TicketsNov. 10, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format
THE OPENING TIP
· The University of Cincinnati finishes its final preparations before the start of the 2008-09 season Tuesday, Nov. 11 at Fifth Third Arena with an exhibition game vs. area Division-II power Northern Kentucky University.
· The Bearcats, under third year head coach Mick Cronin, have six new faces joining the team as they look to improve on last year's 13-19 mark record. The Norse, who made it to the second round of the NCAA Division II tournament last year and finished with a mark of 21-8, bring in a seasoned squad with just three freshmen.
ABOUT NKU
· The Norse are one of the winningest teams in the NCAA Division II Tournament, twice reaching the tourney finals. The Norse were runners up in 1996 and 1997 and last made it to the second round after going 21-8 overall.
· NKU was picked to finish second in the Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division in the league's preseason poll.
PLAY IT AGAIN
· Tuesday's game will mark the eighth consecutive season in which Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky have met in a preseason exhibition contest.
· The Bearcats have won the seven previous meetings by an average of 26.7 points. The teams previously played seven regular-season contests between 1981-82 and 1988-89 with UC winning all seven match-ups.
EIGHTH YEAR FOR DIVISION II ACTION
· Prior to 2001-02, preseason basketball games featured touring foreign teams and amateur club squads from the U.S. An NCAA rule was implemented to permit a Division I team to schedule exhibition contests against Division II or Division III teams.
108TH CAMPAIGN
· The 2008-09 season will be Cincinnati's 108th year of basketball competition. The school has compiled a 1,544-906 record for a .630 percentage.
TALKING ABOUT THE BEARCATS
· The 2008-09 edition of the Cincinnati Bearcats is comprised of eight returning letterwinners, including a pair of starters, and six newcomers.
· Junior guard Deonta Vaughn, the team's top returning scorer (17.3 ppg) started all 32 games for UC last season and sophomore forward Rashad Bishop started 20 games of his own in first collegiate season.
· UC finished 2007-08 with a record of 13-19 and 8-10 in the BIG EAST. The eight conference wins quadrupled the Bearcats league wins from 2006-07.
· Cincinnati made its first postseason tournament appearance under head coach Mick Cronin last year, being selected into the inaugural field of the College Basketball Invitational.
· The Bearcats incoming class of newcomers was ranked No. 18 in the nation by Rivals.com. The class includes Top 100 freshmen standouts, forward Yancy Gates from Cincinnati and guard Cashmere Wright. Junior college transfer Steve Toyloy will add strength and depth to UC's front court.
· The Bearcats will be without Wright for the 2008-09 season after he injured his left knee in preseason workouts.
· Senior forward Mike Williams will be making his return to the court this season after missing the last two years. Williams missed the 2006-07 season after transferring to Cincinnati from the University of Texas and then lost 2007-08 due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.
BEARCATS UNBEATABLE IN Fifth Third ARENA
· Cincinnati enters its 20th season in Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center with a 255-50 record a .836 winning percentage.
· UC is 91-26 in Fifth Third over the last seven seasons.
LOOKING AHEAD
· The Bearcats open the 2008-09 regular season this coming Sunday, Nov. 16, vs. South Dakota at 6 p.m.
· The game will be televised state wide on Fox Sports Ohio as part of the Bearcats' new television contract. Michael Reghi will handle play-by-play duties, while color analysis will be handled by former Bearcats standout Anthony Buford.