TicketsMarch 10, 2013
| Cincinnati Game Notes | BIG EAST Championship Bracket
The University of Cincinnati (21-10, 9-9 BIG EAST) begins play in the BIG EAST Championship on Wednesday as the ninth seed and will take on eighth seed Providence (17-13, 9-9 BIG EAST) in second-round action beginning at 12 p.m. on ESPN. Fans also can listen to the game on 700 WLW.
The Bearcats wrapped up their regular season Saturday with a 61-53 overtime win over USF on Senior Day at Fifth Third Arena. Cashmere Wright scored a team-high 15 points while JaQuon Parker poured in 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Cheikh Mbodj added eight points, nine rebounds and three blocks.
Providence suffered a 63-59 overtime loss to Connecticut in its regular-season finale Saturday in Storrs, Conn. Kadeem Batts scored a team-high 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Kris Dunn (11 points) and Josh Fortune (10 points) each reached double figures in scoring.
Providence posted a 54-50 win over UC on Feb. 6 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, R.I. Batts led the Friars with 25 points in the game. The Bearcats clawed back from a 47-34 deficit with 6:49 left to pull within 49-48 at 2:28 but could not complete the comeback. Kilpatrick led UC with 13 points while Parker posted his first career double-double with 12 points and a season-high 10 rebounds.
Providence leads the series 5-4 overall, including a 3-1 lead in Providence. The Friars' win earlier this season snapped a three-game win streak for UC in the series. UC leads 3-2 in Cincinnati. The teams have never met at a neutral site.
Game at a Glance
UC's History at the BIG EAST Championship: Seventh tournament appearance; UC is 5-6 all-time at the tournament and owns a 2-0 record in the second round.
Providence Series Info: 10th meeting; Providence leads series 5-4 overall and 3-1 in Providence;
UC leads 3-2 in Cincinnati. This is the first neutral site meeting. STREAK - Providence won the last meeting.
Last Meeting: Providence won 54-50 on Feb. 6 this season at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, R.I.
Coaches: Mick Cronin is in his seventh season at Cincinnati (134-98); 10th season overall (203-122).
Ed Cooley is in his second season at Providence (32-30); seventh season overall (124-99).
Rankings: Providence and Cincinnati are not ranked in the latest AP or USA Today polls.
Radio: 700 WLW; Dan Hoard provides play-by-play with color analyst Chuck Machock. Paul Shrager produces.
TV: ESPN; Mike Patrick provides play-by-play with color analyst Len Elmore. Andy Katz reports. Eric Mosley produces.
UC Twitter Page: @GoBEARCATS
Cincinnati Storylines
-Sean Kilpatrick was named second team All-BIG EAST Conference by the league's coaches on Sunday. He received the same award last season and was named to the BIG EAST All-Rookie team as a freshman during the 2010-11 campaign. Kilpatrick becomes only the second UC player to earn three BIG EAST honors during his career, joining Deonta Vaughn (first team in 2008, third team in 2009 and all-rookie team in 2007).
-Cashmere Wright led UC in scoring with 15 points apiece in both games last week while shooting 45.5 percent from the field (10 of 22) and 50 percent from three-point range (6 of 12). It was his best offensive showing in back-to-back games since being slowed by a right knee sprain that occurred during the DePaul game on Jan. 15.
-JaQuon Parker has scored in double figures in six of the last seven games, averaging 13.1 points - second most on the team during the stretch. He is shooting 42.0 percent from the field (34 of 81) and ranks third on the team in rebounding with 5.0 boards per game during the span.
-Titus Rubles leads UC in rebounding (6.0), is second in assists (2.1) and is fourth in scoring (6.0). He has led UC in rebounding in 13 games this season and has grabbed seven or more rebounds 14 times.
-Cheikh Mbodj is third in the league and 20th in the nation in blocks (2.58 through March 9). He has 80 blocks this year, fifth all-time on the UC single-season list. The Bearcats have a Cronin-era high 192 blocks the season - fourth-most in school history.
-For the second consecutive year, the UC men's basketball team has been selected by adidas to wear specialized adizero uniforms throughout its 2012-13 postseason run beginning with the BIG EAST Conference Championship. The Bearcats advanced to the league tournament finals and the NCAA Sweet 16 in similar uniforms a year ago.