TicketsGAME #26 • TULANE at CINCINNATI
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2020
TIP: 4:02 PM (approx.)
FIFTH THIRD ARENA • CINCINNATI
TV: ESPNU (Cindy Brunson & Mike Thibault)
RADIO: BearcatsTV (Matt Noonan)
WEAR PINK
// THE GAME
The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team is set to return to action at home this weekend as the Bearcats (17-8, 8-4 AAC) will play host to Tulane (12-14, 7-6 AAC) at 4 p.m. Sunday inside Fifth Third Arena. The game, sponsored by UC Health, will be the team's annual Pink Game with fans being encouraged to wear pink.
// DOUBLE PLAY
Sunday will also be a big day of hoops as the UC men and women will play a doubleheader on the ESPN networks. First, the men will face Wichita State at 1 p.m. (ESPN) before the women meet Tulane at 4 p.m. (ESPNU).
// HOLD ONTO THAT TICKETIt's a Bearcats basketball 𝙙𝙤𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 this Sunday! 🏀
— Cincinnati Bearcats (@GoBEARCATS) February 20, 2020
After you watch Trevon and @GoBearcatsMBB take on Wichita State at 1 p.m., stay in your seat and catch his sisters and @GoBearcatsWBB face Tulane at 4 p.m. ⛹️♂️⛹️♀️ pic.twitter.com/peZGCGHb4j
All fans in attendance for the men's game are encouraged to remain for the women's game as their tickets are good for both. Season ticket holders for women's games will still be able to sit in their regular seats with hold overs from the men's game filling in around them.
// DRESS CODE
For Sunday's game with Tulane, which is sponsored by UC Health, fans are encouraged to wear PINK to the game.
// PLAY 4 KAYJoin the #Bearcats in February as we 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝟰 𝗞𝗮𝘆!
— Cincinnati W. Hoops (@GoBearcatsWBB) February 11, 2020
Click on the link below to pledge your support for every free throw we make in our home games all month long!
🔗 https://t.co/mepqhbyH0n#GiveStrength pic.twitter.com/WDLnw4CZqo
The Bearcats program is participating in the Play 4 Kay Free Throw Challenge this month which benefits the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Supporters can pledge a one-time donation or can pledge to donate a certain dollar amount for each free throw the Bearcats make during their home games in February. For more information and/or to pledge a donation, visit: https://pledgeit.org/cincinnati-play4kay.
// THE SERIES
UC leads, 17-16, all-time in the series with Tulane as the Green Wave drew within one game following their 64-59 win in New Orleans earlier this year (Jan. 18, 2020). The Bearcats are 8-5 in the series when hosting the game and won the last meeting, 83-52 (Feb. 10, 2018).
// LAST TIME OUT
The Bearcats prevailed on the road, 74-65, at Houston Tuesday night with both Angel Rizor (20-10) and IImar'I Thomas (16-13) recording double-doubles to lead the way. Antoinette Miller chipped in 17 points as she drained five treys as the Bearcats shot 50.9% from the floor to grab the tough road win in league play.
// TIP INS
• Cincinnati currently has 695 all-time victories, just four away from reaching the 700-victory milestone.
• Cincinnati has won 11 in a row at home following its 78-53 victory over visiting Tulsa. The streak is the 4th-longest in program history and the longest since UC won 13 in a row at home in the 2002-03 season.
• The Bearcats have created a formidable home-court advantage inside newly-renovated Fifth Third Arena with a 29-4 home record going back to last season. In total, the Red & Black boasts a 76.8% (53-16) winning percentage on their home floor over the last four seasons. Currently, UC has won 11 in a row at home, last coming up short on Nov. 13, 2019, vs. Ohio State (78-73, ot).
• With two current players in the 1,000-point club (Thomas & Miller), Angel Rizor is closing in on the group as she has scored 982 points in her career, leaving her 18 away.
// TICKETS ON SALE
Tickets for the 2020 American Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Championships are on sale now. The tournament will once again be held at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., and will take place March 6-9. To purchase your ticket, visit: https://cpaw.io/wbb20_aactourney.
// PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ahead of Sunday's game, the Bearcats are 12-2 at home and have won 11 in a row since falling to Ohio State in overtime, 78-73. With their win total so far this year, the Bearcats have posted 12+ home victories for the 13th time in program history and, a victory Sunday would mark the 10th time UC has won 13+.
// STREAKING
The 11-game home winning streak stands as the fourth-longest in program history. The longest stands at 13 in a row that the 2002-03 team pieced together on its way to a 15-2 record at home. Two other teams posted 12-game winning streaks, including the 2000-01 (15-2) and 1980-81 (17-2) squads.
// LOG JAM
Following mid-week action, the Bearcats' 8-4 league record has them tied with UCF for second place in the American with UConn having clinched at least a share of the regular-season crown with its 12-0 record. Just behind the Bearcats and Knights are both Temple and USF, who each stand 7-5 in AAC play, while Tulane is just behind them at 7-6. The final four games of the regular season will go a long way in determining final seedings for the upcoming AAC Championship Tournament (March 6-9).
// DOUBLE THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE
For the third time this year and the second time in six days, both Rizor and IImar'I Thomas combined to post double-doubles in the same game. Rizor's 20 and 10 was complimented by Thomas' 16 and 13 just six days after the duo posted 15-13 and 21-11, respectively, against Tulsa. The Houston game marked the third time the duo posted double-doubles in the same game with the first coming against Ohio State as Rizor posted 10 and 12 and Thomas added 25 and 12.
// CLOSING IN
Ahead of Tuesday's game at Houston, Angel Rizor needed 38 points to reach the 1,000-point milestone, a feat that would make her the 29th member in program history. Following the game, Rizor cut that magic number to 18 as she went off for a career-high 20 points on 10-of-14 shooting to draw closer to the mark. In the same game, she pulled down 10 rebounds to bring her career total 676, the ninth-most in program history.
// IN THE CLUB
When Rizor reaches 1,000 career points, she not only become the 29th member of the club at UC, but also will be third player on the current roster as both IImar'I Thomas (1,237) and Antoinette Miller (1,083) joined earlier this year. Following the game at Houston, Thomas is currently tied for 13th all-time in program history with Regina Williams (1985-89) while Miller sits 21st.
All-Time Scoring at Cincinnati
1. Cheryl Cook • 1982-85 • 2,367
12. Debbie Merrill • 2002-04 • 1,408
13. IImar'I Thomas • 2017-p. • 1,237
13. Regina Williams • 1985-89 • 1,237
20. Dayeesha Hollins • 2012-14 • 1,088
21. Antoinette Miller • 2016-p. • 1,083
29. Angel Rizor • 2016-p. • 982
// GIVING MOORE
At Houston Tuesday, Addaya Moore scored a career-high nine points as she was perfect from the floor, going 4-of-4. She also added three assists and one steal while logging 19 minutes.
// THIEF!
The Bearcats recorded 10 steals against the Cougars with Sam Rodgers recording a career-high five thefts in the game. Previously, her high was four (twice), most recently coming against Wichita State last year (2/10/19).
// DEFENSE
Last Saturday at UCF, the Bearcats limited the Knights to just four points in the first quarter and 15 points total in the first half. The four points in the first quarter marked the second time UC had limited an opponent to under 10 points in the opening quarter of play (9, Ball State) and the eighth time overall this year a team has been limited to under 10 points in any quarter. The four points also are the fewest allowed in any quarter this year, surpassing the five score by USF in the fourth quarter in Cincinnati February 2. Overall, the 15 points allowed in the first half are the fewest of any half this year, surpassing the 16 Coppin State scored in the first half earlier this year.
// RIZOR HONORED
Last week, Angel Rizor averaged 13.5 points and 9.0 rebounds and recorded her third double-double of the year, which helped earn her a place on this week's AAC Honor Roll. Against Tulsa, Rizor posted a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds, giving her back-to-back games with 13 boards as well. Then, in Sunday's defensive struggle at UCF, she led the team with 12 points and added five rebounds with one steal and one block. The award is her third of the year after she was named to the Honor Roll both December 9 and December 16.
// MILLER MAKING MOVES
Antoinette Miller also is on the move in the career record books as she already is among the Top 10 in assists and is nearly in the Top 10 in steals as well. With 362 dimes to her credit, Miller is #6 all-time at UC and recently passed Cheryl Cook (1982-85). Miller also has accumulated 150 steals, leaving her two shy of the #10 spot all-time. 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, among other solid performances. She also added 14 in the come-from-behind win against USF Feb. 2, scoring 10 of those points in the third quarter to help her earn a spot on the American's Honor Roll for the week. In league play, she is posting 16.8 points each outing, which is fifth-best in The American, and 4.0 assists per (7th in the league). She recently became the 28th member of the program's 1,000-point club on Jan. 26 vs. Temple.
// SHE'S ON FIRE!
For the second time in three games, one of UC's players went off from outside the arc and, this time, it was Antoinette Miller at Houston as the senior drained 5-of--8 trey attempts to tie a career high. Against Tulsa last week, Sam Rodgers caught fire from behind the arc as she too finished 5-of-8 for the day and tied her career-high for made treys in a contest.
// IIMAR'I PULLING RANK
On the season, Thomas is averaging 19.0 points per game (3rd in the AAC), including 18.8 per in conference play (also 3rd). Her team-leading 8.5 rebounds each time out ranks as sixth-best in The American and her 59.2% shooting from the field – and 62.1% in league play – also ranks first in the conference. Furthermore on the season, she averages 3.7 offensive rebounds (3rd in AAC) and 80.7% free-throw shooting (5th in AAC). Nationally, the junior ranks 11th in field goals made (181), 11th in field goal percentage (59.3%), and 23rd in total points (459).
PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// HISTORIC WIN
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.
// RODGERS HONORED
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, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.3 steals a contest. In addition, her assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6) is fourth-best in the AAC, while her 36.5 minutes each outing is fourth-most in the league.
// SCORING EXPLOSION
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.
// MILLER'S MEMORABLE SEASON
Antoinette Miller burst onto the scene in 2018-19, leading the Bearcats to their best season in over 15 years. Individually, she made a mark on the UC record book with a couple notable career statistical jumps. She entered this season ranked 5th all-time in minutes played (1,185) and 3rd all-time in assists (183).
// 2020 SIGNING CLASS
The University of Cincinnati women's basketball has signed a talented quartet of 2020 recruits, complete with highly-decorated student-athletes Riane Burton, Caitlin Elseser, Jillian Hayes, and Destiny Haymer.
Burton ranks as the No. 88 prospect nationally and a four-star recruit in the 2020 class by Prospects Nation … Tabbed as the No. 10 wing in the country in her class by ESPN … Averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds per game as a junior at Cypress Ranch High School ... Three-time First Team All-District honoree … 2018-19 All-Greater Houston First Teamer and All-State selection.
Elseser averaged 17 points and 7 rebounds per game as a junior at Liberty-Benton High School … Division III Third Team All-Ohio and Second Team All-Northwest District in 2019 … First Team Blanchard Valley Conference pick … Four-year high school volleyball letter winner who was recently a part of a state championship team.
Hayes ranks as the No. 116 prospect in the 2020 class by Collegiate Girls Basketball Report … Tabbed as a four-star recruit by Prospects Nation … Averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds per game as a junior at Loveland High School … Honorable Mention Division I All-Ohio and Second Team All-Southwest District in 2019 ... Father Jonathan is current head coach of the XFL's St. Louis BattleHawks, her mother, Kristi, a former Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year at Drake, and her brother, Jaxson, the 8th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and a current member of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Haymer ranks as the No. 12 junior college recruit in the 2020 class by All Star Girls Report (ASGR) ... First Team All-MACJC and NJCAA All-Region 23 pick in 2019 ... Averaged 12.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in a year ago ... In high school, was tabbed the 2017-18 Gatorade Mississippi Player of the Year ... Averaged 16.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.8 steals and 3.4 assists per game … Led the Jaguars to the 2016 5A state championship...Had 10 career triple-doubles and one quadruple-double.
// THOMAS ON TOP
After shooting 60.4% from the field in 2018-19, IImar'I Thomas' career field-goal percentage currently sits at 59.8% which is best in program history, trailed by Linda Norwell who shot 53.4% from 1974-77. Thomas was second in the conference and Top 15 nationally in shooting last season.
// CONTINUING MOMENTUM
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) (3rd).
// THEY'RE BACK
With nine newcomers to the program in 2019-20, the Red & Black returns five starters, as well as Illinois transfer Addaya Moore. Returning senior starters include 2019 second team all-AAC pick Miller, Rizor, and Sam Rodgers. In addition, first team all-conference honoree Thomas and reigning league Newcomer of the Year Florence Sifa are also back.
// UP NEXT
The second of two home games in a row awaits the Bearcats Wednesday as #7 UConn will come to town for a 7 p.m. contest inside Fifth Third Arena. The game will be aired live on SNY and ESPN3.