TicketsJan. 5, 2007
Game Notes
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SETTING THE SCENE: The Bearcats got their first taste of a BIG EAST victory with a 77-55 win over and they are hungry for more conference wins. UC gets its next opportunity on Saturday, Jan. 6 when the Bearcats (10-3, 1-1 BIG EAST) take on USF (11-3, 1-0 BIG EAST) in The 7 p.m. tipoff will mark the 15th time these two teams have met. While started off the New Year with a big win, USF suffered a loss in its first game of 2007, a 60-48 defeat to No. 6 LSU. In fact all three of USF's losses have come against ranked teams.
STORY LINES:
w The Bearcats feature a balanced offense. They have three players averaging double figures--Shelly Bellman (14.6), Treasure Humphries (12.9) and Michelle Jones (11.5) -- and Karen Twehues is knocking on the door with 9.9 points.
w Both USF (1-0) and (1-1) have picked up a BIG EAST win this season. Last season UC defeated USF to earn its first ever BIG EAST win.
w While all three of USF's losses are to nationally ranked opponents: 79-71 against No. 18 Michigan State (12/3/06), 76-68 against No. 12 Vanderbilt (12/17/06), and 60-48 vs. LSU (01/3/07), two of UC's losses were against a nationally ranked opponent. The three teams that defeated UC have a combined record of 38-5. No. 13 (15-1), No. 20 (15-1) and (8-4).
w UC's Treasure Humphries is leading the BIG EAST with 4.77 assists per game, helping the Bearcats to 18.4 a game, ranking them second in the conference behind 's 19.2.
UC LAST TIME OUT: began the New Year with a bang, winning its first BIG EAST game and improving to 8-0 at home with a resounding 77-55 win over on Jan. 3 at Fifth Third Arena. UC used a balanced attack and a stifling defense to jump to a quick start and held on for the big win. Five players scored in double figures and UC forced 26 turnovers - two off of its season high. Michelle Jones led all scorers with 20 points, dominating the paint, and also had a game-high eight rebounds. Treasure Humphries scored 16 points - all in the first half, Karen Twehues and Carla Jacobs each tacked on 11 points and Shelly Bellman added 10 points.
w The Bearcats used a 16-0 run to help their cause in the first half. UC held a 25-6 lead at the 11:36 mark on a Carla Jacobs pull up jumper. The Hoyas went nearly seven minutes without a field goal during that run.
w UC improved to 3-0 all-time against the Hoyas. The Bearcats won both BIG EAST contests last season and have won all three games by an average of 19.0 points.
w The 21-point lead is the second largest lead UC has had at the half this season. The Bearcats' largest was a 51-24 over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 14. The 20 points is the lowest total UC has allowed this season.
w The Bearcats shot a season-high 56 percent from the field (30-of-54).
w For the 13th consecutive game, at least three Bearcats scored in double figures - and for the third consecutive game, UC had five players score in double digits: Michelle Jones (20), Treasure Humphries (16), Carla Jacobs (11), Karen Twehues (11) and Shelly Bellman (10).
w The Bearcats outrebounded , 31-21. UC has outrebounded 11 of their 13 opponents and are 10-1 when winning the battle of the boards.
BEARCATS DATA
DOUBLING DOWN:
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 Michelle Jones recorded a double-double in the season-opener against (11/10/06). She scored 11 points and nabbed 10 rebounds for her second career double-double.
w Shelly Bellman has four career double-doubles, including three 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.
BEARCATS ATTACK THE BOARDS:
w The Bearcats have won the battle of the boards in 11 of their 13 games this season. Only nationally ranked and have beaten UC in that category. owns a +10.6 rebounding margin this season, third in the BIG EAST. The UC single-season record is a +6.7 margin.
STEALS AND DEALS:
w Senior Treasure Humphries, who led the team in steals both her freshman and junior seasons, is pacing the team in thefts with 32. She has had multiple steals in 12 of 13 games this season.
w Humphries has had three or more assists in 12 of the Bearcats' 13 games. She leads the BIG EAST with 4.8 per game. The Bearcats are averaging 18.5 assists per game, second in the BIG EAST. She had three against (1/3/07), extending her streak of games with at least one assist to 56.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING:
w Shelly Bellman is UC's leading scorer (14.6) and rebounder (6.9). 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 27 of 42 career contests.
w The Bearcats have had at least three players score in double figures in every game this season. The Bearcats have had five players score in double figures in four games this season; Cincinnati's 83-51 win over St. Francis (Pa.) (11/22/06), UC's 86-70 win over Tennessee Tech (12/21/06), a 94-82 loss to No. 23 Arkansas, and UC's BIG home opening win over Georgetown, 77-55 (1/3/07).
"A" FOR ACCURACY:
w Sophomore Michelle Jones is shooting a team-high 55 percent from the field, tied for fourth in the BIG EAST. She has converted on 62 of 112 attempts. She had career highs of 10 field goals made (10-of-13)and 24 points against Tennessee Tech. She was also a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
GETTING FLOOR TIME:
w Shelly Bellman leads the squad in playing time, seeing the floor 31.2 minutes a game.
w Sophomore Angel Morgan is second on the team in average minutes played with 29.5. 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 .
3-POINT THREAT:
w Senior Karen Twehues is third all-time at UC in career 3-point field goals with164. She leads the Bearcats in 3-point field goal percentage at 42 percent.
MOST IMPROVED:
w Junior Emy Ogide is averaging 6.5 points a game this season, 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.
RECORD SHATTERED:
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.
INJURED BEARCAT:
w Sophomore Kahla Roudebush will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
STREAKING:
w The Bearcats extended their home-opener winning streak to 11 with the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
STIFLING "D":
w has held eight of its 13 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.
EARLY BIRDS:
w The Bearcats had their earliest season opener in school history, playing at on Nov. 10.
STARTING FRESH:
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.
LOOKING AHEAD: UC plays at Notre Dame in BIG EAST action on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m.