TicketsDec. 7, 2012
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The No. 11/12 University of Cincinnati men's basketball team battles Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday at Fifth Third Arena. The contest tips off at 2 p.m., and will be televised by FOX Sports Ohio. It is also available on 700 WLW-AM.
The Bearcats (8-0) entered the week as one of only 20 Division I teams undefeated on the season. UC posted an 87-53 home win over Arkansas-Little Rock on Thursday thanks in part to a school-record 23 steals. Four Bearcats scored in double figures led by Sean Kilpatrick's game-high 18 points. Cheikh Mbodj and David Nyarsuk scored 12 points each while JaQuon Parker added 11 points.
UMES (0-8) suffered a 100-68 setback at Maryland on Wednesday. Guard Kyree Jones led the Hawks with 24 points while Troy Snyder poured in 19 points and nine rebounds.
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 (121-88); 10th season overall (190-112).
Frankie Allen is in his fifth season at Maryland Eastern Shore (34-97); 23rd season overall (257-391).
Rankings: Cincinnati is ranked No. 11 in the AP and No. 12 in the USA Today polls. UMES 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 accounts for 82.0 percent of UC's three-pointers (50 of 61); 53.9 percent of its scoring (359 of 666 points); 50.0 percent of its steals (45 of 90) and 45.7 percent of its assists (58 of 127).
-UC entered this week 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 8-0 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.
-UC is 8-0 for the 15th time in school history. Only 10 previous Bearcats teams began the year 9-0.
-The Bearcats entered play Friday as one of 18 Division I teams still undefeated on the season. Syracuse was the only other team from the BIG EAST Conference.
-Sean Kilpatrick entered Friday's games first in the league in three-pointers per game (2.63). He has made at least one three-pointer in each of the last 16 games and 43 of the last 44 contests.
-Cashmere Wright needs one assist for 400 in his career and eight more to pass Damon Flint (407 from 1993-97) for fifth place on the UC career assists list. He has recorded at least one assist in 104 of his 114 career games played.
-Cheikh Mbodj is second in the BIG EAST and entered the week 14th in the nation, averaging 2.86 blocks. Mbodj has 23 blocks on the season after posting 19 blocks in 28 games last season.
-UC has won 37 of its last 40 nonconference regular-season home games.
Scouting UMES
-The Hawks enter Saturday's contest winless on the season at 0-8 and 0-1 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference having played four road games and four neutral site contests.
-Transfer guard Kyree Jones leads UMES in scoring (15.5 ppg), assists (2.6) and three-pointers (2.1 per game). He sat out last season after transferring from Northern Illinois.
-Transfer forward Troy Snyder leads the squad with 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals. He played one season at Green Bay.
-The Hawks were 7-23 overall last season and 4-12 in league play. They were picked to finish 11th in the 12-team MEAC in November in a preseason poll of the league's coaches and sports information directors.