TicketsDec. 5, 2012
| Cincinnati Game Notes | FOX Sports Ohio Channel Finder
The No. 11/12 University of Cincinnati men's basketball team plays host to Arkansas-Little Rock on Thursday at Fifth Third Arena. The contest tips off at 7 p.m., and will be televised by FOX Sports Ohio. It is also available on 700 WLW-AM.
The Bearcats (7-0) entered the week as one of only 20 Division I teams undefeated on the season. UC is coming off a gritty 58-56 home win over Alabama on Saturday in the SEC/BIG EAST Challenge. Cashmere Wright's 12-foot buzzer-beater lifted the Bearcats to victory. Sean Kilpatrick and JaQuon Parker led UC with 13 points each. Wright and Kilpatrick each reached the 1,000-point plateau in the contest.
UALR (7-3) is coming off a 91-30 home win over St. Gregory on Tuesday. Four Trojans scored in double figures led by guard John Dillon, who scored a game-high 17 points with a trio of three-pointers.
This is the first meeting in series history between the schools.
Series Info: First Meeting
Coaches: Mick Cronin is in his seventh season at Cincinnati (120-88); 10th season overall (189-112).
Steve Shields is in his 10th season at Arkansas-Little Rock (154-131); 10th season overall (154-131).
Rankings: Cincinnati is ranked No. 11 in the AP and No. 12 in the USA Today polls. UALR is not ranked.
Radio: 700 WLW-AM; Dan Hoard provides play-by-play with color analyst Chuck Machock. Mo Egger produces.
TV: FOX Sports Ohio; Tom Gelehrter provides play-by-play with color analyst Terry Nelson.
Brian Hunterman produces. David Ashbrock directs.
UC Twitter Page: @GoBEARCATS
Cincinnati Storylines
-This season's squad features one of the best backcourts in the BIG EAST Conference with junior guard Sean Kilpatrick and senior guards Cashmere Wright and JaQuon Parker. The trio currently accounts for 82.2 percent of UC's three-pointers (46 of 56); 55.6 percent of its scoring (322 of 579 points); 55.2 percent of its steals (37 of 67) and 46.7 percent of its assists (50 of 107).
-UC enters Thursday's game ranked No. 11 in the Associated Press poll and No. 12 in the USA Today poll. It marks the highest ranking for the Bearcats in both polls since the 2003-04 campaign.
-The Bearcats are 7-0 to start the year for the second time in three seasons. The 2010-11 squad started the year 15-0 en route to a 26-11 mark and NCAA tournament berth, head coach Mick Cronin's first at UC.
-A victory on Thursday would mark the 15th time in school history a UC squad has started a season at 8-0.
-Five of UC's seven opponents have shot below 40 percent from the field and four its seven foes have shot below 30 percent from three-point range.
-UC has blocked eight or more shots in four games this season, a feat that was accomplished seven times last season. Cheikh Mbodj is second in the league and entered the week 14th in the nation, averaging 2.86 blocks.
-Kilpatrick has scored in double figures in all seven games this season and has tallied 20 or more points three times.
-Titus Rubles has scored 10 or more points in each of the last three games, averaging 11.0 points and 4.7 rebounds during the stretch.
-Justin Jackson has blocked three or more shots in three of the last four games. He blocked a season-high four shots against Alabama on Saturday.
Scouting UALR
-UALR owns a three-game win streak heading into today's game after Tuesday's 91-30 home win over St. Gregory.
-The Trojans entered the week holding its last six opponents to 39.3 percent shooting from the field and 29.4 percent shooting from three-point range.
-Forward Will Neighbour leads the squad averaging 12.2 points He had scored in double figures in UALR's last six games heading into Tuesday's St. Gregory contest.
-Two other Trojans averaged double figures in scoring entering the week in guard John Gillion (10.8) and forward James White (10.6).
-UALR was picked to finish third in the Sun Belt's West Division in the preseason coaches' poll.