TicketsDec. 20, 2010
By Garrett Sabelhaus
GoBEARCATS.com
The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team won its first five games of the season by no fewer than 14 points against each opponent.
Since then, the Bearcats have lost four straight including a 38-point setback at home in the team's first BIG EAST game against Louisville, where they turned the ball over 31 times.
The conference opener served as a bit of a wake-up call for the inexperienced Bearcats who start two freshmen; Kayla Cook and Tiffany Turner. Another starter, Chanel Chisholm, is a transfer from Vanderbilt. None had played in a BIG EAST game before Louisville arrived at Fifth Third Arena en route to a 78-40 win.
"It really opens your eyes and makes you realize what the conference is going to be like," said Cook, who failed to score for the first time all season.
The problems continued for the Bearcats against Wright State three days later when the Bearcats shot 33 percent for the second-straight game in a 65-50 loss.
Rebounding has been a major concern for the Bearcats, especially going against bigger teams. The Bearcats outrebounded their first five opponents of the season, helping them stay undefeated.
In the four losses since the 5-0 start, UC has been beaten on the glass every time.
It doesn't help that they shot a season low 33 percent against Louisville and Wright State including a 26 percent shooting performance from beyond the arc against WSU.
Following the Louisville loss, head coach Jamelle Elliott made sure her team knew the competition in the BIG EAST wouldn't get any easier.
"I just told them when I walked into the locker room, `Welcome to the BIG EAST,'" Elliott said. "This is what we're going to face for the rest of the year and if this is how we're going to show up and play, the results are going to be the same."
Turnovers have remained an issue all season for UC as well. The problem is now magnified in the midst of a losing streak.
During the four-game rough stretch, UC has turned the ball over 17, 14, 31 and 14 times, respectively. Those mistakes along with the rebounding issues can't happen with such a young team without a lot of depth according to senior guard Shareese Ulis.
"You really don't have room for error when you have a team like this," Ulis said. "We're already undersized, so coming into games, teams think they know they can outrebound us."
Ulis knows the only way to get back on track is to keep plugging away in practice and hopefully the season will turn for the better sooner rather than later.
"We want to stop the streak as soon as possible," she said. "I don't think games are won during the game. The preparation and the things you do to prepare for the game is what wins the game."
The Bearcats will have another opportunity to right the ship at home Tuesday, December 21 against Marshall at 7 p.m.