TicketsNov. 2, 2005
The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team opens its exhibition season on Wednesday night when they host the Ohio Legends. Tip is set for 7 p.m. ET from Fifth Third Arena. Admission is free.
The Bearcats return nine letterwinners and three starters from last year's squad and boast five freshmen that constituted the 10th-best recruting class in the nation.
Anne Stephens, the 2005 Conference USA Sixth Player of the Year, is the leading returning scorer and rebounder for UC after averaging 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last year. Fellow senior Micah Harvey is back at the point for the third year. She averaged 4.6 assists per game last year and is eighth in school history in career assists.
The Legends are a team of former college players who are sponsored by Ohio Girls Basketball Magazine. This year's version will have a homecoming feel as four former Bearcats will take the floor against their alma mater.
Leading the bunch will be former all-American and three-time All-Conference USA honoree Valerie King. King finished her UC career in 2004 as the second-leading scorer in school history and fifth in NCAA annals in career three-pointers. She played professionally in Greece last season. Joining her will be Jolinda Miller, who is second in the Bearcat record back behind King in career three-pointers. After graduating in 1998, she went on to become the Director of Basketball Operations for UC before being named Director of Athletics at nearby Hughes High School.
Leslie Knoch, who concluded her career last season and is now preparing for law school, and Laura Wilder, class of 2002 and currently an assistant strength coach at UC, will also suit up for the Legends.