TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati women's basketball will welcome the 22nd-ranked USF Bulls to Saint Ursula Academy Gymnasium & Convocation Center on Wednesday, Jan. 3 for a 7 p.m. tipoff in its first home American Athletic Conference game of the season. Admission will be free of charge 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 Saint Ursula Academy Gymnasium & Convocation Center (SUA).
// STUDENT SHUTTLE
UC students are invited to enjoy a free bus ride to the game. 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.
// GAME PROMOTIONS
Wednesday will be Family Night at SUA. Fleece blankets will be given away to the first 100 fans. 2018 UC athletics calendars will also be available.
// 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 video 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's matchup will be the 31st all-time meeting between the two teams with USF edging UC, 16-14. The Bearcats have come up short in the last nine meetings. The series is tied 6-6 all-time in games played in Cincinnati. In the last matchup in the Queen City, UC fell, 78-51, on Feb. 12, 2016. The Bearcats dropped a 78-51 decision last season in Tampa, Florida. Senior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) paced the Bearcats with 11 points and eight assists in the loss.
// LAST TIME OUT
UC (9-5, 1-0 AAC) tipped off American Athletic Conference competition Saturday with a 66-54 victory at ECU.
In The American opener for both teams, the first half was competitive with the Red & Black going on a 8-4 run over the final five minutes of the second quarter to take a 29-22 lead into halftime. The Red & Black was strong out of the break with a 10-0 run to begin the second half to take control of the game. UC increased its lead to as many as 20 points late in the third period, but saw the home team answer back to trail by seven, 60-53, with 3:31 left to play. Down the stretch, the Bearcats stayed solid on both ends of the floor to come away with the win.
Senior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) led all scorers with 18 points to go along with an also game-high seven assists. Owens was joined in double figures by three Bearcats: sophomore forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) and freshman forward Iimar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) both with 14 points, and junior guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) with 10. Senior forward Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe CC) grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.
UC shot the ball at a 47-percent clip for the game including knocking down four 3-pointers. The Bearcats also drained 14-of-17 from the free-throw line and outrebounded the opposition, 40-31. The Red & Black dished out 14 assists on 24 made field goals and scored 30 points in the paint.
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Goings is leading UC in scoring with 13.1 points per game. Thomas is not far behind with 11.9 points a contest. Owens averages 10.5 points as well as a team-best 4.6 assists. Johnson is posting 10.4 points per as well as a team-best 6.4 rebounds.
A pair of Bearcats earned American Athletic Conference weekly accolades on Tuesday with Thomas selected as Freshman of the Week, while senior guard Owens was picked for the Weekly Honor Roll. Tuesday's distinction marks the third time this season Thomas has been selected as the conference's Freshman of the Week. Meanwhile, Owens' honor is her first weekly league nod this season and the eighth of her career.
After becoming the 26th member of UC women's basketball's 1,000-point club last season, Owens continues her climb up the Bearcats' all-time scoring list. Owens' current 1,265 career points places her 12th. She is on pace to break into the top 10 all-time before season's end.
As a team, UC is second in the conference in scoring defense, giving up only 58.8 points per game. The Bearcats rank third in the AAC in field-goal percentage a contest with 44.8-percent shooting. The Red & Black also rounds out the top three in The American in assists with 15.8 per and is fourth-best in the league with a 32.9-percent shooting clip from beyond the 3-point arc.
Individually on the year, Thomas is tops in the AAC in field-goal percentage at 60.7-percent. Sophomore guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) leads the league in 3-point field-goal percentage at 54.5-percent. Owens ranks third in the conference in free-throw percentage with 93.5-percent shooting. Johnson is fourth best in The American in steals with 2.6 per game.
// SCOUTING THE BULLS
USF (11-3, 1-0 AAC) opened AAC play on New Year's Eve with a dominant 75-46 win over Tulane. Maria Jespersen finished with a game-high 17 points and 11 rebounds in the senior's eighth double-double outing. In addition, junior guard Kitija Laksa added 14 points, while sophomore post Tamara Henshaw also scored 14.
For the season, Laksa averages a league-best 22.2 points per game, while Jespersen grabs a team-high 9.8 rebounds a contest. Senior point guard Laia Flores is tops in the AAC with 6.9 assists each game.
The Bulls outrebound their opponents by a conference-best 11 boards a game and knock down an also league-high 9.8 3-point field goals per contest. USF averages 80.3 point a game, shoots the ball from the field at a 46.2-percent clip, and buries 75.1-percent of its free throws.
In the preseason, the Bulls were picked to finish second in the 12-team AAC with Laksa and Jespersen each earning spots on the preseason all-conference teams.
// 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 Saint Ursula Academy Gymnasium & Convocation Center (SUA).
// STUDENT SHUTTLE
UC students are invited to enjoy a free bus ride to the game. 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.
// GAME PROMOTIONS
Wednesday will be Family Night at SUA. Fleece blankets will be given away to the first 100 fans. 2018 UC athletics calendars will also be available.
// 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 video 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's matchup will be the 31st all-time meeting between the two teams with USF edging UC, 16-14. The Bearcats have come up short in the last nine meetings. The series is tied 6-6 all-time in games played in Cincinnati. In the last matchup in the Queen City, UC fell, 78-51, on Feb. 12, 2016. The Bearcats dropped a 78-51 decision last season in Tampa, Florida. Senior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) paced the Bearcats with 11 points and eight assists in the loss.
// LAST TIME OUT
UC (9-5, 1-0 AAC) tipped off American Athletic Conference competition Saturday with a 66-54 victory at ECU.
In The American opener for both teams, the first half was competitive with the Red & Black going on a 8-4 run over the final five minutes of the second quarter to take a 29-22 lead into halftime. The Red & Black was strong out of the break with a 10-0 run to begin the second half to take control of the game. UC increased its lead to as many as 20 points late in the third period, but saw the home team answer back to trail by seven, 60-53, with 3:31 left to play. Down the stretch, the Bearcats stayed solid on both ends of the floor to come away with the win.
Senior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) led all scorers with 18 points to go along with an also game-high seven assists. Owens was joined in double figures by three Bearcats: sophomore forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) and freshman forward Iimar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) both with 14 points, and junior guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) with 10. Senior forward Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe CC) grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.
UC shot the ball at a 47-percent clip for the game including knocking down four 3-pointers. The Bearcats also drained 14-of-17 from the free-throw line and outrebounded the opposition, 40-31. The Red & Black dished out 14 assists on 24 made field goals and scored 30 points in the paint.
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Goings is leading UC in scoring with 13.1 points per game. Thomas is not far behind with 11.9 points a contest. Owens averages 10.5 points as well as a team-best 4.6 assists. Johnson is posting 10.4 points per as well as a team-best 6.4 rebounds.
A pair of Bearcats earned American Athletic Conference weekly accolades on Tuesday with Thomas selected as Freshman of the Week, while senior guard Owens was picked for the Weekly Honor Roll. Tuesday's distinction marks the third time this season Thomas has been selected as the conference's Freshman of the Week. Meanwhile, Owens' honor is her first weekly league nod this season and the eighth of her career.
After becoming the 26th member of UC women's basketball's 1,000-point club last season, Owens continues her climb up the Bearcats' all-time scoring list. Owens' current 1,265 career points places her 12th. She is on pace to break into the top 10 all-time before season's end.
As a team, UC is second in the conference in scoring defense, giving up only 58.8 points per game. The Bearcats rank third in the AAC in field-goal percentage a contest with 44.8-percent shooting. The Red & Black also rounds out the top three in The American in assists with 15.8 per and is fourth-best in the league with a 32.9-percent shooting clip from beyond the 3-point arc.
Individually on the year, Thomas is tops in the AAC in field-goal percentage at 60.7-percent. Sophomore guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) leads the league in 3-point field-goal percentage at 54.5-percent. Owens ranks third in the conference in free-throw percentage with 93.5-percent shooting. Johnson is fourth best in The American in steals with 2.6 per game.
// SCOUTING THE BULLS
USF (11-3, 1-0 AAC) opened AAC play on New Year's Eve with a dominant 75-46 win over Tulane. Maria Jespersen finished with a game-high 17 points and 11 rebounds in the senior's eighth double-double outing. In addition, junior guard Kitija Laksa added 14 points, while sophomore post Tamara Henshaw also scored 14.
For the season, Laksa averages a league-best 22.2 points per game, while Jespersen grabs a team-high 9.8 rebounds a contest. Senior point guard Laia Flores is tops in the AAC with 6.9 assists each game.
The Bulls outrebound their opponents by a conference-best 11 boards a game and knock down an also league-high 9.8 3-point field goals per contest. USF averages 80.3 point a game, shoots the ball from the field at a 46.2-percent clip, and buries 75.1-percent of its free throws.
In the preseason, the Bulls were picked to finish second in the 12-team AAC with Laksa and Jespersen each earning spots on the preseason all-conference teams.