Northern Iowa, during which he also pulled down a career high-tying 15 rebounds. Maxiell 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.
MOORE ASSISTS THE OFFENSE: Chadd Moore recorded career assists highs, dishing out nine in the Dec. 20 win over Jackson State and garnering 10 assists to go with 10 points?his first career double-double?in the Dec. 22 win over LaSalle. Moore has averaged 4.6 assists over his last five games to up his season average to 3.7. On the defensive end, he has made eight steals over his last five games.
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? fourth-leading scorer, averaging 11.3 points. He has also quickly become the team?s top long-distance scoring threat, with 25 treys in 70 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.
HUGGINS NOTCHES PAIR OF MILESTONES: Bob Huggins reached a pair of coaching milestones recently. The Dec. 18 win over Northwestern State marked Huggins? 500th game as head coach at Cincinnati. On Dec. 20, he garnered his 550th career coaching victory. Huggins is the nation?s sixth winningest active head coach in terms of percentage (.742), and ranks 12th on the victory total list with his 553-192 ledger. He has compiled a 385-120 record (.762) during his 16 seasons at UC.
LOOKING AHEAD: Cincinnati hits the road for its next two games. The Bearcats play at Saint Louis on Saturday (Jan. 8). The game time for Saturday?s contest has been changed to 8:10 p.m. UC will visit East Carolina on Jan. 12 (7 p.m.) before returning to host Louisville on Jan. 15 at 1 p.m.