TicketsCINCINNATI – In the opening round of the 2019 Women's National Invitation Postseason Tournament (WNIT), University of Cincinnati women's basketball will host the Youngstown State Penguins on Thursday, March 21 for a 7 p.m. tipoff at Fifth Third Arena.
// TICKETS
Single-game general admission tickets for the first two rounds of the tournament are only $5, while reserved seating inside the Champions Club is just $7. Season ticket holders will have the opportunity to reserve their season seat locations by calling 1-877-CATS-TIX. UC and YSU students can gain free admission to Fifth Third Arena (FTA) by presenting their valid student ID. UC faculty and staff (and guests) can also get in free by showing their Bearcat Card at the ticket office. Children three years of age and under, too, will receive free admission. Tickets can be purchased by either calling 1-877-CATS-TIX, logging onto GoBEARCATS.com/Tickets, or by visiting the FTA ticket office on gameday.
// PARKING
Cash parking will be available at Corry Garage on campus for $5.
// GOING LIVE
The game will be streamed live on Bearcats TV, while live stats can be accessed here.
// GAME PROMOTIONS
Fans are encouraged to join the Bearcats in wearing white. White t-shirts will be given away to fans upon entrance to the arena. In addition, the usual postgame autograph session will take place on the court.
// THE SERIES
The Bearcats hold a 6-0 all-time series advantage against the Penguins. The two teams last met in 2013 in Youngstown, Ohio when UC came away with an 83-62 victory. The last matchup between the squads in Cincinnati was in 2012 when the Red & Black picked up a 57-46 win at FTA. The Bearcats have won by an average of 11 points over the six meetings.
// LAST TIME OUT
Reaching the American Athletic Conference Championship semifinals for the second-consecutive season, No. 3 seed UC (21-10, 12-4 AAC) fell to the second-seeded UCF Knights, 66-58, on March 10 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. After an even first half, the Bearcats let the game get away from them in the second as they were outscored by the Knights 12-9 in the third quarter and 20-15 in the fourth to end their AAC Championship run. Three UC players scored in double figures on the night with sophomore forward IImar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) leading the way with 16 points and eight rebounds. Thomas was joined with double-figure scoring by junior guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) who scored 13 points -- including three made 3-pointers -- and junior guard Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup) who added 12 points, six assists, four rebounds, and two steals. In addition, senior guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) buried a trio of triples for nine points.
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
The postseason selection marks the second-straight year the Bearcats have been tabbed for the WNIT. Last season, UC was edged 81-75 at Michigan State in the tournament's first round. In total, the Red & Black has made the WNIT nine times and holds a 3-5 all-time record.
The Bearcats' historic accomplishments this season include their first 20-win season since 2003, first time with 12 or more conference wins since 1999, highest-ever finish in the AAC (third place), and first time with three or more regular-season conference honorees since 2003.
The trio of Thomas, Miller, and junior guard Florence Sifa (Bujumbura, Burundi/Jacksonville College) were each recognized with AAC regular season honors. Thomas was selected First Team All-Conference, Miller Second Team, and Sifa Newcomer of the Year. The recognition marks back-to-back years UC has had multiple AAC regular season honorees after Thomas won Freshman of the Year and Ana Owens was chosen for the Third Team in 2018. In addition, Thomas' selection is the Bearcats' first First Team honoree in its six years in the AAC.
The Bearcats have created a formidable home-court advantage inside newly-renovated Fifth Third Arena this season with a 14-2 home record in 2018-19. UC reeled off nine-consecutive victories at home before dropping a close one to No. 2 UConn on Feb. 2. In total, the Red & Black boasts a 73-percent (38-14) winning percentage on their home floor over the last three years.
Thomas was named American Player of the Week for the second time this season on March 5 after averaging 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game as the Bearcats went 2-0 over the previous week. On the year, she is 12th in the country in field-goal percentage at 60.7 percent which is currently second-best in a season in program history. In addition, junior forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) was tabbed for the Weekly Honor Roll on March 5 after posting averages of 14.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in UC's pair of wins the week prior. Thomas has received weekly recognition by the league five times this season, including her first Player of the Week on Dec. 17, 2018. In total, the sophomore has garnered weekly AAC accolades 10 times in her young career. The honor is the first of Rizor's career.
Sifa had a long, winding journey to NCAA Division I basketball, but is thriving at UC. Having experienced civil war and political unrest in her east African home country of Burundi, Sifa followed her basketball dream to junior college in Jacksonville, Texas and now to Cincinnati. An athletic guard, she has proven to be a great, late addition to the Bearcats roster with 7.6 points and 3.0 rebounds per game through 29 contests. Sifa earned her first AAC Weekly Honor Roll distinction on Feb. 25 after averaging 15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.5 steals per game as the Bearcats won both of their contests the previous week.
Miller is being leaned on to step up this year after the graduation of Owens who scored 1,469 points and dished out 404 assists in her UC career. She has responded by impacting the game in a variety of ways with 12.7 points, 5.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game so far in 2018-19. Her assists per game mark (5.4) ranks second in the AAC and 28th in the country and her current 167 total assists ranks as fourth-best in a season in program history. Additionally, her assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1) is 49th-best in NCAA Division I. Miller has been named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll twice this season, most recently on Feb. 11 following her career day of 23 points against Wichita State.
Goings has shown a steady progression throughout her Bearcats career and is stepping up in her senior season. After averaging 2.7 points per game as a freshman, 6.1 as a sophomore, and a team-best 11.2 as a junior, the guard is averaging 9.2 points each contest in 2018-19. After suffering a sprained ankle at UConn on Jan. 9, the senior scored 11 points at UCF the following game with three made 3-pointers. Goings' streak of five-straight games – off the bench -- with double-figure scoring was snapped against Tulsa on Feb. 20 with nine points. The Georgia native earned her first AAC Weekly Honor Roll accolade on Feb. 4 after averaging 16.0 points, 2.0 steals, and 2.0 rebounds as the Bearcats split a pair of games the week prior. In her career, the sharpshooter is sixth all-time in program history in made 3-pointers with 153.
UC's 12 conference wins were each very impressive. On average, the Bearcats won by 17 points, featuring a league-play-best, 28-point wallop of Wichita State on Feb. 10. The Red & Black registered six wins by 20 points or more, including three of its last seven.
Rodgers picked up her first AAC Weekly Honor Roll distinction on Jan.7 after recording a career performance on Jan. 6 in UC's AAC-opening, 69-57 home victory over SMU. The Cincinnati native scored a career-best 20 points – 17 of which came in the first half – including a career-high five 3-pointers. The guard was a catalyst in a game-changing, late-second-quarter, 15-0 Bearcats run with three triples. In addition, she tallied another career mark with two blocks.
UC signed a talented, six-member recruiting class for the 2019-20 season on Nov. 11. Stretching from the Mid-Atlantic to the Southeast and all the way to Africa, head coach Michelle Clark-Heard's inaugural Bearcats signing class features players who are tenacious, versatile, and true winners. Signees include: 6-foot-2 forward Jana Abdullah (Alexandria, Egypt/King Integrated American School), 5-foot-6 point guard Aleah Nelson (Nottingham, Md./McDonogh High School), 6-foot-1 wing Jada Scott (Townsend, Ga./Frederica Academy), 6-foot-1 forward Jadyn Scott (Townsend, Ga./Frederica Academy), 5-foot-8 guard Jordan Tuff (Kernersville, N.C./Connections Academy), and 5-foot-8 guard Chellia Watson (Winder, Ga./Window-Barrow High School). Nelson and Tuff were both recently nominated for selection for the 2019 McDonald's All American Game. The Scott twins' brother, Trevon, is a redshirt junior forward on the UC men's basketball team.
Leading UC this year will be head coach Michelle Clark-Heard who was an assistant at UC from 2002-05 and spent the previous six seasons as the head coach at Western Kentucky. In six seasons at WKU, Clark-Heard reached four NCAA Tournaments, won four conference tournament championships and two regular season conference titles while posting 154 wins, becoming the second-fastest Lady Topper coach to reach 100 victories with the program. She amassed a 154-48 (.762) record at WKU and a 178-80 (.690) career mark. Clark-Heard has led her teams to six-consecutive 20-win seasons and six-straight appearances in the postseason (four NCAA, two WNIT).
// SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
YSU (22-9, 13-5 Horizon) earned an at-large berth into the WNIT after going 22-9 and advancing to the semifinals of the Little Caesars Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship. A conference-high three Penguins were named to the Horizon League first and second teams. Junior Mary Dunn was a first-team selection and was also voted the Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year. Fifth-year senior and fellow post Sarah Cash and sophomore guard Chelsea Olson earned second-team nods. Senior guard Alison Smolinski leads the Penguins with 12.9 points per game, while Cash and Dunn chip in 12.7 and 12.6, respectively. In addition, Olson adds 10.3 points and a team-high 7.1 rebounds each contest. YSU leads the Horizon League in scoring margin (+12.1), field-goal percentage (.422), free-throw percentage (.769), 3-point field-goal percentage (.337), assists (15.5), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1), and 3-pointers per game (8.6).
// FIFTH THIRD ARENA REOPENS
After a 20-month, privately funded, $87-million renovation, Fifth Third Arena reopens in 2018-19. With the arena under renovation, the Bearcats played the 2017-18 season off campus at both Saint Ursula Academy (16 games) and Cincinnati State (two games). UC posted a 12-6 home mark last year.
// TICKETS
Single-game general admission tickets for the first two rounds of the tournament are only $5, while reserved seating inside the Champions Club is just $7. Season ticket holders will have the opportunity to reserve their season seat locations by calling 1-877-CATS-TIX. UC and YSU students can gain free admission to Fifth Third Arena (FTA) by presenting their valid student ID. UC faculty and staff (and guests) can also get in free by showing their Bearcat Card at the ticket office. Children three years of age and under, too, will receive free admission. Tickets can be purchased by either calling 1-877-CATS-TIX, logging onto GoBEARCATS.com/Tickets, or by visiting the FTA ticket office on gameday.
// PARKING
Cash parking will be available at Corry Garage on campus for $5.
// GOING LIVE
The game will be streamed live on Bearcats TV, while live stats can be accessed here.
// GAME PROMOTIONS
Fans are encouraged to join the Bearcats in wearing white. White t-shirts will be given away to fans upon entrance to the arena. In addition, the usual postgame autograph session will take place on the court.
// THE SERIES
The Bearcats hold a 6-0 all-time series advantage against the Penguins. The two teams last met in 2013 in Youngstown, Ohio when UC came away with an 83-62 victory. The last matchup between the squads in Cincinnati was in 2012 when the Red & Black picked up a 57-46 win at FTA. The Bearcats have won by an average of 11 points over the six meetings.
// LAST TIME OUT
Reaching the American Athletic Conference Championship semifinals for the second-consecutive season, No. 3 seed UC (21-10, 12-4 AAC) fell to the second-seeded UCF Knights, 66-58, on March 10 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. After an even first half, the Bearcats let the game get away from them in the second as they were outscored by the Knights 12-9 in the third quarter and 20-15 in the fourth to end their AAC Championship run. Three UC players scored in double figures on the night with sophomore forward IImar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) leading the way with 16 points and eight rebounds. Thomas was joined with double-figure scoring by junior guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) who scored 13 points -- including three made 3-pointers -- and junior guard Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup) who added 12 points, six assists, four rebounds, and two steals. In addition, senior guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) buried a trio of triples for nine points.
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
The postseason selection marks the second-straight year the Bearcats have been tabbed for the WNIT. Last season, UC was edged 81-75 at Michigan State in the tournament's first round. In total, the Red & Black has made the WNIT nine times and holds a 3-5 all-time record.
The Bearcats' historic accomplishments this season include their first 20-win season since 2003, first time with 12 or more conference wins since 1999, highest-ever finish in the AAC (third place), and first time with three or more regular-season conference honorees since 2003.
The trio of Thomas, Miller, and junior guard Florence Sifa (Bujumbura, Burundi/Jacksonville College) were each recognized with AAC regular season honors. Thomas was selected First Team All-Conference, Miller Second Team, and Sifa Newcomer of the Year. The recognition marks back-to-back years UC has had multiple AAC regular season honorees after Thomas won Freshman of the Year and Ana Owens was chosen for the Third Team in 2018. In addition, Thomas' selection is the Bearcats' first First Team honoree in its six years in the AAC.
The Bearcats have created a formidable home-court advantage inside newly-renovated Fifth Third Arena this season with a 14-2 home record in 2018-19. UC reeled off nine-consecutive victories at home before dropping a close one to No. 2 UConn on Feb. 2. In total, the Red & Black boasts a 73-percent (38-14) winning percentage on their home floor over the last three years.
Thomas was named American Player of the Week for the second time this season on March 5 after averaging 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game as the Bearcats went 2-0 over the previous week. On the year, she is 12th in the country in field-goal percentage at 60.7 percent which is currently second-best in a season in program history. In addition, junior forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) was tabbed for the Weekly Honor Roll on March 5 after posting averages of 14.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in UC's pair of wins the week prior. Thomas has received weekly recognition by the league five times this season, including her first Player of the Week on Dec. 17, 2018. In total, the sophomore has garnered weekly AAC accolades 10 times in her young career. The honor is the first of Rizor's career.
Sifa had a long, winding journey to NCAA Division I basketball, but is thriving at UC. Having experienced civil war and political unrest in her east African home country of Burundi, Sifa followed her basketball dream to junior college in Jacksonville, Texas and now to Cincinnati. An athletic guard, she has proven to be a great, late addition to the Bearcats roster with 7.6 points and 3.0 rebounds per game through 29 contests. Sifa earned her first AAC Weekly Honor Roll distinction on Feb. 25 after averaging 15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.5 steals per game as the Bearcats won both of their contests the previous week.
Miller is being leaned on to step up this year after the graduation of Owens who scored 1,469 points and dished out 404 assists in her UC career. She has responded by impacting the game in a variety of ways with 12.7 points, 5.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game so far in 2018-19. Her assists per game mark (5.4) ranks second in the AAC and 28th in the country and her current 167 total assists ranks as fourth-best in a season in program history. Additionally, her assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1) is 49th-best in NCAA Division I. Miller has been named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll twice this season, most recently on Feb. 11 following her career day of 23 points against Wichita State.
Goings has shown a steady progression throughout her Bearcats career and is stepping up in her senior season. After averaging 2.7 points per game as a freshman, 6.1 as a sophomore, and a team-best 11.2 as a junior, the guard is averaging 9.2 points each contest in 2018-19. After suffering a sprained ankle at UConn on Jan. 9, the senior scored 11 points at UCF the following game with three made 3-pointers. Goings' streak of five-straight games – off the bench -- with double-figure scoring was snapped against Tulsa on Feb. 20 with nine points. The Georgia native earned her first AAC Weekly Honor Roll accolade on Feb. 4 after averaging 16.0 points, 2.0 steals, and 2.0 rebounds as the Bearcats split a pair of games the week prior. In her career, the sharpshooter is sixth all-time in program history in made 3-pointers with 153.
UC's 12 conference wins were each very impressive. On average, the Bearcats won by 17 points, featuring a league-play-best, 28-point wallop of Wichita State on Feb. 10. The Red & Black registered six wins by 20 points or more, including three of its last seven.
Rodgers picked up her first AAC Weekly Honor Roll distinction on Jan.7 after recording a career performance on Jan. 6 in UC's AAC-opening, 69-57 home victory over SMU. The Cincinnati native scored a career-best 20 points – 17 of which came in the first half – including a career-high five 3-pointers. The guard was a catalyst in a game-changing, late-second-quarter, 15-0 Bearcats run with three triples. In addition, she tallied another career mark with two blocks.
UC signed a talented, six-member recruiting class for the 2019-20 season on Nov. 11. Stretching from the Mid-Atlantic to the Southeast and all the way to Africa, head coach Michelle Clark-Heard's inaugural Bearcats signing class features players who are tenacious, versatile, and true winners. Signees include: 6-foot-2 forward Jana Abdullah (Alexandria, Egypt/King Integrated American School), 5-foot-6 point guard Aleah Nelson (Nottingham, Md./McDonogh High School), 6-foot-1 wing Jada Scott (Townsend, Ga./Frederica Academy), 6-foot-1 forward Jadyn Scott (Townsend, Ga./Frederica Academy), 5-foot-8 guard Jordan Tuff (Kernersville, N.C./Connections Academy), and 5-foot-8 guard Chellia Watson (Winder, Ga./Window-Barrow High School). Nelson and Tuff were both recently nominated for selection for the 2019 McDonald's All American Game. The Scott twins' brother, Trevon, is a redshirt junior forward on the UC men's basketball team.
Leading UC this year will be head coach Michelle Clark-Heard who was an assistant at UC from 2002-05 and spent the previous six seasons as the head coach at Western Kentucky. In six seasons at WKU, Clark-Heard reached four NCAA Tournaments, won four conference tournament championships and two regular season conference titles while posting 154 wins, becoming the second-fastest Lady Topper coach to reach 100 victories with the program. She amassed a 154-48 (.762) record at WKU and a 178-80 (.690) career mark. Clark-Heard has led her teams to six-consecutive 20-win seasons and six-straight appearances in the postseason (four NCAA, two WNIT).
// SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
YSU (22-9, 13-5 Horizon) earned an at-large berth into the WNIT after going 22-9 and advancing to the semifinals of the Little Caesars Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship. A conference-high three Penguins were named to the Horizon League first and second teams. Junior Mary Dunn was a first-team selection and was also voted the Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year. Fifth-year senior and fellow post Sarah Cash and sophomore guard Chelsea Olson earned second-team nods. Senior guard Alison Smolinski leads the Penguins with 12.9 points per game, while Cash and Dunn chip in 12.7 and 12.6, respectively. In addition, Olson adds 10.3 points and a team-high 7.1 rebounds each contest. YSU leads the Horizon League in scoring margin (+12.1), field-goal percentage (.422), free-throw percentage (.769), 3-point field-goal percentage (.337), assists (15.5), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1), and 3-pointers per game (8.6).
// FIFTH THIRD ARENA REOPENS
After a 20-month, privately funded, $87-million renovation, Fifth Third Arena reopens in 2018-19. With the arena under renovation, the Bearcats played the 2017-18 season off campus at both Saint Ursula Academy (16 games) and Cincinnati State (two games). UC posted a 12-6 home mark last year.