TicketsJan. 20, 2012
Watch the game on ESPN3
Cincinnati Game Notes
The University of Cincinnati heads to West Virginia on Saturday for a 3 p.m. ET contest with the Mountaineers. The game will be televised by ESPNU and can be heard on 700 WLW-AM.
Off to their best start in the BIG EAST since joining the league, the Bearcats (15-4, 5-1 BIG EAST) posted their 10th win in 11 games on Wednesday with a thrilling 70-67 victory at No. 13/11 Connecticut. Sean Kilpatrick hit a three-pointer with 2.7 seconds left to secure UC's seventh consecutive BIG EAST road win dating back to last season. It marked the Bearcats' third consecutive road win against a ranked opponent this season.
West Virginia (14-5, 4-2 BIG EAST) has won back-to-back games after earning a 78-62 win over Marshall in Charleston, W. Va., on Wednesday. The BIG EAST's top scorer and rebounder, Kevin Jones, led the Mountaineers with a game-high 25 points.
UC leads the all-time series 10-9. West Virginia has won the last three meetings, including a 66-55 decision last season at Fifth Third Arena.
GAME AT A GLANCE
Series Info: 20th meeting; Cincinnati leads 10-9 overall; West Virginia leads 5-3 in Morgantown and 2-1 at neutral sites; UC leads 6-2 in Cincinnati; STREAK -- West Virginia has won the last three meetings.
Last Meeting: West Virginia won last year's meeting in Cincinnati, 66-55 at Fifth Third Arena on Jan. 29.
Coaches: Mick Cronin is in his sixth season at Cincinnati (102-81); ninth season overall (171-105). Cronin is 3-4 vs. West Virginia. Bob Huggins is in his fifth season at West Virginia (115-47) and his 30th season overall (705-258).
Rankings: Cincinnati and West Virginia are not ranked in the Associated Press poll or the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll for Jan. 16.
Radio: 700 WLW; Dan Hoard provides play-by-play alongside color analyst Chuck Machock. Mo Egger is host/engineer.
TV: ESPNU; Justin Kutcher provides play-by-play alongside color analyst Dickey Simpkins. Aaron Stojkov serves as producer. Jeff Montoni directs.
UC Twitter Page: @GoBEARCATS
STREAKS, STORYLINES, SIDEBARS
-Cincinnati is 5-1 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 10 of its last 12 regular-season BIG EAST games.
-The Bearcats have won seven consecutive BIG EAST road games. It's the longest streak in the league since Pittsburgh won seven straight on the road spanning the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. Syracuse won its first eight road contests to start the 2009-10 conference schedule.
-The Bearcats are averaging just 10.5 turnovers a game this season and have committed less than 10 miscues in every BIG EAST game (6.8 turnovers per game in league play).
-Sean Kilpatrick has played especially well over the past 11 games, averaging a team-high 17.5 points, 3.4 three-pointers and 2.3 steals to go with 4.7 rebounds.
-Dion Dixon was named the BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week on Monday after scoring a season-high 22 points in consecutive games at then-No. 11 Georgetown (1/9) and home against Villanova (1/14).
-Yancy Gates is averaging 10.6 points and a team-best 8.6 rebounds in five games played since his return.