TicketsCINCINNATI – In the second of a three-game homestand this week, University of Cincinnati women's basketball will host the Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. tipoff at Saint Ursula Academy Gymnasium & Convocation Center. Admission will be free as part of the Experience UC initiative.
// EXPERIENCE UC
The Bearcats' 2017-18 campaign will, again, be part of the Experience UC initiative which offers free admission to home games. Groups interested in attending can contact Assistant Director of Marketing & Branding Deborah Dixon at dixond9@ucmail.uc.edu for more information.
// TEMPORARY HOME(S)
Due to the current, $87-million renovation of Fifth Third Arena, the Bearcats will play all home contests off campus this year. In the regular season, UC will play two games at Cincinnati State – the Nov. 13 home opener against Slippery Rock and the Nov. 27 meeting with St. Francis (Pa.) – with the remaining games played at St. Ursula Academy Gymnasium & Convocation Center (SUA).
// STUDENT SHUTTLE
UC students are invited to enjoy a free bus ride to the game as well as free pizza. The bus will depart from the Bearcat statue on campus at 6 p.m. Free student shuttles to home UC women's basketball games will continue throughout the season.
// GOING LIVE
Aside from the Dec. 17 game against Ohio State on ESPN2 and the Feb. 17 game versus Tulsa on the American Digital Network, all home games in 2017-18 will be streamed live on BearcatsTV free of charge. The link to the live stream can be found on the women's basketball schedule page. On the same page, links to live statistics can also be found.
// THE SERIES
Wednesday will mark the first all-time meeting between the two teams.
// LAST TIME OUT
UC (1-1) rolled to victory Monday night with an 85-52 win over Slippery Rock in its 2017-18 home opener at Cincinnati State.
Home for the first time in the 2017-18 regular season, the Bearcats led The Rock by as many as 15 points in the first half and went into the second with a 39-29 advantage. UC came out of the break energized and pushed its lead to 19 points four minutes into the third quarter. Sporting a 62-41 surplus heading into the final quarter, the Red & Black ended strongly with a 15-0 run over the final five minutes of the game to cruise to victory.
The Bearcats were paced by a game-high and career-best 24 points from junior guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) as well as 18 points from freshman forward Iimar'i Thomas (Oakland, Calif./ Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) and 15 points from senior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North).
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
True freshman Thomas has been impressive early on. Through two games, the 17-year-old is averaging team bests of 18.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest in only 25.5 minutes a game. Her 15 made field goals already ranks fifth best in the American Athletic Conference, while her 37 total points is seventh in the AAC.
After becoming the 26th member of UC women's basketball's 1,000-point club last season, Owens continues her climb up the all-time scoring list. Owens' 1,146 total career points currently ranks 18th all-time. She is on pace to break into the top 10 before the season's end.
After just missing recording her 14th-carrer double-double on Monday with nine points and nine rebounds, Johnson is poised for a big senior season. Her 13 double-doubles last season ranked among the top 25 in the nation. The forward began last year with double-doubles in four of the first five games of the season.
The Bearcats have been dominant in the paint already in 2017-18 with 82 points over the first two games. UC scored 38 at ETSU on Nov. 10 and followed with 44 Monday against Slippery Rock. Along with that, the Red & Black is shooting an efficient 49.6 percent from the field with an average of 60.5 shot attempts per contest.
// SCOUTING THE LADY LIONS
SELA (0-2) is coming off of consecutive losses to begin the year, including, most recently, an 84-56 defeat at LSU on Sunday. In the setback to the Tigers, senior guard Taylin Underwood led the Lady Lions with 18 points. Underwood was joined in double figures by freshman forward Caitlyn Williams, who finished with 14 points. On the young season, Underwood is leading SELA with 26.5 points per game, while Williams contributes 12.5 points a contest as well as a team-best eight rebounds per. In the preseason, Underwood was a First Team All-Southland selection while the Lady Lions were picked to finish 12th out of 13 teams in conference play.
// EXPERIENCE UC
The Bearcats' 2017-18 campaign will, again, be part of the Experience UC initiative which offers free admission to home games. Groups interested in attending can contact Assistant Director of Marketing & Branding Deborah Dixon at dixond9@ucmail.uc.edu for more information.
// TEMPORARY HOME(S)
Due to the current, $87-million renovation of Fifth Third Arena, the Bearcats will play all home contests off campus this year. In the regular season, UC will play two games at Cincinnati State – the Nov. 13 home opener against Slippery Rock and the Nov. 27 meeting with St. Francis (Pa.) – with the remaining games played at St. Ursula Academy Gymnasium & Convocation Center (SUA).
// STUDENT SHUTTLE
UC students are invited to enjoy a free bus ride to the game as well as free pizza. The bus will depart from the Bearcat statue on campus at 6 p.m. Free student shuttles to home UC women's basketball games will continue throughout the season.
// GOING LIVE
Aside from the Dec. 17 game against Ohio State on ESPN2 and the Feb. 17 game versus Tulsa on the American Digital Network, all home games in 2017-18 will be streamed live on BearcatsTV free of charge. The link to the live stream can be found on the women's basketball schedule page. On the same page, links to live statistics can also be found.
// THE SERIES
Wednesday will mark the first all-time meeting between the two teams.
// LAST TIME OUT
UC (1-1) rolled to victory Monday night with an 85-52 win over Slippery Rock in its 2017-18 home opener at Cincinnati State.
Home for the first time in the 2017-18 regular season, the Bearcats led The Rock by as many as 15 points in the first half and went into the second with a 39-29 advantage. UC came out of the break energized and pushed its lead to 19 points four minutes into the third quarter. Sporting a 62-41 surplus heading into the final quarter, the Red & Black ended strongly with a 15-0 run over the final five minutes of the game to cruise to victory.
The Bearcats were paced by a game-high and career-best 24 points from junior guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) as well as 18 points from freshman forward Iimar'i Thomas (Oakland, Calif./ Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) and 15 points from senior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North).
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
True freshman Thomas has been impressive early on. Through two games, the 17-year-old is averaging team bests of 18.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest in only 25.5 minutes a game. Her 15 made field goals already ranks fifth best in the American Athletic Conference, while her 37 total points is seventh in the AAC.
After becoming the 26th member of UC women's basketball's 1,000-point club last season, Owens continues her climb up the all-time scoring list. Owens' 1,146 total career points currently ranks 18th all-time. She is on pace to break into the top 10 before the season's end.
After just missing recording her 14th-carrer double-double on Monday with nine points and nine rebounds, Johnson is poised for a big senior season. Her 13 double-doubles last season ranked among the top 25 in the nation. The forward began last year with double-doubles in four of the first five games of the season.
The Bearcats have been dominant in the paint already in 2017-18 with 82 points over the first two games. UC scored 38 at ETSU on Nov. 10 and followed with 44 Monday against Slippery Rock. Along with that, the Red & Black is shooting an efficient 49.6 percent from the field with an average of 60.5 shot attempts per contest.
// SCOUTING THE LADY LIONS
SELA (0-2) is coming off of consecutive losses to begin the year, including, most recently, an 84-56 defeat at LSU on Sunday. In the setback to the Tigers, senior guard Taylin Underwood led the Lady Lions with 18 points. Underwood was joined in double figures by freshman forward Caitlyn Williams, who finished with 14 points. On the young season, Underwood is leading SELA with 26.5 points per game, while Williams contributes 12.5 points a contest as well as a team-best eight rebounds per. In the preseason, Underwood was a First Team All-Southland selection while the Lady Lions were picked to finish 12th out of 13 teams in conference play.