TicketsJan. 16, 2007
Game Notes
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UC vs. Xavier
Skyline Chili Women's Crosstown Shootout
Presented by Fifth Third Bank
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007
Time: 7 p.m. EST
Site: Fifth Third Arena (13,176)
Tickets: www.mostvaluablekids.org
Live Stats: GoBEARCATS.com
TV: None.
Radio: CATSVision (Tommy Gelehrter).
Series: UC leads, 20-8.
Last Meeting: XU 87, UC 60 on Nov. 30, 2006 at the .
SETTING THE SCENE: The will square off with Xavier for the 29th edition of the Women's Crosstown Shootout on Wednesday, Jan. 17 at Fifth Third Arena, where the Bearcats are undefeated this season. The Shootout, presented by Fifth Third Bank, will tip off at 7 p.m. The game is a sell out and is expected to draw the largest crowd for a regular season women's college basketball game in history. UC is 9-0 in home contests this season, including their most recent 62-44 upset of No. 24 DePaul on Jan. 14. Xavier is playing in its fourth straight road game and is coming off a 61-59 loss to on Jan. 14.
GAME DAY INFO
w The game is sold out but tickets are still available at wwwmostvaluablekids.org. XU & UC students must show their valid ID to be admitted into the arena free. Students enter at the student entrance (south end of the arena). Cash parking will be available at $5 each vehicle in all garages except and CCM garage.
STORY LINES:
w Michelle Jones has been UC's leading scorer in five of the last seven games and is averaging 18.8 points in those five games.
w UC and Xavier have two common opponents so far this season -- and . The Bearcats and Musketeers both picked up wins against --UC won 65-60 (11/16/06) and Xavier won 71-54 (1/9/07). Both squads fell to No. 16 Louisville--UC lost 67-62 (12/14/06) and Xavier dropped a 63-59 decision (11/30/06).
w The winner of this season's Shootout will take home the new "Kendle Cup" sponsored by Kendle, a leading, global full-service clinical research organization headquartered in . The Cup is based on the concept of bridging the pioneers of the UC and XU women's basketball programs to the game today. It is intended to recognize the accomplishments of all female athletes and celebrate the evolution of women's athletics through the region's premiere rivalry.
w Three of the Bearcats starters are averaging double figures--Shelly Bellman (13.8), Treasure Humphries (12.9) and Michelle Jones (11.9) and Karen Twehues is not far off (9.9).
UC LAST TIME OUT: The Bearcats picked up a historic win and a vital BIG EAST victory when they upset No. 24 DePaul 62-44 on Jan. 14 at Fifth Third Arena. The win boosted UC's home record to 9-0 overall and 2-0 in the BIG EAST.
w The win was UC's first over a Top 25 team since they upset No. 19 Xavier, 75-59 on Dec. 12, 2000 at Fifth Third Arena.
w Michelle Jones posted the third double-double of her career with a game-high 19 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.
w Treasure Humphries grabbed two steals, giving her 166 in her career and tying her for seventh with K.B. Sharp on UC's all-time steals list. She also dished out six assists, extending her streak of games with at least one assist to 59.
w The Bearcats, fifth in the BIG EAST in 3-point field goals made, did not sink a trey. The last time UC failed to convert a 3-pointer was at on Jan. 28, 2005.
w The Bearcats out rebounded DePaul, 45-21, holding the Blue Demons to their lowest total of the season. Michelle Jones (13), who had a career-high, and Treasure Humphries (9) and Angel Morgan (11), who tied their career highs, had more boards than the entire DPU team. Jones' previous high of 11 rebounds was also set against DePaul (2/8/06).
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. She added her second career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 12 rebounds against USF (1/6/07).
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. Jones tacked on her second double-double of the season with a game-high 19 points and a career-high 13 rebounds vs. No. 24 DePaul (1/14/07).
w Shelly Bellman has five career double-doubles, including four this season, most recently vs. Notre Dame (1/10/07) when she had 13 points, 10 rebounds and added seven assists. She had 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 14 of their 16 games this season. Only Top 25-ranked and have beaten UC in that category. owns a +10.9 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 37. She has had multiple steals in 14 of 16 games this season.
w Humphries has had three or more assists in 14 of the Bearcats' 16 games. She is third in the BIG EAST with 4.63 per game. She had six assists against No. 24 DePaul (1/14/07), extending her streak of games with at least one assist to 59.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING:
w Shelly Bellman is UC's leading scorer (13.8) and rebounder (7.1). 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 29 of 44 career contests.
w The Bearcats have had at least three players score in double figures in every game except for one this season (only two vs. USF). 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 EAST 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, fifth in the BIG EAST. She has converted on 78 of 143 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 31.5 minutes a game. Sophomore Angel Morgan is second on the team in average minutes played with 29.3. 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 with170. She leads the Bearcats in 3-point field goal percentage at 42 percent, sixth in the BIG EAST.
MOST IMPROVED:
w Junior Emy Ogide is averaging 5.8 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.
STREAKING:
w The Bearcats extended their home-opener winning streak to 11 with the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff (11/14/06).
STIFLING "D":
w has held nine of its 16 opponents to 65 points or less and is averaging 64.9 points allowed this season. The Bearcats held No. 24 DePaul to 44 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: The Bearcats get back into BIG EAST action when they host Seton Hall on Saturday, Jan. 20 at Fifth Third Arena. Tip off is 3:30 p.m.