TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati women's basketball will return home for the first time in 10 days on Saturday when it hosts the Temple Owls for a 1 p.m. tipoff at Saint Ursula Academy Gymnasium & Convocation Center. 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 noon on Saturday. Free student shuttles to home UC women's basketball games will continue throughout the season.
// GAME PROMOTIONS
Saturday's game will celebrate Camper Appreciation Day with women's basketball campers encouraged to wear their camp t-shirt. Kids who attend the game are also invited to participate in a postgame shootaround on the court.
// 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
Saturday's matchup will be the eighth all-time meeting between the two teams with Temple holding a 6-1 series advantage. The Bearcats have come up short in the last five meetings with their only win in the series coming in 2014 in Philadelphia. In the last meeting, on Feb. 25, 2017, UC was defeated, 88-64, in Philly behind 15 points and six rebounds from forward Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe CC). In the last matchup between the two squads in Cincinnati, the Bearcats fell to the Owls, 74-49, on Feb. 9, 2016 with guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) scoring a team-best 15 points.
// LAST TIME OUT
UC (10-7, 2-2 AAC) topped the Houston Cougars, 88-82, on Wednesday night at H&PE Arena behind a season-high 27 points from Owens.
In already its third road AAC game of the young conference season, the Bearcats fell behind 4-0 but roared back to take a 24-18 advantage into the second quarter. The Red & Black increased its lead to as many as eight points in the second period but saw the Cougars end the half with a 17-10 run to bring the score to 41-40, UC, at the break.
With the score knotted at 48 with six minutes to go in the third quarter, the Bearcats ended the period with a 21-12 run to lead 69-60 heading into the fourth. After the Red & Black took a game-high 10-point advantage early in the final quarter, the Cougars answered with a 9-2 run with six minutes remaining. UC dug in down the stretch, though, outscoring the home team 16-13 to come away victorious, 88-82.
Owens led the way with a season-high 26 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Sophomore forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) pitched in a career-best 18 points as well as eight rebounds. In addition, sophomore guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) and freshman forward IImar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) each added 11 points in the win.
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Currently sidelined with an injury, Goings is leading UC in scoring with 13.1 points per game. Thomas is not far behind with 11.7 points a contest. Owens averages 11.1 points as well as a team-best 4.2 assists. Johnson is posting 9.5 points per, as well as a team-best 6.4 rebounds.
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 1,309 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 third in the conference in scoring defense, giving up only 61.1 points per game. The Bearcats also rank third in the AAC in field-goal percentage a contest with 43.3-percent shooting. In addition, the Red & Black rounds out the top three in The American in field goal percentage defense at 37.2 percent. Furthermore, the Red & Black is fourth-best in the league in scoring (68.1 points per) assists (15.2 per), and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.9).
Individually on the year, Thomas is tops in the AAC in field-goal percentage at 60.2-percent with Rizor second at 59.8. Owens is second in free-throw percentage at 90.9-percent and is fourth in The American with 4.2 assists a contest. Johnson rounds out the top four in steals with 2.4 a game.
// SCOUTING THE OWLS
Temple (9-6, 1-2 AAC) was upended by No. 25 USF on Wednesday night, falling 89-73 to the Bulls at McGonigle Hall. Senior guard Tanaya Atkinson tallied 27 points with six rebounds and four assists to lead the Owls. In addition, freshman forward Mia Davis finished with 15 points and eight boards, while freshman guard Emani Mayo ended her night with 11 points and a pair of steals.
For the season, Temple is led by Atkinson who averages AAC bests of 22.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Davis is second on the team with 12.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per outing. Mayo averages 8.5 points and 2.6 assists per game.
The Owls limit their opponents to 28.2-percent shooting from deep and grab 15.7 offensive rebounds per game. As a team, Temple shoots 38.8% from the field and 30.4% from three.The Owls have out-rebounded opponents by an average of 5.1 boards per game, but have a negative turnover margin (-1.9).
In the preseason, Temple was picked to finish third in the 12-team American with now-injured senior guard Alliya Butts on the preseason all-conference second team.
// 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 noon on Saturday. Free student shuttles to home UC women's basketball games will continue throughout the season.
// GAME PROMOTIONS
Saturday's game will celebrate Camper Appreciation Day with women's basketball campers encouraged to wear their camp t-shirt. Kids who attend the game are also invited to participate in a postgame shootaround on the court.
// 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
Saturday's matchup will be the eighth all-time meeting between the two teams with Temple holding a 6-1 series advantage. The Bearcats have come up short in the last five meetings with their only win in the series coming in 2014 in Philadelphia. In the last meeting, on Feb. 25, 2017, UC was defeated, 88-64, in Philly behind 15 points and six rebounds from forward Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe CC). In the last matchup between the two squads in Cincinnati, the Bearcats fell to the Owls, 74-49, on Feb. 9, 2016 with guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) scoring a team-best 15 points.
// LAST TIME OUT
UC (10-7, 2-2 AAC) topped the Houston Cougars, 88-82, on Wednesday night at H&PE Arena behind a season-high 27 points from Owens.
In already its third road AAC game of the young conference season, the Bearcats fell behind 4-0 but roared back to take a 24-18 advantage into the second quarter. The Red & Black increased its lead to as many as eight points in the second period but saw the Cougars end the half with a 17-10 run to bring the score to 41-40, UC, at the break.
With the score knotted at 48 with six minutes to go in the third quarter, the Bearcats ended the period with a 21-12 run to lead 69-60 heading into the fourth. After the Red & Black took a game-high 10-point advantage early in the final quarter, the Cougars answered with a 9-2 run with six minutes remaining. UC dug in down the stretch, though, outscoring the home team 16-13 to come away victorious, 88-82.
Owens led the way with a season-high 26 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Sophomore forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) pitched in a career-best 18 points as well as eight rebounds. In addition, sophomore guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) and freshman forward IImar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) each added 11 points in the win.
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Currently sidelined with an injury, Goings is leading UC in scoring with 13.1 points per game. Thomas is not far behind with 11.7 points a contest. Owens averages 11.1 points as well as a team-best 4.2 assists. Johnson is posting 9.5 points per, as well as a team-best 6.4 rebounds.
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 1,309 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 third in the conference in scoring defense, giving up only 61.1 points per game. The Bearcats also rank third in the AAC in field-goal percentage a contest with 43.3-percent shooting. In addition, the Red & Black rounds out the top three in The American in field goal percentage defense at 37.2 percent. Furthermore, the Red & Black is fourth-best in the league in scoring (68.1 points per) assists (15.2 per), and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.9).
Individually on the year, Thomas is tops in the AAC in field-goal percentage at 60.2-percent with Rizor second at 59.8. Owens is second in free-throw percentage at 90.9-percent and is fourth in The American with 4.2 assists a contest. Johnson rounds out the top four in steals with 2.4 a game.
// SCOUTING THE OWLS
Temple (9-6, 1-2 AAC) was upended by No. 25 USF on Wednesday night, falling 89-73 to the Bulls at McGonigle Hall. Senior guard Tanaya Atkinson tallied 27 points with six rebounds and four assists to lead the Owls. In addition, freshman forward Mia Davis finished with 15 points and eight boards, while freshman guard Emani Mayo ended her night with 11 points and a pair of steals.
For the season, Temple is led by Atkinson who averages AAC bests of 22.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Davis is second on the team with 12.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per outing. Mayo averages 8.5 points and 2.6 assists per game.
The Owls limit their opponents to 28.2-percent shooting from deep and grab 15.7 offensive rebounds per game. As a team, Temple shoots 38.8% from the field and 30.4% from three.The Owls have out-rebounded opponents by an average of 5.1 boards per game, but have a negative turnover margin (-1.9).
In the preseason, Temple was picked to finish third in the 12-team American with now-injured senior guard Alliya Butts on the preseason all-conference second team.