TicketsJan. 26, 2007
Game Notes
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UC vs.
Date: Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007
Time: 2 p.m. EST
Site: Fifth Third Arena (13,176)
Tickets: GoBEARCATS.com
Live Stats: GoBEARCATS.com
TV: None.
Radio: CATSVision (Tommy Gelehrter).
Series: MU leads, 17-9.
Last Meeting: MU 66, UC 48 at the Al in .
SETTING THE SCENE: The Bearcats face a Top 25 opponent for the fourth time this season when they host on Saturday, Jan. 27. The 2 p.m. tip off at Fifth Third Arena pits against the No. 18/17 Golden Eagles. UC is 1-2 so far this season against Top 25 teams, but 1-0 at home after the Bearcats knocked off No. 24/24 DePaul on Jan. 14 at Fifth Third Arena. is coming off its first BIG EAST road win, an 80-62 decision vs. on Jan. 23. Marquette, fresh off a 71-62 win over Notre Dame on Jan. 23, brings an 18-2 overall record into the contest, the 10th best win-loss percentage (.900) in NCAA D-I women's basketball.
STORY LINES:
w The University of Cincinnati will celebrate the 500th win of its women's basketball program with various recognitions throughout the game. Former UC coaches and players will be on hand to commemorate the event. The 500th women's basketball win came last season, an 82-48 win over on Dec. 3, 2005.
w The Bearcats are 9-2 when playing at home this season, though lost back-to-back home games vs. Xavier (1/17/07) and Seton Hall (1/20/07). UC had not lost consecutive games at Fifth Third Arena since the 2004-05 season, when UC lost three consecutive home games --North Dakota State (1/12/05), Louisville (1/16/05) and Houston (1/21/05).
w UC and Marquette have played three common opponents so far this season -- DePaul, Notre Dame and Xavier. The Bearcats are 1-2 vs. these foes, while Marquette is 3-0--UC picked up a 62-44 win over No. 24 DePaul (1/14/07), while the Golden Eagles edged the Blue Demons, 82-79 (1/6/07). The Bearcats lost at Notre Dame, 81-70, on Jan. 10 and dropped an 89-76 decision to Xavier on Jan. 17. The Golden Eagles crushed Xavier, 73-53, on Nov. 25 and defeated Notre Dame, 71-62.
w The Bearcats are first in the conference in rebounding defense (31.8) and third in the BIG EAST in rebounding margin (+9.6) and assists (17.4). The Golden Eagles are ranked second in free throw percentage (70.2) and third in five categories: points scored (75.3), scoring margin (+13.2), field goal percentage (44.3), 3-point field goal defense (28.0) and 3-point field goal percentage (34.0).
w The Eagles are on a three-game winning streak, their last loss, a 91-87 overtime setback, coming in BIG EAST play against (1/9/07). The Bearcats have lost five of their last eight.
UC LAST TIME OUT: improved to 12-6 overall and got its third BIG EAST win with an 80-62 victory over (11-9, 1-6 BIG EAST) on Jan. 23 at McDonough Arena. Treasure Humphries scored 18 points to pace the Bearcats, leading four UC players in double digits. got off to a slow start to open the first half and fell behind early but made up for it. The Bearcats used a 38-9 run and held the Hoyas scoreless for 12 minutes, vaulting to a 44-20 lead at the half. GU went 0-for-14 during the drought and the Bearcats forced 10 turnovers.
w The game was the 700th in head coach Laurie Pirtle's 25th season of her career.
w Carla Jacobs tied a career-high with 15 points and dished out a career-high 10 assists to pick up her first career double-double.
w All of UC's players got floor time in the win.
w Treasure Humphries' one assist extended her streak of games with at least one assist to 62.
w For only the third time this season the Bearcats were out rebounded. won the battle of the boards, 44-32.
w UC improved to 4-0 all-time vs. the Hoyas.
w The Bearcats shot 53 percent from the field. The last time UC matched up with the Hoyas (1/3/07) the Bearcats shot a season-high 56 percent. This marks the fourth game this season that has shot above 50 percent. UC is 4-0 when shooting at that rate.
w is 4-1 when they score at least 80 points. The last time UC scored 80 or more was its 94-82 loss to (12/28/06).
BEARCATS DATA
DOUBLING DOWN:
w Carla Jacobs got UC's 12th double-double of the 2006-07 with a career performance against (1/23/07). She tied her career high for points with 15 and set a new career best with 10 assists.
w Karen Twehues and Michelle Jones both registered a double-double vs. Xavier (1/17/07). Jones, accomplishing the feat for the second time in as many games, had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Twehues, notching the third of this season and in her career, had 12 points and 10 rebounds. The last time two Bearcat players had a twin double in the same game was Dec. 21, 2004 vs. Loyola Marymount when Anne Stephens scored 11 points and grabbed 11 boards, and Toni Slaughter had 16 points and 12 rebounds.
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 six career double-doubles, including five this season, most recently vs. Seton Hall (1/20/07) when she had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Against Notre Dame (1/10/07) 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 16 of their 19 games this season. Only and Top 25-ranked (12/14/06) and (12/28/06) have beaten UC in that category. owns a +9.7 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 46 and is fourth in the BIG EAST with 2.42 a game. She has had multiple steals in 17 of 19 games this season.
w Humphries also leads the team in assists (83). She has had three or more assists in 16 of the Bearcats' 19 games. She is sixth in the BIG EAST with 4.37 per game. She had an assist against (1/23/07), extending her streak of games with at least one assist to 62.
w Carla Jacobs had a career-high 10 assists against (1/23/07) boosting her to third in the BIG EAST with 4.50 assists per game. She is second in the conference in turnover ratio (2.25).
DOUBLE OR NOTHING:
w Treasure Humphries is UC's leading scorer (13.5) and Shelly Bellman is the Bearcats' leading rebounder (7.1). 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 (12/1-2/06), hosted by Northwestern. Both Bellman and Humphries have been named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll this season.
w Bellman has scored in double figures in all but four games she has played this season and in 29 of 47 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 53 percent from the field, 10th in the BIG EAST. She has converted 96 of 181 attempts. She had career highs of 10 field goals made (10-of-13) and 24 points against Tennessee Tech (12/21/06). 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 30.9 minutes a game. Treasure Humphries and Angel Morgan are tied for second on the team in average minutes played with 28.8. Morgan 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 with174. She leads the Bearcats in 3-point field goal percentage at 40 percent, sixth in the BIG EAST.
MOST IMPROVED:
w Junior Emy Ogide is averaging 5.7 points a game this season, more than doubling 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 11 of its 19 opponents to 65 points or less and is averaging 65.7 points allowed this season. The Bearcats held No. 24 DePaul (1/14/07) 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 face perennial power and BIG EAST foe, No. 5/7 , on Jan. 30 at 7 p.m.