TicketsDec. 23, 2006
Game Notes
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SETTING THE SCENE: faces its second ranked opponent in December when it takes on No. 24 Arkansas in on Thursday, Dec. 28. The Bearcats (9-2) bounced back from a 67-62 loss at No. 16 Louisville with two convincing wins over Alabama A&M and Tennessee Tech last week. The Lady Razorbacks (13-1) are in the midst of a six-game winning streak, their only loss coming against No. 2 North Carolina, 94-69. is 5-0 at home this season, while the Bearcats are 2-2 when playing on the road.
STORY LINES:
w For the first time this season the Bearcats have three players averaging double figures--Shelly Bellman (15.5), Treasure Humphries (11.5) and Michelle Jones (10.9).
w UC's starting lineup features three sophomores and two seniors, while the starters include two seniors, two juniors and a freshman. UC's freshmen and sophomores are producing 63 percent of the Bearcats' offense.
w The Bearcats are 0-1 against ranked opponents this season.
w This is the third opponent UC has faced that has a player averaging a double-double (at the time they play). Lauren Ervin is averaging 12.0 ppg and 10.1 rpg for . 's Angel McCoughtry and 's Joi Scott were the other two.
w The Lady Razorbacks are 5-0 when playing at the Bud Walton Arena this season. They are 305-79 all-time when playing at home.
UC LAST TIME OUT: The Bearcats kept their perfect home record in tact, knocking off Tennessee Tech, 86-60, on Thursday, Jan. 21 at Fifth Third Arena, to improve to 7-0 when hosting. Michelle Jones scored a career-high 24 points - leading the cast of the Bearcat starters who scored in double figures - and Shelly Bellman was three assists short of recording UC's first triple-double in more than a decade. Bellman turned in a tremendous first-half performance tallying 10 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a steal, more than halfway to a triple-double. She finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. The last time the feat was accomplished at UC was by Jane Anne Preston against in a 101-100 victory on Jan. 25, 1992. She posted 13 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Treasure Humphries, Angel Morgan and Karen Twehues each scored 11 to round out the starting five who scored in double figures, the first that has happened this season.
w Michelle Jones had a career-high 24 points, surpassing her previous best of 18 set last season against USF (1/15/06). She shot 10 of 13 from the field and 4 of 5 from the free throw line.
w For the 12th consecutive game, at least three Bearcats scored in double figures - all five UC starters scored in double figures: Jones (24), Bellman (17), while Angel Morgan, Karen Twehues and Treasure Humphries each had 11.
w The Bearcats had 24 assists on 33 field goals made. The 24 assists tie a season-high.
w Tennessee Tech had no offensive rebounds until the 7:10 mark of the second half. UC scored 20 points on second-chance points, while Tennessee Tech only scored three. For the 10th time in 12 games UC has outrebounded its opponents. The Bearcats dominated the boards, 42-23.
w The Bearcats - who had struggled from the free throw line this season (130 of 215 for 61 percent) - shot a season-high 93 percent from the charity stripe (13 of 14).
BEARCATS DATA
w Karen Twehues scored her first career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds against Alabama A&M (12/18/06). She blocked two shots, a career-high. The Bearcats blocked three shots, a season-high for the team.
w The Bearcats have won the battle of the boards in 10 of their 11 games this season. Only has beaten UC, posting a 53-44 margin. owns a +11.9 rebounding margin this season, second 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 10 of the Bearcats' 11 games. She leads UC with 5.0 per game. The Bearcats are averaging 19.1 assists per game, second in 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 23. She has had multiple steals in nine of 10 games this season.
w Sophomore Shelly Bellman is the team's leading scorer (15.5) and rebounder (7.5). 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 25 of 40 career contests. Bellman has four career double-doubles, including two this season: 14 points and 11 rebounds against St. Francis (11/22/06); 13 points and 13 rebounds against (11/28/06); and 17 points and 11 rebounds against Tennessee Tech (12/21/06). She also had seven assists, on the verge of getting UC's first triple-double since Jane Anne Preston in 1992.
w Sophomore Michelle Jones is shooting a team-high 56 percent from the field. She has converted on 49 of 87 attempts. She had career highs of 10 field goals made (out of 13)and 24 points against Tennessee Tech. She was also a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
w Sophomore Angel Morgan is second on the team in average minutes played with 30.0. She played the entire 40 minutes and scored a career-high 18 points, vaulting UC to a 74-57 win over (11/28/06). The win gave head Coach Laurie Pirtle her 300th at .
w Senior Karen Twehues is third all-time at UC in career 3-point field goals with157. She leads the Bearcats in 3-point field goal percentage at 42 percent.
w Sophomore Kahla Roudebush will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
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 's 83-51 win over St. Francis () (11/22/06) and against vs.Tennessee Tech (12/21/06), an 86-70 win for UC.
w Junior Emy Ogide is averaging 7.1 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 (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 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 11 opponents to 65 points or less and is averaging 63.0 points allowed this season. The Bearcats held St. Francis () to 51 points, a season low.
w The Bearcats had their earliest season opener in school history, playing at 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 (18) and assists (44).