TicketsNov. 26, 2006
Game Notes
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SETTING THE SCENE: The Bearcats would like to bestow upon head coach Laurie Pirtle her 300th UC win in front of a home crowd at Fifth Third Arena Tuesday when they take on Murray State at 7 p.m. Cincinnati is off to a 4-0 start -- the first time since 2001-02 -- and have the opportunity to win No. 300 for Pirtle at home. The Bearcats hope to ride the momentum of an 83-51 win over perennial small-school powerhouse St. Francis (Pa.). Murray State is 2-2 entering the contest and have lost its last two games.
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: The Lady Racers are the fourth and final contest of UC's four-game home stand in November. This season UC has outscored opponents 237-176 at Fifth Third Arena, averaging margins of victory of 20.2 points a game.
UC LAST TIME OUT: The Bearcats improved to 4-0 overall and brought head coach Laurie Pirtle one step closer to her 300th win at Cincinnati with an 83-51 win over St. Francis (Pa.) on the eve of Thanksgiving at Fifth Third Arena. Five Bearcats scored in double figures, propelling UC to a 3-0 all-time record against the Red Flash. Pirtle picked up win No. 299. UC set the pace and dominated the first half in the post and on the boards. Sophomore Michelle Jones led the way, topping her season-high with 14 points - all in the first period. SFU stayed with the Bearcats in the opening minutes, answering each UC basket and even taking an 8-6 lead with 16:52 left to play in the half, but then Cincinnati used a 15-2 run and held the Red Flash scoreless for nearly four minutes. The second half saw more of the same as UC outscored the Red Flash, 38-28. SFU had outscored all but one opponent in the second half prior to the contest against the Bearcats.
w Sophomore Shelly Bellman had a season-high 11 rebounds, plus added 14 points, tallying the second double-double of her career.
w Sophomore Angel Morgan had a career-high 11 rebounds and tied a career high with 6 assists.
w SFU's 51 points is the lowest total UC has kept its opponent to this season.
w For the first time this season UC had five players score in double digits: Carla Jacobs (15), Shelly Bellman (14), Michelle Jones (14), Emy Ogide (10) and Karen Twehues (10).
w UC grabbed 54 boards, the sixth-best all-time rebounding performance by the Bearcats. UC's +12.0 rebounding margin thus far this season is crushing the team record, which is +6.7, set by the 2001-02 squad.
HEYDAY FOR OGIDE: Emy Ogide had a breakout, career game in UC's 65-60 win over Dayton and was the UC's leading scorer for the first time in her career. The 6-2 junior forward came off the bench to score a game- and career-high 18 points, doubling her previous best of 9 points set last year against Georgetown on Feb. 21, 2006. Ogide also pulled in eight rebounds, helping the Bearcats edge UD, 41-40 on the boards. Sophomore Shelly Bellman dished out a career-high 6 assists, topping her previous best of 5. She also scored 12 points, the 17th time she has scored in double digits. In addition to her career-high 9 assists, freshman Carla Jacobs scored 7 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and had 6 steals.
RECORD THREES FOR UC: The Bearcats put up big numbers against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and broke a UC team record for 3-point field goals in a game. UC won soundly, 89-65, in their home opener over the Lions, extending its home-opener winning streak to 11 in a row. UC finished the night with 13 treys - including 10 in the first half - setting the Cincinnati record for 3-pointers in a game. The Bearcats eclipsed the old mark of 12, set on March 5, 2004 against Houston. Sophomore Kahla Roudebush's triple with 10:22 left in the game, put UC in the record books.
GETTING A JUMP ON THE SEASON: In UC's earliest season opener in school history, the Bearcats overcame an eight-point halftime deficit to defeat Youngstown State on Friday, Nov. 10. The Bearcats used a 9-0 run to start the second half and held the Penguins scoreless for nearly three minutes. UC regained the lead with 15:44 remaining in the game and did not relinquish it, leading by as many as 19 points. Senior Treasure Humphries was playing in a home-game atmosphere away from Fifth Third Arena. Several family members and friends made the 45 minute drive to Youngstown from Canton, Humphries' hometown. Humphries scored a team-high 17 points, the 26th time in her career she has hit the double-digit mark, and shared the wealth with 8 assists.
A LOOK AT MURRAY STATE: Murray State opened its season with two winsat home, but have gone 0-2 since, with both losses incurred on the road. The Lady Racers claimed wins over Kentucky State, 80-46, and over Brescia, 73-55.
w Murray State's two losses came against Division I opponents, Southern Illinois (77-68) and Western Michigan (67-60).
w Murray State plays in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Lady Racers have a 151-242 record (.348 winning percentage) in conference play. The Bearcats have played seven of the 11 current members of the OVC and hold a 22-21 overall record.
w Senior Joi Scott is the Lady Racers' leader, averaging a double-double with 20.3 ppg and 10.3 rpg. She scored a season-high 28 points in the loss to Southern Illinois.
w Name Game: Murray State's leading scorer, Joi Scott, shares the same first name with MSU head coah Joi Felton. The Lady Racers have two players named Ashley Hayes on the team. Ashley Nichole is averaging 12.8 ppg, while Ashley Brooke(no relation) averages 3.0 ppg.