TicketsNov. 19, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format
Game 2: IPFW at Cincinnati
Saturday, Nov. 20 l 1 p.m. l Fifth Third Arena (13,176) l Cincinnati, Ohio l TV: FOX Sports Ohio l Radio: 700 WLW
SCOUTING IPFW
· IPFW (1-1) fought Xavier University to the end on Tuesday night before falling to the Musketeers, 76-66, in overtime.
· Mastodons' senior guard Ben Botts took the final shot of regulation vs. XU, but his 3-pointer bounced off the rim.
· Senior guard Zach Plackemeier paces the team with 14.5 points per game.
· Plackemeier is joined by sophomore guard Frank Gaines (12.0 ppg) and Botts (10.0 ppg) averaging in double-figure points.
· The Mastodons won their season opener over Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, 70-55, behind 16 points a piece from Plackemeir and Gaines.
· Junior forward John Peckinpaugh leads the squad with 7.0 rebounds per game.
· IPFW (Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne), a member of the Summit League, is in its 10th season of playing Division I basketball.
CINCINNATI VS. THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
· The Bearcats own a combined record of 13-2 against teams currently in the Summit League.
· This will be the first time UC and IPFW have faced each other.
· Head coach Mick Cronin is 2-0 against Summit League teams in his career, knocking off Oakland University, 68-61, in his first season at UC in 2006-07, and beating Western Illinois, 74-46, in 2008-09 as part of the Global Sports Classic.
GLOBAL SPORTS MAIN EVENT
· As part of its early season schedule, the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team will take part in the Global Sports Main Event, an NCAA exempted tournament, on Nov. 13-27.
· Due to tournament being a qualifying regular-season multiple-team event, the Bearcats play host to three additional home games as part of the event in Fifth Third Arena as they take on Mount St. Mary's on Monday, Nov. 15, Florida A&M on Monday, Nov. 22, and Savannah State on Wednesday, Nov. 24.
· UC will close out play in the Global Sports Main Event by taking on the University of Dayton in a rematch of last season's second-round NIT match-up at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Saturday, Nov. 27. The game will tip off at 7 p.m.
· Tickets for the finale vs. Dayton are now on sale through the U.S. Bank Arena box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, including select Kroger stores, by calling 1-800-745-3000, or going online at ticketmaster.com.
NOV. 15 MOUNT ST. MARY'S
· Cincinnati exploded out to a 21-point lead early in the second half and knocked off Mount St. Mary's in its season opener, 69-59.
· The win improved the Bearcats all-time record in season openers to 89-21 (.809) and 92-17 (.844) in home openers.
· Trailing 9-7 in the first half, the Bearcats went on an 11-2 run starting at the 14:35 mark that put UC up 18-11. UC did not trail again in the game.
· UC's defense swiped 12 steals in the game, one short of the second most steals in a game under head coach Mick Cronin.
· After shooting 45.5 percent in the opening half, UC found it difficult from the field making just 29.2 percent of its attempts in the second half.
· UC converted 20 Mount St. Mary's miscues into 18 points.
· Cincinnati's bench posted 36 points vs. The Mount, including a game-high 21 points from redshirt Sean Kilpatrick, who was making his collegiate debut.
· The last time a Bearcat scored a game-high for points in his debut, was on Nov. 16 2008 when Yancy Gates had a game-high 16 points and a team-high 11 rebounds in a 77-46 win over South Dakota at Fifth Third Arena.
· Junior forward Yancy Gates recorded 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for his first double-double since Jan. 16, 2010 vs. Notre Dame at Fifth Third Arena. Gates' 15 points is the most he's scored since he had 15 against DePaul on Feb. 24.
MAKING THEIR DEBUTS
· Redshirt freshman Sean Kilpatrick and true freshman Justin Jackson made their UC debuts vs. Mount St. Mary's on Nov. 15.
· Kilpatrick was the game-high scorer, posting 21 points in 24 minutes off the bench for the Bearcats.
· The last time a Cincinnati basketball player scored a game-high for points in his debut, was on Nov. 16 2008 when Yancy Gates had a game-high 16 points and a team-high 11 rebounds in a 77-46 win over South Dakota at Fifth Third Arena
· Jackson, despite going scoreless on an 0-for-3 shooting night, was extremely active for UC, grabbing four rebounds (3 defensive), blocking two shots, making three steals, and dishing out two assists.
THE WINS KEEP ADDING UP
· Since the start of the 2006-07 season, Cincinnati is one of five programs from the major basketball conferences to post more wins in each season.
· The Bearcats posted 11 wins in 2006-06, 13 in 2007-08, 18 in 2008-09, and 19 last season.
· The other programs to accomplish the feat are Baylor, California, Duke, and Purdue.
· A 20-plus win season this year for UC would be its first since posting a 21-13 record in 2006-07.
WHAT A PRESEASON, EH?
· In preparation for the 2010-11 season, Cincinnati traveled north of the border to Ottawa, Ontario for a three-game foreign tour on Sept. 3-5.
· While on the trip, the Bearcats faced McGill University, six-time Canadian National Champion Carleton University, and the University of Ottawa and played using FIBA rules.
· The foreign tour allowed UC an extra 10 full-team practices prior to the trip.
· In the opener of the tour vs. McGill on Sept. 3, sophomore guard JaQuon Parker led Cincinnati, who trailed early, 20-16, to an 89-56 victory with a team-high 15 points.
· Freshman Sean Kilpatrick posted 14 points vs. McGill in his debut as a Bearcat.
· Sophomore guard Cashmere Wright, who had knee surgery in July, saw his first action, playing 13 minutes off the bench.
· In the second game, Cincinnati faced six-time Canadian National Champion Carleton University at the Scotiabank Place on Sept. 4 and knocked off the Ravens, 87-70.
· Junior guard Dion Dixon led the way with 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting to add to his two assists and two steals.
· UC won the finale of the trip vs. Ottawa on Sept. 5, 79-57.
· Kilpatrick and Wright led the Bearcats in scoring with 17 a piece, while junior forward Yancy Gates added 15 points and five rebounds.
BIGGIE GETS BIGGER
· Over this past summer the Bearcats have been working on getting themselves ready for the season and the grueling BIG EAST schedule.
· Senior center Anthony "Biggie" McClain, the Bearcats 7-foot center, has found getting playing time during his career tough due to his weight hovering around 235 to 240 most of his career.
· With the help of UC team dieticians and the strength and conditioning staff, McClain has added 45 pounds to his frame this off-season, getting him up to 290 pounds, and looks to see more playing time.
ANOTHER POST THREAT
· Senior Ibrahima Thomas played 28 games for the Bearcats last year after sitting out the first seven games of the year due to NCAA transfer rules. He transferred to UC from Oklahoma State following the Christmas Break in 2008-09.
· The Dakar, Senegal native emerged as a post threat for the Bearcats over the last 13 games of the season, scoring 6.5 points per game and was the team's top rebounder (7.3 rpg).
· Thomas collected the first double-double of his UC career with 10 points and 11 rebounds against UConn on Feb. 13.
· In the Bearcats first round game of the BIG EAST Championship vs. Rutgers, Thomas pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds, including 10 on the defensive end.
· Thomas saw increased minutes over the last 13 contests averaging 23.7 mpg after averaging just 13.5 mpg over his first 15 games.
FIFTH THIRD ADVANTAGE
· The Bearcats are 280-60 (.824) in games at Fifth Third Arena since the building opened in 1989-90.
· Under Mick Cronin, UC is 43-25 in Fifth Third (.632).
· UC was 13-5 at home and 12-5 in Fifth Third Arena last season. The Miami (OH) game was considered a home game despite being played at U.S. Bank Arena.
· The seven consecutive wins to start the year matched the best home winning streak for the Bearcats since 2004-05, when they won nine games, spanning two seasons.
· The Bearcats averaged 75.0 points per game at home in 2009-10.
NEW FACES AROUND CAMPUS
· After redshirting last season, freshman guard Sean Kilpatrick (White Plains, N.Y./Notre Dame Prep), joins the Bearcats bringing with him a distinguished resume.
· Kilpatrick averaged 28.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists over his four-year high school career at White Plains High School and finished as the school's all-time leading scorer.
· Three times he earned all-state, all-section, all-league and all-county honors.
· He played one season of prep ball at Notre Dame Prep for Ryan Hurd.
· The University of Cincinnati men's basketball program signed Justin Jackson and Kelvin Gaines to a National Letters of intent for the 2010-11 season during the early signing period last year.
· Jackson ranked No. 92 among the top ESPN 100 recruits and was the first player to sign during the early period with the Bearcats.
· Jackson, a 6-foot-8, 210-pound power forward with strong defensive and rebounding skills, played last season for Arlington Country Day in Jacksonville, Fla.
· Gaines, a 6-foot-10, 225 pound center, averaged 10.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 6.2 blocks in 2008-09 playing for Jason Niblett at Heat Academy in Martinsville, Va. The Heat finished the season with a record of 50-8 and was ranked as high as No. 12 in the national prep school polls.
· In 2009-10 season, Gaines transferred to Arlington Country Day in Jacksonville, Fla., where he teamed with fellow Bearcat signee Justin Jackson.
NO LONGER WITH THE BEARCATS
· When the Bearcats open the 2010-11 season, it will be their first under head coach Mick Cronin without two-time all-BIG EAST performer Deonta Vaughn.
· Vaughn finished his career in Clifton as the program's third all-time leading scorer with 1,885 points. He is the only Bearcat to ever score 1,800 points and dish out 500 assists.
· In the opening round game of the NIT vs. Weber State, Vaughn assisted on a 3-pointer by Lance Stephenson with 18:00 to play in the first half to move past Eddie Lee (1976-80) into first place on Cincinnati's all-time assist list (511). A trey by Vaughn with 18:14 remaining in the Weber State game moved him past Darnell Burton (1993-97) as UC's career 3-point leader (313).
· Besides Vaughn, the Bearcats lost 2010 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Lance Stephenson to the NBA, where he was selected 40th overall in the Draft by the Indiana Pacers.
· Stephenson led all BIG EAST freshman in overall scoring with 12.0 ppg and was named to the league All-Rookie team in addition to Rookie of the Year.
· Stephenson ranked among the team's Top 3 in points (1st, 12.3 ppg), rebounds (2nd, 5.4 rpg), assists (2nd, 2.4 apg), and steals (2nd, 0.91 spg).
· Forward Steve Toyloy was a defensive stopper and rebounder for Cincinnati in his two years after transferring from Miami Dade Community College.
· In 67 career games as a Bearcat, Toyloy averaged 3.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
UC INKS FIVE NLI'S
· The University of Cincinnati men's basketball team signed five players to national letters of intent for the 2011-12 season.
· Joining the Bearcats will be Shaquille Thomas (Paterson, N.J./NIA Prep School), Jermaine Sanders (Far Rockaway, N.Y./Rice), Octavius Ellis (Memphis, Tenn./Whitehaven), Ge'Lawn Guyn (Georgetown, Ky./Scott County), and Jeremiah Davis (Muncie, Ind./Huntington Prep [W.Va.]).
· The group is ranked the 21st best recruiting class in the nation by ESPN.com.