TicketsCINCINNATI – Sam Rodgers tied career highs in points (23) and rebounds (10) and posted her second career double-double while Antoinette Miller dropped 22 points to help the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team to a 76-53 victory on Senior Night over visiting ECU Monday night inside Fifth Third Arena. The win secured a share of second place in the American Athletic Conference for the Bearcats (20-9, 11-5 AAC), their highest finish in the AAC, while posting back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 2003.
// RUNNERS-UP
With their 11-5 record in conference play, the Bearcats secured a share of second place in the American, marking their highest finish in the AAC, surpassing last year's third-place showing. UC, which has not finished this high in league play since the 2002-03 season when the Bearcats also were second in Conference USA, earned the three seed in the upcoming American Tournament this weekend. Overall, the second-place finish for the Bearcats is their second-highest finish in program history, behind only the 1998-99 squad that shared the Conference USA regular season title with three others at 12-4.
// TIP INS
• Cincinnati finished the regular season with a 20-9 record overall and 11-5 in the AAC while ECU fell to 9-20 overall and 6-10 in the league
• The Bearcats finished in a tie for second with UCF in the league standings while the Pirates will finish ninth
• The second-place finish for the Bearcats in the conference standings ties for the second-best finish in program history behind only the 1998-99 squad that tied for the Conference USA title with three other teams
• The last time UC finished this high in the conference standings was the 2002-03 season when it also finished second in Conference USA
• The 11 league wins are the second-highest total in the AAC era for the Bearcats, surpassed by the 12 won last year, while tying for third-highest total in a season with the 2001-02 and 2002-03 teams (Conference USA)
• UC has won 20+ games in back-to-back seasons for the first since the 2000-01 (22), 2001-02 (27) and 2002-03 (23) seasons
• The Bearcats have won 20+ in back-to-back seasons for just the fourth time ever as well as the 1997-98 (21) and 1998-99 (22) teams also accomplished the feat
• Head Coach Michelle Clark-Heard is the first coach in program history to open her career with back-to-back 20+ win seasons as well
• UC allowed just five points to the Pirates in the second quarter, marking the 11th time the Bearcats' defense has held a foe to under 10 points in a quarter. It also tied for the second-lowest total allowed in a quarter this season behind only the four scored by UCF in the first quarter in Orlando February 15, 2020.
• Rodgers' night almost included the first triple-double for a UC player since 1992 as she tied career-highs with 23 points and 10 rebounds while adding a career-best eight assists, two more than her previous best
• Miller scored 22 points in the game, marking her 19th double-digit scoring game of the year and her eighth 20+ point game this season
• All four seniors scored on the night, totaling 59 of the team's 76 points as Rodgers (23) and Miller (22) were joined by Angel Rizor (12) and Florence Sifa (three)
// THE GAME
ECU took a 5-2 lead before the Bearcats got things going, including a pair of threes from Miller, who sparked an 8-0 run to help UC grab a lead they would not relinquish. After leading, 25-12, at the end of the first quarter, the Bearcats held the Pirates to just five points in the second while adding 13 more points to build a commanding 38-17 lead at the half. In the second half, the Bearcats again limited the Pirates' scoring as they outscored the visitors, 22-10, to build the lead further before grabbing the win as well.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats have clinched a first-round bye in the American Championship that starts Friday at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. As the #3 seed, the Bearcats will play their first game Saturday at approximately 8 p.m. against the winner of #6 SMU vs. #11 Memphis. The game will be aired live on ESPN3.
// GET CONNECTED
Stay up to date with the team by following the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @GoBearcatsWBB.
// RUNNERS-UP
With their 11-5 record in conference play, the Bearcats secured a share of second place in the American, marking their highest finish in the AAC, surpassing last year's third-place showing. UC, which has not finished this high in league play since the 2002-03 season when the Bearcats also were second in Conference USA, earned the three seed in the upcoming American Tournament this weekend. Overall, the second-place finish for the Bearcats is their second-highest finish in program history, behind only the 1998-99 squad that shared the Conference USA regular season title with three others at 12-4.
// TIP INS
• Cincinnati finished the regular season with a 20-9 record overall and 11-5 in the AAC while ECU fell to 9-20 overall and 6-10 in the league
• The Bearcats finished in a tie for second with UCF in the league standings while the Pirates will finish ninth
• The second-place finish for the Bearcats in the conference standings ties for the second-best finish in program history behind only the 1998-99 squad that tied for the Conference USA title with three other teams
• The last time UC finished this high in the conference standings was the 2002-03 season when it also finished second in Conference USA
• The 11 league wins are the second-highest total in the AAC era for the Bearcats, surpassed by the 12 won last year, while tying for third-highest total in a season with the 2001-02 and 2002-03 teams (Conference USA)
• UC has won 20+ games in back-to-back seasons for the first since the 2000-01 (22), 2001-02 (27) and 2002-03 (23) seasons
• The Bearcats have won 20+ in back-to-back seasons for just the fourth time ever as well as the 1997-98 (21) and 1998-99 (22) teams also accomplished the feat
• Head Coach Michelle Clark-Heard is the first coach in program history to open her career with back-to-back 20+ win seasons as well
• UC allowed just five points to the Pirates in the second quarter, marking the 11th time the Bearcats' defense has held a foe to under 10 points in a quarter. It also tied for the second-lowest total allowed in a quarter this season behind only the four scored by UCF in the first quarter in Orlando February 15, 2020.
• Rodgers' night almost included the first triple-double for a UC player since 1992 as she tied career-highs with 23 points and 10 rebounds while adding a career-best eight assists, two more than her previous best
• Miller scored 22 points in the game, marking her 19th double-digit scoring game of the year and her eighth 20+ point game this season
• All four seniors scored on the night, totaling 59 of the team's 76 points as Rodgers (23) and Miller (22) were joined by Angel Rizor (12) and Florence Sifa (three)
// THE GAME
ECU took a 5-2 lead before the Bearcats got things going, including a pair of threes from Miller, who sparked an 8-0 run to help UC grab a lead they would not relinquish. After leading, 25-12, at the end of the first quarter, the Bearcats held the Pirates to just five points in the second while adding 13 more points to build a commanding 38-17 lead at the half. In the second half, the Bearcats again limited the Pirates' scoring as they outscored the visitors, 22-10, to build the lead further before grabbing the win as well.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats have clinched a first-round bye in the American Championship that starts Friday at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. As the #3 seed, the Bearcats will play their first game Saturday at approximately 8 p.m. against the winner of #6 SMU vs. #11 Memphis. The game will be aired live on ESPN3.
// GET CONNECTED
Stay up to date with the team by following the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @GoBearcatsWBB.