TicketsTAMPA, Fla. – University of Cincinnati women's basketball will play its final road American Athletic Conference regular season game of 2017-18 when it visits the No. 18 USF Bulls on Saturday, Feb. 24 for a 5 p.m. tipoff inside the Sun Dome.
// GOING LIVE
The game will be video broadcast live on GoUSFBulls.com. A live audio broadcast will be available on BearcatsTV. Live stats also can be accessed through GoUSFBulls.com.
// THE SERIES
Saturday's matchup will mark the 32nd all-time meeting between the two teams with the Bulls holding a 17-14 series advantage. Last time against USF on Jan. 3, UC dropped a 69-46 decision in this season's AAC home opener. Sophomore forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) led UC with 13 points, while freshman forward IImar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) posted 12. Overall, the Red & Black trails the all-time series, 9-5, in matchups played in Tampa, last recording a win in 2011.
// LAST TIME OUT
UC (17-10, 9-5 AAC) started strong and cruised to a 70-52 win at Temple on Wednesday afternoon at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia for its fourth-straight victory.
Aiming to extend its three-game winning streak, the Bearcats were impressive early on. With senior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) leading the charge, UC built up a 21-10 advantage at the end of one quarter and led by a then-game-high 13 points with eight minutes to go before halftime. Temple responded to cut its deficit to six, 26-20, with four minutes left in the second quarter. The Red & Black then edged the Owls, 6-4, over the duration of the period to take a 32-24 lead into intermission.
The Bearcats saw their advantage reduced to five with 7:01 remaining in the third quarter. UC responded with a 9-0 run over the next four minutes to jump back into the driver's seat. After TU ended the period with a 6-0 streak, the Red & Black bounced back to go ahead by 10 early in the final period. Subsequently, the Owls answered with a 5-0 burst to pull within five points. With the home team armed with the momentum in front of a raucous, Education Day crowd, the Bearcats reeled off a 10-0 run to take control of the game midway through the final stanza. The Red & Black stayed solid down the stretch on both ends of the court, resulting in a 70-52 victory.
The play of the seniors was the story of the day with the duo of Owens and forward Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe CC) combining for 48 of UC's 70 points. Owens set the tone early, scoring 16 points in the first half, totaling 24 for the game. She also recorded game highs of seven points and three assists. Playing in front of friends and family in her hometown, Johnson, too, poured in 24 for her first 20-plus point game of the season. The Philly native also posted five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. In addition, sophomore guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) and junior guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) chipped in seven and six points, respectively.
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
With four double-figure scorers, Goings is leading UC in scoring with 12.0 points per game, while Owens adds 11.1, Thomas 10.7, and Johnson 10.3. Johnson also averages team bests of 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals each contest. In addition, Owens' 4.0 assists per is a Bearcats best.
The Bearcats are continuing the momentum from last year's 16-14 campaign – their best season in a decade – and are striving for more. Currently sitting at 17-10 overall, UC's total wins matches when it went 17-12 in 2005-06. The Red & Black's next victory will tally its best mark since going 23-8 in 2002-03 in its last NCAA Tournament appearance. In addition, the Bearcats' current nine conference wins is their most since they won 11 in 2002-03 as a member of Conference USA.
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. After scoring 24 points at Temple on Wednesday, she surpassed Debbie Merrill (2002-04) to move into 11th place. Owens is also marked in the Bearcats record book as third all-time in minutes played (4,138), fourth in free-throw percentage (.832), fifth in made 3-pointers (187), fifth in assists (390), and is approaching the top 10 in games played with 118 – starting every game of her collegiate career.
As a team, UC is third in the conference in scoring margin (+6.9), rebounding margin (+4.8), assists per game (15.2), assist-to-turnover ratio (0.9), and defensive rebounds a contest (29.9). The Bearcats rank fourth in the league in scoring offense (68.1 ppg), scoring defense (61.2 ppg), field goal percentage (.425), and field goal percentage defense (.372). In addition, the Red & Black is fifth-best in free-throw percentage (.712).
Individually on the year, Thomas is runner-up in the AAC in field-goal percentage at 60.4 percent, with Rizor fifth at 57.1. Owens is second in the conference in free-throw percentage at 91.7 percent and is sixth in The American with 4.0 assists a contest. Johnson is eighth-best in the league in steals with 2.1 a game. In addition, Goings is sixth in the league in both 3-point field-goal percentage (.374) and 3-point makes (2.2 3pg).
// SCOUTING THE BULLS
USF (23-5, 12-2 AAC) defeated Houston, 81-65, on Wednesday night in Tampa and clinched the No. 2 seed in the AAC Championship. The Bulls utilized a suffocating 17-0 run at the end of the first half to spark their third 80-point outing in six games. Junior guard Kitija Laksa finished with 32 points, while senior forward Maria Jespersen added 19 points and 11 rebounds.
The Bulls rank in the top three in the conference in 14 categories, most notably first in 3-point field goals made (8.7 3pg), defensive rebounds (30.4 rpg), and rebounding margin (+10.7). In addition, USF ranks second in the league in scoring offense (76.2 ppg), scoring margin (+14.8), 3-point field-goal percentage (.351), assists (15.4 apg), and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3).
For the season, Laksa is second in the AAC in scoring with 20.9 point each contest. Jespersen chips in 18.3 points an outing and grabs an AAC-leading 9.8 rebounds a game. Senior guard Laia Flores dishes out a conference-high 6.4 assists per, while senior wing Laura Ferreira averages 10.1 points and swipes a team-best 1.4 steals each time out.
In the preseason, USF was picked to finish second in the 12-team AAC with Laksa and Jespersen first and second all-conference team selections, respectively.
// FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay connected with Bearcats Women's Basketball on Facebook (@GoBearcatsWBB), Twitter (@GoBearcatsWBB) and Instagram (@GoBearcatsWBB).
// GOING LIVE
The game will be video broadcast live on GoUSFBulls.com. A live audio broadcast will be available on BearcatsTV. Live stats also can be accessed through GoUSFBulls.com.
// THE SERIES
Saturday's matchup will mark the 32nd all-time meeting between the two teams with the Bulls holding a 17-14 series advantage. Last time against USF on Jan. 3, UC dropped a 69-46 decision in this season's AAC home opener. Sophomore forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) led UC with 13 points, while freshman forward IImar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) posted 12. Overall, the Red & Black trails the all-time series, 9-5, in matchups played in Tampa, last recording a win in 2011.
// LAST TIME OUT
UC (17-10, 9-5 AAC) started strong and cruised to a 70-52 win at Temple on Wednesday afternoon at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia for its fourth-straight victory.
Aiming to extend its three-game winning streak, the Bearcats were impressive early on. With senior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) leading the charge, UC built up a 21-10 advantage at the end of one quarter and led by a then-game-high 13 points with eight minutes to go before halftime. Temple responded to cut its deficit to six, 26-20, with four minutes left in the second quarter. The Red & Black then edged the Owls, 6-4, over the duration of the period to take a 32-24 lead into intermission.
The Bearcats saw their advantage reduced to five with 7:01 remaining in the third quarter. UC responded with a 9-0 run over the next four minutes to jump back into the driver's seat. After TU ended the period with a 6-0 streak, the Red & Black bounced back to go ahead by 10 early in the final period. Subsequently, the Owls answered with a 5-0 burst to pull within five points. With the home team armed with the momentum in front of a raucous, Education Day crowd, the Bearcats reeled off a 10-0 run to take control of the game midway through the final stanza. The Red & Black stayed solid down the stretch on both ends of the court, resulting in a 70-52 victory.
The play of the seniors was the story of the day with the duo of Owens and forward Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe CC) combining for 48 of UC's 70 points. Owens set the tone early, scoring 16 points in the first half, totaling 24 for the game. She also recorded game highs of seven points and three assists. Playing in front of friends and family in her hometown, Johnson, too, poured in 24 for her first 20-plus point game of the season. The Philly native also posted five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. In addition, sophomore guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) and junior guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) chipped in seven and six points, respectively.
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
With four double-figure scorers, Goings is leading UC in scoring with 12.0 points per game, while Owens adds 11.1, Thomas 10.7, and Johnson 10.3. Johnson also averages team bests of 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals each contest. In addition, Owens' 4.0 assists per is a Bearcats best.
The Bearcats are continuing the momentum from last year's 16-14 campaign – their best season in a decade – and are striving for more. Currently sitting at 17-10 overall, UC's total wins matches when it went 17-12 in 2005-06. The Red & Black's next victory will tally its best mark since going 23-8 in 2002-03 in its last NCAA Tournament appearance. In addition, the Bearcats' current nine conference wins is their most since they won 11 in 2002-03 as a member of Conference USA.
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. After scoring 24 points at Temple on Wednesday, she surpassed Debbie Merrill (2002-04) to move into 11th place. Owens is also marked in the Bearcats record book as third all-time in minutes played (4,138), fourth in free-throw percentage (.832), fifth in made 3-pointers (187), fifth in assists (390), and is approaching the top 10 in games played with 118 – starting every game of her collegiate career.
As a team, UC is third in the conference in scoring margin (+6.9), rebounding margin (+4.8), assists per game (15.2), assist-to-turnover ratio (0.9), and defensive rebounds a contest (29.9). The Bearcats rank fourth in the league in scoring offense (68.1 ppg), scoring defense (61.2 ppg), field goal percentage (.425), and field goal percentage defense (.372). In addition, the Red & Black is fifth-best in free-throw percentage (.712).
Individually on the year, Thomas is runner-up in the AAC in field-goal percentage at 60.4 percent, with Rizor fifth at 57.1. Owens is second in the conference in free-throw percentage at 91.7 percent and is sixth in The American with 4.0 assists a contest. Johnson is eighth-best in the league in steals with 2.1 a game. In addition, Goings is sixth in the league in both 3-point field-goal percentage (.374) and 3-point makes (2.2 3pg).
// SCOUTING THE BULLS
USF (23-5, 12-2 AAC) defeated Houston, 81-65, on Wednesday night in Tampa and clinched the No. 2 seed in the AAC Championship. The Bulls utilized a suffocating 17-0 run at the end of the first half to spark their third 80-point outing in six games. Junior guard Kitija Laksa finished with 32 points, while senior forward Maria Jespersen added 19 points and 11 rebounds.
The Bulls rank in the top three in the conference in 14 categories, most notably first in 3-point field goals made (8.7 3pg), defensive rebounds (30.4 rpg), and rebounding margin (+10.7). In addition, USF ranks second in the league in scoring offense (76.2 ppg), scoring margin (+14.8), 3-point field-goal percentage (.351), assists (15.4 apg), and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3).
For the season, Laksa is second in the AAC in scoring with 20.9 point each contest. Jespersen chips in 18.3 points an outing and grabs an AAC-leading 9.8 rebounds a game. Senior guard Laia Flores dishes out a conference-high 6.4 assists per, while senior wing Laura Ferreira averages 10.1 points and swipes a team-best 1.4 steals each time out.
In the preseason, USF was picked to finish second in the 12-team AAC with Laksa and Jespersen first and second all-conference team selections, respectively.
// FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay connected with Bearcats Women's Basketball on Facebook (@GoBearcatsWBB), Twitter (@GoBearcatsWBB) and Instagram (@GoBearcatsWBB).