TicketsDec. 20, 2006
Game Notes
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SETTING THE SCENE:
Cincinnati is 6-0 in home games this season and hopes to continue the winning streak when the Bearcats take on Tennessee Tech on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. at Fifth Third Arena. Both teams are 10 games into their 2006-07 schedules. UC, enjoying an 8-2 overall record, is coming off a 67-61 victory over Alabama A&M on Monday. The Golden Eagles are 2-8 and on a two-game losing skid. UC is the second of four consecutive road games for Tennessee Tech. The Golden Eagles fell, 69-62, at Southern Illinois on Tuesday.
STORY LINES:
w The Bearcats are averaging 75.6 points per game, while the Golden Eagles are putting up 62.7 a game. UC leads Tennessee Tech in every category with the exception of free throw percentage and 3-point field goal percentage.
w Each team features a home-grown appeal. UC's roster includes eight players from Ohio. The Golden Eagles have seven players native to Tennessee.
w The Bearcats are undefeated (6-0) when playing at home this season.
w Tennessee Tech is 0-5 when playing on the road this season.
SERIES NOTES:
w TTU owns a 3-1 lead in the series over UC, but the game the Bearcats did win was played at Fifth Third Arena.
w During the 1991-92 season the Golden Eagles suffered just eight losses, one of which was against the Bearcats, 69-65. The Bearcats had just nine losses in the 1980-81 season, one of which was dealt to them by TTU, an 81-80 win in the WNIT.
w Tennessee Tech had a combined record of 87-37 in the four seasons it faced Cincinnati, while the Bearcats were 70-51.
w Coach Laurie Pirtle is 1-1 in the series.
UC LAST TIME OUT:
Senior Karen Twehues took control of the game in the final minutes and directed the young Bearcats to a 67-61 win over Alabama A&M on Monday at Fifth Third Arena. UC, coming off an emotional loss to Louisville in their BIG EAST opener, picked up a win they needed. The Bearcats (8-2) retained a 10-point-or-more lead throughout most of game, but the Lady Bulldogs (4-5) sneaked up and got within four points with a little over a minute remaining. That's when Twehues took over. She had a monster final minute, recording a steal, an offensive rebound and two free throws to put the game out of reach. Just in case that wasn't enough, she blocked a Bulldog shot on the other end with eight ticks left in the game. Twehues, who corralled a career-high 11 rebounds, picked up the first double-double of her career with 12 points. She finished with two blocks and two steals. Sophomore Angel Morgan also had a memorable game, dishing out a career-high eight assists. Michelle Jones was two points off her personal best, with a game-high 16 points.
w The Bearcats had three players score in double figures for the 10th consecutive game -- Jones (16), Bellman (14), and Twehues (12).
w Karen Twehues blocked two shots, a career-high. The Bearcats blocked three shots, a season-high for the team.
w This was only the second game this season UC had more turnovers than its opponent.
BEARCATS DATA
w The Bearcats have won the battle of the boards in nine of their 10 games this season. Only Louisville has beaten UC, posting a 53-44 margin. Cincinnati owns a +11.2 rebounding margin this season, third in the BIG EAST and 13th in NCAA. The UC single-season record is a +6.7 margin.
w Senior Treasure Humphries has had three or more assists in nine of the Bearcats' 10 games. She leads UC with 4.9 per game. The Bearcats are averaging 18.6 assists per game, leading the BIG EAST in that category and ranking 12th in the NCAA.
w Humphries has scored in double figures in six games this season and 37 in her career.
w Humphries, who led the team in steals both her freshman and junior seasons, is pacing the team in thefts with 21. She has had multiple steals in nine of 10 games this season.
w Sophomore Shelly Bellman is the team's leading scorer (15.3) and rebounder (7.2). She has grabbed at least five rebounds in every game this season. She averaged 19.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg and was named to the all-tournament team of the Mildred and Roger L. White Invitational (12/1-2/06), hosted by Northwestern.
w Bellman has scored in double figures in all but one game this season and in 24 of 39 career contests. Bellman has three career double-doubles, including two this season: 14 points and 11 rebounds against St. Francis (11/22/06) and 13 points and 13 rebounds against Murray State (11/28/06).
w Sophomore Michelle Jones is shooting a team-high 53 percent from the field. She has converted on 39 of 74 attempts.
w Sophomore Angel Morgan is second on the team in average minutes played with 29.9. She played the entire 40 minutes and scored a career-high 18 points, vaulting UC to a 74-57 win over Murray State (11/28/06). The win gave head Coach Laurie Pirtle her 300th at Cincinnati.
w Senior Karen Twehues is third all-time at UC in career 3-point field goals with154. 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. A season-high five players scored in double figures in Cincinnati's 83-51 win over St. Francis (Pa.) (11/22/06).
w Junior Emy Ogide is averaging 7.6 points a game this season, well above her career average coming into the season of 2.2 points. She had a career game in UC's 65-60 win over Dayton (11/16/06). The 6'2" junior forward came off the bench to score a game- and career-high 18 points, doubling her previous best of nine points set last year against Georgetown on Feb. 21, 2006.
w Sophomore Kahla Roudebush will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
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 Cincinnati has held six of its eight opponents to less than 65 points and is averaging 63.0 points allowed this season. The Bearcats held St. Francis (Pa.) to 51 points, a season low.
w The Bearcats had their earliest season opener in school history, playing at Youngstown State on Nov. 10.
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 second on the team in steals (17) and assists (35).
LOOKING AHEAD: The Bearcats will play at No. 24 Arkansas on Thursday, Dec. 28. The 8 p.m. contest is UC's final non-conference road game this season. Cincinnati returns to Fifth Third Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 3, resuming BIG EAST play against Georgetown with a 7 p.m. tip-off.