TicketsJan. 17, 2012
Watch the game on ESPN3
Cincinnati Game Notes
The University of Cincinnati travels to Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn., to face No. 13/11 Connecticut on Wednesday. The game starts at 7 p.m. ET and will be televised by ESPN2 and also can be heard on 700 WLW-AM radio.
Cincinnati (14-4, 4-1 BIG EAST) is off to its best start in BIG EAST play since joining the league prior to the start of 2005-06 season. Winners in nine of their last 10 games, the Bearcats are coming off an 82-78 home win over Villanova on Saturday. Dion Dixon led UC with 22 points and a team-high four three-pointers. Yancy Gates added 16 points and nine rebounds.
UConn (14-3, 4-2 BIG EAST) posted a 67-53 win at Notre Dame on Saturday, snapping a 29-game home win streak by the Irish. Shabazz Napier led all Huskies in scoring with 16 points.
UConn owns a 7-2 advantage in the all-time series with Cincinnati after claiming two wins last season, a 67-59 decision in Cincinnati on Feb. 27 and a 69-58 decision in the third round of the NCAA Tournament in Washington, D.C. on March 19.
GAME AT A GLANCE
Series Info: 10th meeting; Connecticut leads 7-2 overall; UConn leads 2-1 in Connecticut; UConn leads 3-1 in Cincinnati; UConn leads 2-0 at neutral sites; STREAK -- UConn has won the last two meetings.
Last Meeting: Connecticut won 69-58 on March 19, 2011 in the third round of the NCAA Tournament at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
Coaches: Mick Cronin is in his sixth season at Cincinnati (101-81); ninth season overall (170-105). Cronin is 2-6 vs. UConn. Jim Calhoun is in his 26th season at UConn (619-232); 40th season overall (866-369).
Rankings: UConn is ranked 13th in the Associated Press poll and 11th in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll for Jan. 16. Cincinnati is not ranked in either poll.
Radio: 700 WLW; Dan Hoard provides play-by-play alongside color analyst Chuck Machock. Mo Egger is host/engineer.
TV: ESPN2; Bob Wischusen provides play-by-play alongside color analyst Doug Gottlieb. Eric Mosley serves as producer.
UC Twitter Page: @GoBEARCATS
STREAKS, STORYLINES AND SIDEBARS
-Cincinnati is 4-1 in the BIG EAST for the first time since joining the league prior to the 2005-06 season.
-Dating back to last season, UC has won nine of its last 11 regular-season BIG EAST games.
-The Bearcats have won six consecutive BIG EAST road games. UC has won eight of its last nine road games overall dating back to last season.
-UC has won five of its last seven regular-season games against ranked opponents dating back to last season.
-UC has not won three regular-season road games against ranked opponents since the 1998-99 campaign. The Bearcats already own wins at then-No. 22 Pittsburgh and at then-No. 11 Georgetown this season.
-UC is shooting 43.8 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three-point range and is forcing 17.7 turnovers a game over its last 10 games.
-Dion Dixon has been named the BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week after scoring a season-high 22 points in consecutive games at then-No. 11 Georgetown (1/9) and home against Villanova (1/14). He has scored 20 or more points four times and reached double figures in scoring in all but two contests this season.