TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati women's basketball will host the USF Bulls on Sunday, Feb. 2 at noon at Fifth Third Arena.
// GOING LIVE
The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU. A live audio stream will be available on Bearcats TV, while live stats can be accessed here.
// THE SERIES
Sunday will be the 36th all-time meeting between the two teams – including the second this season -- with USF holding a 19-16 series advantage. In the most recent matchup on Jan. 5, the Bearcats saw their run of six-straight wins come to an end with a 76-68 loss at USF to begin American Athletic Conference (AAC) play. Junior forward IImar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) scored a game-high 23 points and was joined in double figures by senior guard Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup) with 19, senior forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) with 12, and senior guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) with 10. In matchups in Cincinnati, the series is tied at seven games apiece with the Red & Black picking up a 57-43 victory on Senior Day last season. Rizor and Thomas both scored a team-high 13 points in the regular season home finale.
// LAST TIME OUT
UC (13-7, 4-3 AAC) dropped an 80-50 decision Thursday at No. 4 UConn. Miller had 19 points for the Bearcats (13-7, 4-3), who had won four of their last five games. Thomas, the conference's leading scorer, scored 12 points, almost nine below her season average. The game was tied at 7-7 early, before UConn went on a 15-0 run and appeared to take control. The Huskies led 26-9 after 10 minutes, but were outscored 22-9 by Cincinnati in the second. Thomas's first basket, a turn-around jumper, cut the UConn lead to 26-13 and the Bearcats kept chipping away. They pulled to within four points of the Huskies at halftime after a 3-pointer from Miller. UConn outscored the Bearcats 19-9 in the third quarter and 26-10 in the fourth.
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Thomas picked up her third American Athletic Conference (AAC) Player of the Week award of the season – and the sixth of her career -- on Monday after averaging 27.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 70% shooting from the field last week as the Bearcats won back-to-back conference home games. She scored a career-high 35 points in an 85-66 win Jan. 22 against Houston. The forward also grabbed 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. Thomas continued her strong play with 19 points, seven rebounds, and three assists Jan. 26 against Temple. Thomas has collected weekly conference honors seven times in 2019-20. In addition, she was picked as Citizen Watch Naismith Trophy Women's Player of the Week and College Sports Madness National Player of the Week.
The Bearcats have created a formidable home-court advantage inside newly-renovated Fifth Third Arena with a 27-4 home record going back to last season. In total, the Red & Black boasts a 76% (51-16) winning percentage on their home floor over the last four seasons. Currently, UC has won nine-straight games at home, last coming up short on Nov. 13, 2019 vs. Ohio State.
On the season, Thomas is averaging an AAC-best 20.3 points per game, including 22.3 per in conference play. Her team-leading 8.4 rebounds each time out ranks as seventh-best in The American and her 59.8% shooting from the field – and 64.5% in league play – also ranks first in the conference. Furthermore on the season, she averages 3.7 offensive rebounds (3rd in AAC) and 81.3% free-throw shooting (4th in AAC). Nationally, the junior ranks sixth in field goals made (159), 10th in field goal percentage (59.8%), and 12th in total points (405).
Needing 10 points to reach 1,000 for her career, Thomas posted 21 points on Dec. 30 against Coppin State to become the 27th member of the UC women's basketball 1,000-point club. Now with 1,167 career points, Thomas currently ranks in a tie for 16th on the all-time scoring list and is climbing. The junior was the first Bearcats 1,000-point scorer since guard Ana Owens reached the milestone in 2017.
Miller has had a strong senior season to date. After a stellar start to the year, highlighted by six-straight games of double-figure scoring, she was sidelined for four games with injury. Now again in the lineup and back to her usual workload, the senior scored a career-high 27 points at Memphis on Jan. 8 and added team highs of 20, 21, and 19 points, respectively, against Tulane on Jan. 18, Temple on Jan. 26, and at No. 4 UConn on Thursday, among other solid performances. In league play, she is posting 20.0 points each outing, which is second-best in The American, and 4.7 assists per. She recently became the 28th member of the program's 1,000-point club on Jan. 26 vs. Temple.
Following a career day of 20 points and five steals in the Crosstown Shootout at Xavier on Dec. 14, Rizor was picked for the AAC Weekly Honor Roll on Dec. 16. A week prior, the forward was named to the AAC weekly honor roll after averaging 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game as the Bearcats went 2-0. The senior currently is 21st in the conference in scoring (11.2 PPG) and 13th in rebounding (6.4 RPG). She is also second in the league in free-throw shooting (84.2%) and 12th in steals (1.8).
On the heels of back-to-back impressive showings, Rodgers was picked for the AAC Weekly Honor Roll on Monday, Dec. 23. She collected the honor after averaging 15.5 points, 57.1% shooting (5-of-9) from 3-point range, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 steals in helping UC to a pair of wins on the week. The weekly league honor was Rodgers' first of this season and the second of her career. For the season, the Cincinnati native is averaging 8.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.3 steals a contest. In addition, her assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6) is fifth-best in the AAC, while her 36.7 minutes each outing is second-most in the league.
UC's 86-40 defeat of Coppin State on Dec. 30 was the Bearcats' largest margin of victory since Dec. 4, 1982 when they defeated Carlow 101-24 on a neutral floor in Pittsburgh. The win also capped a perfect 6-0 record during the month of December. The last time UC recorded a perfect month of competition came in 2011 when they started the season with a 5-0 record during November.
UC's 98-point scoring output vs. Miami (OH) on Dec. 8 was the most since tallying 96 at home vs. Valparaiso (96-69) on Nov. 16, 2007. The last time the Bearcats scored more than 98 was in 2003 when they netted 105 vs. Charleston Southern. UC's record scoring output is 109 at Marquette in 1992.
Announced at AAC Basketball Media Day on Oct. 14, UC was selected to finish in a tie for third in the 12-team league. In addition, Miller and Thomas were both tabbed for the preseason all-conference second team. Chosen by the league's head coaches, the predicted finish is the highest the Bearcats have ever received in their seven years in The American, while the preseason all-conference accolades are the first since Alyesha Lovett received second team all-AAC honors in 2014.
UC will aim to continue the momentum from last year's historic season which included consecutive postseason wins for the first time in program history (WNIT quarterfinals), first 20-win season (24) since 2003, first time with 12 conference wins since 1999, and highest-ever finish in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) (third place).
// SCOUTING THE BULLS
USF (13-8, 5-2 AAC) is coming off a 74-45 win over Houston on Wednesday. Elena Tsineke tied her career-high with 20 points, while Sydni Harvey and Bethy Mununga added 15 and 11 points, respectively. USF has three players – Tsineke (12.0), Harvey (11.2) and Bethy Mununga (10.3) – averaging double-figure points, and three others netting 7.8 points per game or better. The Bulls bury nearly eight 3-pointers a game and outrebound their opponents by 10 boards per. In the previous meeting this season against the Bearcats, USF was led by 19 points by Tsineke, 18 by Harvey, 16 from Mununga, and 10 by Kristyna Brabencova in the win. In the preseason, USF was picked to finish second in the 12-team AAC with junior guard Enna Pehadzic a Second Team selection.
// TICKET INFO
Single-game tickets for the 2019-20 UC women's basketball season are on sale now. General admission tickets for most games are available at $7, while Champions Club tickets are $10. Season tickets are on sale starting at just $50.
// PLAY4KAY FREE THROW CHALLENGE
Participate all month long in the Play4Kay National Free Throw Challenge. Pledge today here: https://pledgeit.org/cincinnati-play4kay.
// GET CONNECTED
Stay up to date with the team by following the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @GoBearcatsWBB.
// GOING LIVE
The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU. A live audio stream will be available on Bearcats TV, while live stats can be accessed here.
// THE SERIES
Sunday will be the 36th all-time meeting between the two teams – including the second this season -- with USF holding a 19-16 series advantage. In the most recent matchup on Jan. 5, the Bearcats saw their run of six-straight wins come to an end with a 76-68 loss at USF to begin American Athletic Conference (AAC) play. Junior forward IImar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) scored a game-high 23 points and was joined in double figures by senior guard Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup) with 19, senior forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) with 12, and senior guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) with 10. In matchups in Cincinnati, the series is tied at seven games apiece with the Red & Black picking up a 57-43 victory on Senior Day last season. Rizor and Thomas both scored a team-high 13 points in the regular season home finale.
// LAST TIME OUT
UC (13-7, 4-3 AAC) dropped an 80-50 decision Thursday at No. 4 UConn. Miller had 19 points for the Bearcats (13-7, 4-3), who had won four of their last five games. Thomas, the conference's leading scorer, scored 12 points, almost nine below her season average. The game was tied at 7-7 early, before UConn went on a 15-0 run and appeared to take control. The Huskies led 26-9 after 10 minutes, but were outscored 22-9 by Cincinnati in the second. Thomas's first basket, a turn-around jumper, cut the UConn lead to 26-13 and the Bearcats kept chipping away. They pulled to within four points of the Huskies at halftime after a 3-pointer from Miller. UConn outscored the Bearcats 19-9 in the third quarter and 26-10 in the fourth.
// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Thomas picked up her third American Athletic Conference (AAC) Player of the Week award of the season – and the sixth of her career -- on Monday after averaging 27.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 70% shooting from the field last week as the Bearcats won back-to-back conference home games. She scored a career-high 35 points in an 85-66 win Jan. 22 against Houston. The forward also grabbed 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. Thomas continued her strong play with 19 points, seven rebounds, and three assists Jan. 26 against Temple. Thomas has collected weekly conference honors seven times in 2019-20. In addition, she was picked as Citizen Watch Naismith Trophy Women's Player of the Week and College Sports Madness National Player of the Week.
The Bearcats have created a formidable home-court advantage inside newly-renovated Fifth Third Arena with a 27-4 home record going back to last season. In total, the Red & Black boasts a 76% (51-16) winning percentage on their home floor over the last four seasons. Currently, UC has won nine-straight games at home, last coming up short on Nov. 13, 2019 vs. Ohio State.
On the season, Thomas is averaging an AAC-best 20.3 points per game, including 22.3 per in conference play. Her team-leading 8.4 rebounds each time out ranks as seventh-best in The American and her 59.8% shooting from the field – and 64.5% in league play – also ranks first in the conference. Furthermore on the season, she averages 3.7 offensive rebounds (3rd in AAC) and 81.3% free-throw shooting (4th in AAC). Nationally, the junior ranks sixth in field goals made (159), 10th in field goal percentage (59.8%), and 12th in total points (405).
Needing 10 points to reach 1,000 for her career, Thomas posted 21 points on Dec. 30 against Coppin State to become the 27th member of the UC women's basketball 1,000-point club. Now with 1,167 career points, Thomas currently ranks in a tie for 16th on the all-time scoring list and is climbing. The junior was the first Bearcats 1,000-point scorer since guard Ana Owens reached the milestone in 2017.
Miller has had a strong senior season to date. After a stellar start to the year, highlighted by six-straight games of double-figure scoring, she was sidelined for four games with injury. Now again in the lineup and back to her usual workload, the senior scored a career-high 27 points at Memphis on Jan. 8 and added team highs of 20, 21, and 19 points, respectively, against Tulane on Jan. 18, Temple on Jan. 26, and at No. 4 UConn on Thursday, among other solid performances. In league play, she is posting 20.0 points each outing, which is second-best in The American, and 4.7 assists per. She recently became the 28th member of the program's 1,000-point club on Jan. 26 vs. Temple.
Following a career day of 20 points and five steals in the Crosstown Shootout at Xavier on Dec. 14, Rizor was picked for the AAC Weekly Honor Roll on Dec. 16. A week prior, the forward was named to the AAC weekly honor roll after averaging 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game as the Bearcats went 2-0. The senior currently is 21st in the conference in scoring (11.2 PPG) and 13th in rebounding (6.4 RPG). She is also second in the league in free-throw shooting (84.2%) and 12th in steals (1.8).
On the heels of back-to-back impressive showings, Rodgers was picked for the AAC Weekly Honor Roll on Monday, Dec. 23. She collected the honor after averaging 15.5 points, 57.1% shooting (5-of-9) from 3-point range, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 steals in helping UC to a pair of wins on the week. The weekly league honor was Rodgers' first of this season and the second of her career. For the season, the Cincinnati native is averaging 8.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.3 steals a contest. In addition, her assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6) is fifth-best in the AAC, while her 36.7 minutes each outing is second-most in the league.
UC's 86-40 defeat of Coppin State on Dec. 30 was the Bearcats' largest margin of victory since Dec. 4, 1982 when they defeated Carlow 101-24 on a neutral floor in Pittsburgh. The win also capped a perfect 6-0 record during the month of December. The last time UC recorded a perfect month of competition came in 2011 when they started the season with a 5-0 record during November.
UC's 98-point scoring output vs. Miami (OH) on Dec. 8 was the most since tallying 96 at home vs. Valparaiso (96-69) on Nov. 16, 2007. The last time the Bearcats scored more than 98 was in 2003 when they netted 105 vs. Charleston Southern. UC's record scoring output is 109 at Marquette in 1992.
Announced at AAC Basketball Media Day on Oct. 14, UC was selected to finish in a tie for third in the 12-team league. In addition, Miller and Thomas were both tabbed for the preseason all-conference second team. Chosen by the league's head coaches, the predicted finish is the highest the Bearcats have ever received in their seven years in The American, while the preseason all-conference accolades are the first since Alyesha Lovett received second team all-AAC honors in 2014.
UC will aim to continue the momentum from last year's historic season which included consecutive postseason wins for the first time in program history (WNIT quarterfinals), first 20-win season (24) since 2003, first time with 12 conference wins since 1999, and highest-ever finish in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) (third place).
// SCOUTING THE BULLS
USF (13-8, 5-2 AAC) is coming off a 74-45 win over Houston on Wednesday. Elena Tsineke tied her career-high with 20 points, while Sydni Harvey and Bethy Mununga added 15 and 11 points, respectively. USF has three players – Tsineke (12.0), Harvey (11.2) and Bethy Mununga (10.3) – averaging double-figure points, and three others netting 7.8 points per game or better. The Bulls bury nearly eight 3-pointers a game and outrebound their opponents by 10 boards per. In the previous meeting this season against the Bearcats, USF was led by 19 points by Tsineke, 18 by Harvey, 16 from Mununga, and 10 by Kristyna Brabencova in the win. In the preseason, USF was picked to finish second in the 12-team AAC with junior guard Enna Pehadzic a Second Team selection.
// TICKET INFO
Single-game tickets for the 2019-20 UC women's basketball season are on sale now. General admission tickets for most games are available at $7, while Champions Club tickets are $10. Season tickets are on sale starting at just $50.
// PLAY4KAY FREE THROW CHALLENGE
Participate all month long in the Play4Kay National Free Throw Challenge. Pledge today here: https://pledgeit.org/cincinnati-play4kay.
// GET CONNECTED
Stay up to date with the team by following the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @GoBearcatsWBB.