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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – University of Cincinnati women's basketball will begin the 2017-18 regular season Friday when it visits the ETSU Buccaneers for a 7 p.m. tipoff inside Brooks Gym.
// THE GAME
Regular season action will commence on Friday when the Bearcats head south to face the Southern Conference's ETSU Buccaneers at 7 p.m. in Johnson City. Fans can watch the game live on WatchESPN and the ESPN app. A live audio broadcast of the game is also available, while live stats are also accessible.
// THE SERIES
UC is unbeaten against ETSU in the all-time series at 3-0. In the last meeting, the Bearcats bested the Buccaneers, 82-58, on Nov. 23, 2005 in Cincinnati. UC has never played ETSU in Johnson City.
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
The Red & Black unofficially began the 2017-18 season with a lopsided, 77-35, exhibition victory over the Findlay Oilers on Nov. 2 at Cincinnati State. The Bearcats were in control from the jump with a 9-0 run to start the game and a 40-16 halftime lead. UC stayed in command in the second half, increasing its lead to 30 points in the third quarter and a game-high 42 points before the final horn. The Bearcats had three double-figure scorers on the night, paced by junior guard Nikira Goings' (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) 16 points including 4-of-4 from three-point range.
With their best record since 2005-06, the Bearcats are riding the momentum of a successful 2016-17 campaign into this season. Touting a 16-14 overall mark and its highest-ever -- tie for fifth place -- finish in the American Athletic Conference standings, UC enters 2017-18 with its top two scorers -- Shanice Johnson: 15.2 ppg, Ana Owens: 12.1 ppg -- and rebounders -- Shanice Johnson: 9.7 rpg, Chelsea Warren: 4.4 rpg -- returning.
Highlighted among the Red & Black's eight returning letterwinners are seniors Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe CC) and Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North). Johnson was a unanimous pick as The American Newcomer of the Year in 2017 as well as a third team all-conference selection, while Owens continues her climb up the Bearcats' all-time scoring list with 1,118 career points -- good for 18th place.
The Bearcats welcome five newcomers this season including Virginia Tech transfer Genesis Parker (Bristow, Va./Stonewall Jackson/Virginia Tech) and four highly-regarded freshmen -- Michaela Porter (Pittsburgh, Pa./Obama Academy of International Studies), Brianna Livingston (Scarborough, Ontario/Wilfred Laurier), Iimar'i Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep), and Andeija Puckett (Griffin, Ga./Griffin). As a transfer, Parker will not be eligible to compete until after UC's fall academic semester is complete.
// SCOUTING THE BUCCANEERS
The Bucs enter 2017-18 with the SoCon's leading scorer from last season, senior guard Tianna Tarter, who averaged a league-best 19.8 points per game, running the show. ETSU also brings back senior guard Malloree Schurr who averaged 4.5 points and 3.2 rebounds a year ago. In addition, the Blue & Gold features sophomore forward Raven Dean who averaged 9.2 points and 6.8 rebounds a contest in 2016-17. Last year, ETSU went 16-14 and 8-6 in SoCon play and fell to Samford in the first round of the conference tournament. Tarter earned Preseason All-SoCon honors this year, while ETSU was picked fourth by the coaches in the preseason poll.