TicketsNov. 28, 2006
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SETTING THE SCENE: The University of Cincinnati will try to take better care of the basketball when the Bearcats host Oakland on Wednesday, Nov. 29. The Bearcats enter the 8 p.m. contest with a 4-1 record following Saturday's 60-50 win over Central Michigan, a game in which UC committed 29 turnovers. Oakland brings a 4-3 record to Fifth Third Arena. The Grizzlies suffered a 71-53 setback at Michigan State on Saturday.
STORY LINES:
Cincinnati enters the game on a 3-point shooting streak. The Bearcats have shot .545 from behind the arc over their last two games.
The Bearcats will be out to extend their record vs. Oakland to 4-0 in Wednesday's game. The teams last met in 2003-04 with UC taking an 89-60 win.
Oakland head coach Greg Kampe's son Keith is a redshirt freshman on the Cincinnati baseball team.
Depite their lack of size, the Bearcats are outrebounding their opposition by an average of 8.2 rebounds per contest.
UC freshman Deonta Vaughn has averaged 26.0 points over his last two games, corresponding with his promotion to the starting lineup. He has been named BIG EAST Conference Rookie of the Week for his play last week, which included a 33-point outburst vs. Wofford.
NOTING THE CENTRAL MICHIGAN GAME;
Cincinnati's 29 turnovers tied the second-highest single game total and were two shy of the school record.
UC outrebounded CMU by 20 (36-16). The Chippewas 16 boards was the third-lowest total ever by a Cincinnati oponent.
Jamual Warren had two steals, giving him a steal in each of UC's first five games and multiple steals in four of those contests.
Deonta Vaughn posted his fifth game of five or more assists.
BEARCAT DATA:
Deonta Vaughn has averaged 26.0 points over his last two games to up his season average to 15.0, second-highest on the team. The freshman has shot .571 from the field during this span and .571 from 3-point range.
Vaughn set a UC freshman single-game scoring record when he tallied 33 points vs. Wofford on Nov. 21. His nine 3-pointers was the second-highest single game total by a Bearcat.
The Central Michigan game was the first contest in which the Bearcats did not have a double-digit rebounder. Marvin Gentry collected 10 rebounds in the opener vs. Howard, Marcus Sikes collected 10 boards vs. Tennessee-Martin, Cedric McGowan had 12 rebounds vs. High Point and John Williamson had 11 vs. Wofford.
Cincinnati is shooting .616 at the foul line. Last year's team set a school season record for highest free throw percentage (.747).
UC's 17 3-point field goals vs. Wofford (11/21/06) was the third-highest single game total while its 32 attempts was fifth-most. Half of UC's baskets were from behind the arc.
The Bearcats have had three double-double performances this season. Marcus Sikes had 18 points and 10 rebounds vs. Tennessee-Martin (11/11/06), Cedric McGowan recorded 13 points and 12 rebounds vs. High Point (11/12/06) and John Williamson totalled 19 points and 11 rebounds vs. Wofford (11/21/06).
Cincinnati has held four of its five foes to 51 or fewer points. The Bearcats limited Howard to 39 points in the season opener, the fewest allowed by the Bearcats since an 89-37 victory over Southern Miss. on Feb. 15, 2002.
Cincinnati opened the season with three straight victories to win the Jim Thorpe Association Classic on Nov. 10-12. John Williamson was named tournament most outstanding player and Marcus Sikes was elected to the all-tournament team.
Sikes celebrated his 22nd birthday by recording the Bearcats' first double-double of the season in the win over Tennessee-Martin on Nov. 11. The 6-8 junior had 18 points and 10 rebounds vs. the Skyhawks. He was 3-of-6 from 3-point range and is UC's top 3-point shooter, sinking 5-of-8 from behind the arc.
Mick Cronin became the 18th UC head coach out of 26 to record a victory in his Bearcats coaching debut.
Cincinnati notched its 40th-consecutive victory in home openers and upped its record to 86-19 in season home openers.
The Bearcats upped their record in season openers to 87-19. UC has won 25 of its last 26 season openers.
LOOKING AHEAD: The Bearcats play host to UAB on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. UC is then off for a week to take Fall quarter final exams.