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Bearcats Open BIG EAST Play Against Rival Louisville

Bearcats Open BIG EAST Play Against Rival LouisvilleBearcats Open BIG EAST Play Against Rival Louisville

Jan. 2, 2010

Game Notes | Listen Live | |

THE GAME
The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team opens BIG EAST Conference play on Jan. 2, 2010, hosting longtime rival Louisville in Fifth Third Arena. The Bearcats and Cardinals will tip off at 2 p.m. in the conference opener for both squads.

THE SERIES
Louisville, the 2009 national runners-up, leads the all-time series, 34-27. U of L has won the last five meetings and nine of the last 10 against the Bearcats. Louisville is UC's most-played rival as the Bearcats and Cardinals have met 61 times since the 1972-73 season. Former foes in the Metro Conference, Conference USA, UC and Louisville both joined the BIG EAST in 2005.

THE COACH
Jamelle Elliott enters her first season as a head coach, taking over the Cincinnati program after 12 years as an assistant coach at Connecticut, her alma mater. She was a six-time national champion with the Huskies, including helping UConn to its first championship as a student-athlete in 1995. One of the most accomplished players in the distinguished history of the Connecticut program, Elliott finished her career ranked No. 2 among UConn's all-time rebounding leaders (1,054), No. 5 in BIG EAST career rebounding (558), and No. 11 in UConn career scoring (1,387).

  • Senior guard Kahla Roudebush is moving up on the UC career scoring and three-pointer charts. She is now 13th in scoring (1,179) and fourth in threes made (165).
  • Senior forward Michelle Jones also approaching and passing milestones this season. She reached the 500 career rebound plateau against Valparaiso and has 878 career points.
  • The Bearcats have outrebounded opponents, 36.7-31.8 this season.
  • UC shot 24-of-27 from the free throw line against Valparaiso, the most made free throws since knocking down 24-of-35 against USF on Jan. 15, 2006.
  • The Bearcats allowed just 13 points in the second half against Dartmouth, the fewest an opponent has scored in a half since Savannah State tallied 13 in the first on Nov. 29, 2008.
  • UC forced 24 turnovers against Dartmouth, the most since causing 24 at Georgetown on Jan. 23, 2007.
  • The Bearcats were runners up at the 2009 Great Alaska Shootout, falling to host Alaska Anchorage in the final.
  • Kahla Roudebush and Carla Jacobs were named to the Great Alaska Shootout all-tournament team.
  • Against Furman, UC posted 47 points in the first half, its highest scoring first half since since pouring in 51 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 14, 2006.
  • All 10 Bearcats scored against Furman. Junior college transfer Shareese Ulis and freshmen Elese Daniel, Daress McClung, and Bryonna Snow each saw their first Division I collegiate action.

LAST TIME OUT

  • Behind 16 points from senior Michelle Jones and 15 points from senior Kahla Roudebush, the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team extended its winning streak to three games with a 51-45 win over Wright State University on Dec. 29 at Fifth Third Arena.
  • Roudebush's 15 points moved her past K.B. Sharp, Bev Ventura, Anita Tersigni, and Stephanie Geter into 13th on UC's all-time scoring list with 1,179 points. Her last five points came in the final 1:39 helping UC close out the six-point win.
  • Jones finished with a team-high 16 points, her eighth double-figure scoring effort of the season, and added five rebounds. Jacobs chipped in six points and a game-high six rebounds.
  • The teams turned the ball over 22 times each.
  • UC has held its last three opponents to 50 points or less.

BIG EAST HONORS

  • Senior Kahla Roudebush was named to the preseason all-BIG EAST team prior to the season.
  • Following the 2008-09 season, Roudebush earned second-team all-BIG EAST honors and Shanasa Sanders was named to the league's all-Freshman team. Jill Stephens was named the BIG EAST Scholar Athlete of the Year for 2008-09.

ROUDEBUSH CRASHING RECORD BOOKS

  • Senior sharpshooter Kahla Roudebush has made her mark on the UC record books during her career with her scoring and three-point shooting.
  • Roudebush is tied for second in school history in career three-point precentage, fourth in three-pointers, and fifth in three-point attempts.
  • She also ranks in the Top 10 in career free throw percentage.
  • Roudebush became the 23rd player in school history to score 1,000 career points and is currently 13th on the school's scoring list.
  • She has scored in double figures in 55 of her last 70 games and has 19 career 20-point games. She was held under 10 points in back-to-back games (at Indiana, vs. Detroit) for the first time in 62 games, spanning three seasons.
  • Roudebush has put her name in the single season record books in each of the last two seasons. She is in the Top 10 in minutes played (1,095, 2008-09), three-point field goals (70, 2008-09; 66, 2007-08), three-point field goal attempts (177, 2008-09), three-point field goal percentage (.398, 2007-08; .395, 2008-09).
  • Last season, Roudebush averaged 38.5 minutes per contest, which led the BIG EAST and ranked No. 8 in the nation. She averages 33.7 minutes this year.
  • Roudebush missed the bulk of the 2006-07 season after shoulder and knee injuries.

DEFENSE A STRENGTH

  • The Bearcats are allowing opponents just 54.3 points per game.
  • UC is holding opponents to a .378 shooting clip from the floor and is +4.9 in rebounding.
  • The Bearcats have held six opponents to 50 points or less - including each of the last three - and Xavier's 69 points are the most that UC has allowed this season.

MINUTE EATERS

A STRONG START

  • UC's win against Furman was its biggest win since early in the 2007-08 season, a 39-point victory against McNeese State.
  • The 85 points marked the most in a season opener since the 2006-07 season when the Bearcats topped Youngstown State 85-78.
  • The Bearcats got contributions from all 10 players in uniform and recorded assists on 20 of 29 made baskets (69%).

A STRONG START, PART II

  • Four newcomers saw action in the season opener, led by junior college transfer Shareese Ulis, who earned the start at point guard.
  • Ulis shot 6-of-12 from the floor and knocked down 3-of-6 threes for 17 points. She also added three assists.
  • True freshman Daress McClung grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench. She also blocked four shots and scored six points.

HERE'S LOOKING AT ULIS

  • Junior college transfer Shareese Ulis has proven to be a big addition for the Bearcats as she is third on the team in scoring at 10.6 points per game.
  • Ulis scored 17 in the season opener against Furman and followed with a game-high 20 at Indiana.
  • Ulis is shooting .397 from the floor and .808 from the free throw stripe. She leads the squad in assists with 40.

MICHELLE IN THE POST

  • The Bearcats lone experienced post player, Michelle Jones looks to thrive under the tutelage of Elliott, who coached seven all-Americans while an assistant at Connecticut.
  • Jones passed the 500 career rebound plateau against Valparaiso and is nearing 900 career points.
  • Jones posted her fifth career double-double and her first since Jan. 17, 2007, with 17 points and 12 rebounds against Butler.
  • Jones scored 13 points in the season opener against Furman, shooting 5-of-7 from the floor and grabbed six rebounds, four on the offensive end.
  • Jones took over the late stages of the game against Detroit and totaled 14 points and eight rebounds, her third straight double-figure scoring output.
  • She is averaging 9.9 points, 7.0 rebounds per game, while shooting at a .571 clip from the floor.

FRESH(MAN) CONTRIBUTIONS

  • Freshman Daress McClung earned her first career start against Kentucky on Dec. 4, scoring nine points with seven rebounds.
  • She grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds in the opener against Furman, scored 12 points with eight rebounds at Indiana, and tallied five points and seven boards vs. Detroit.
  • She blocked a shot in each of UC's first four games.
  • She has accumulated 11 blocks, 17 steals, and 20 assists, while shooting .456 (31-of-68) from the floor.

REBOUNDS A KEY

  • UC is 5-2 this season when outrebounding its opponent. Conversely, the Bearcats are just 2-2 when being outrebounded by opponents.
  • UC is averaging 36.7 boards per game and holding opponents to just 31.8 per game, a 4.9 per game margin.
  • The Bearcats owned the glass at the Great Alaska Shootout, winning the rebounding battle by a combined 81-61 count.

LITTLE BIT OF OLD, LITTLE BIT OF NEW

  • The Bearcats return just two starters from a season ago, but welcome back Carla Jacobs, a starter in her freshman and sophomore seasons before missing the 2008-09 campaign.
  • Five newcomers join the Bearcats this season. Vanderbilt transfer Chanel Chisholm will sit out the 2009-10 season due to NCAA transfer guidelines. Junior college transfer Shareese Ulis is joined by freshmen Elese Daniel, Daress McClung, and Bryonna Snow to form Jamelle Elliott's first class.

BEARCATS PICKED 16TH IN BIG EAST

  • Cincinnati was picked by the league's coaches to finish 16th in the BIG EAST in 2009-10.