TicketsDec. 12, 2006
Game Notes
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SETTING THE SCENE: will open its BIG EAST conference season against No. 16 Louisville on Thursday, Dec. 14 - the earliest date UC women's basketball has ever started league play. The Dec. 14 date is also the earliest in the season UC has battled . The 7 p.m. tipoff at Freedom Hall will feature the Bearcats' longest standing rivalry -- UC has faced off with 55 times, squaring off with the Cards more than any other opponent. The Bearcats are riding a two-game win streak into Freedom Hall, including a 92-53 victory over on Sunday. is undefeated, with their most recent win coming against , 70-58, on Saturday.
STORY LINES:
w This is the 56th meeting between UC and . The Cards own a 29-26 edge over UC in the all-time series. won last year, breaking a four-game losing skid. UC won four consecutive games from 2002-2003, including in the first round of the Conference USA Championships on March 2, 2002 and a double overtime, 73-66, thriller on Feb. 16, 2003.
w The Bearcats are off to a good start at 7-1 going into the game against UofL. The 2001-02 Bearcats rattled off 11 consecutive victories before ended the streak with a 71-65 upset on Jan. 4, 2002. went on to a 27-5 record that season and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
w is 9-0 this season, its best start in school history.
w UC and the Cardinals have faced off in six conference (Metro and Conference ) openers with owning a 5-1 mark. The Bearcats are 9-14 in conference openers spanning the Metro, Great Midwest, Conference and the BIG EAST. This is the first BIG EAST conference opener between the two schools. Last season UC opened league play with a 64-51 loss to Rutgers at Fifth Third Arena, while won its conference opener, 90-73, at .
w The Bearcats and share one opponent going into the contest. Both defeated . UC won 65-60 in its third game of the season, while UofL defeated the Flyers, 81-54, in its season opener.
UC LAST TIME OUT:
The Bearcats used a 62-point second half to blow out Alabama State, 92-53. UC only owned a 30-27 lead at the half. Playing a home game away from home, the Bearcats played for the first time at UC Clermont's Cougar Dome, because Fifth Third was being utilized for 's Fall Commencement. The 92 points is a season-high, as is the 39-point margin of victory.
w Shelly Bellman led three players in double figures with 22 points, her second 20+ performance this season and the sixth of her career. She has scored in double figures in all but one game this season and 22 in her career.
w Michelle Jones had a season-high 15 points, her fourth game this season scoring in double figures and 21st in her career.
w UC out rebounded , 43-22, marking the eighth time in eight games the Bearcats have out rebounded their opponent. The Bearcats have a+13.1 rebounding margin on the year, which is third best in the BIG EAST and seventh in the NCAA.
w UC hit a season-high 20 free throws against the Lady Hornets (20-of-29). The Bearcats also had season-highs with 33 field goals made and a 55 percent field goal percentage.
BEARCATS DATA
w The Bearcats have won the battle of the boards in all eight of their games this season. They own a +13.1rebounding margin. The UC single-season record is a +6.7 margin.
w Senior Treasure Humphries has had at least three assists in seven of the Bearcats' eight games. She leads the team with 4.75 per game. She needs one assist to reach 200 in her career. The Bearcats are averaging 18.75 assists per game, leading the BIG EAST in that category and 10th in the NCAA.
w Humphries has scored in double figures in four games this season and 35 in her career.
w Sophomore Shelly Bellman averaged 19.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg and was named to the all-tournament team of the Mildred and Roger L. White Invitational. She is the team's leading scorer (15.4) and rebounder (7.3).
w Bellman has scored in double figures in all but one game this season and in 22 of 37 career games. Bellman has had two double-doubles this season with 14 points and 11 rebounds against St. Francis (11/22/06) and 13 points and 13 rebounds against (11/28/06). She has three in her career and has grabbed at least 5 rebounds in every game this season.
w Sophomore Angel Morgan played the entire 40 minutes and scored a career-high 18 points, vaulting UC to a 74-57 win over . The win gave head Coach Laurie Pirtle her 300th at .
w Senior Karen Twehues is currently third all-time in career 3-point field goals with149. She has made 14 this season. She leads the Bearcats in 3-point field goal percentage at 41 percent.
w The Bearcats have had at least three players score in double figures in every game this season, including five in 's 83-51 win over St. Francis ().
w Junior Emy Ogide is averaging 8.6 points a game this season, well above her career average coming into the season of 2.2 points. She had a breakout career game in UC's 65-60 win over on Nov. 16. 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 on Feb. 21, 2006.
w UC broke a team record for 3-point field goals in a game in an 89-65 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 14. UC finished with 13 treys, including 10 in the first half.
w The Bearcats extended their home-opener winning streak to 11 with the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
w has held six of its eight opponents to less than 65 points and is averaging 62.5 points allowed this season. The Bearcats held St. Francis () to 51 points, a season low.
w With the start against YSU, Carla Jacobs became one of nine true freshmen Division I point guards in the nation who started in their teams' women's basketball season openers. Jacobs is leading the Bearcats in steals with 14.
w The Bearcats had their earliest season opener in school history, playing at on Nov. 10.
LOOKING AHEAD: The Bearcats return to Fifth Third Arena to host Alabama A&M on Monday, Dec. 18. UC has played host to two other Southwestern Athletic Conference teams and are 2-0 against the SWAC this season.