Women's Basketball Welcomes Tulsa on Wednesday

TULSA (1-3, 0-3 AAC)
at CINCINNATI (2-5, 1-2 AAC)
Wednesday, Jan. 6 // 2 p.m. ET
Fifth Third Arena // Cincinnati, Ohio
SERIES INFO: 12th Meeting; Cincinnati leads 6-5 overall; Series is tied 3-3 in Cincinnati and 2-2 in Tulsa 
UC leads 1-0 at neutral sites
LAST SEASON'S MEETING: UC won 78-53 on Feb. 12, 2020 in Cincinnati
STREAK: Cincinnati - 5
COACHES: Michelle Clark-Heard is in her third season at Cincinnati (48-26); 11th season overall (226-106)
Matilda Mossman is in her 10th season at Tulsa (115-165); 18th season overall (262-258)
AP/USA TODAY RANKINGS: Cincinnati (--/--); Tulsa (--/--)
TV: ESPN+; Matt Noonan and Sam Rodgers
JOIN THE CONVERSATION (TWITTER, FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM): @GoBearcatsWBB or GoBearcatsWBB

GAME PREVIEW 

• Cincinnati (2-5, 1-2 AAC) plays host to Tulsa (1-3, 0-3) on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+. 
• UC posted a 65-59 road win at Wichita State on Saturday. IImar'I Thomas posted a double-double with 24 points and a season-best 17 rebounds. Milan Schimmel hit a pair of threes, finishing with 12 points and five assists. Arame Niang and Destiny Haymer added 10 points each. 
• Tulsa suffered a 63-35 setback at home to then-No. 21 USF on Wednesday, Dec. 30. Wyvette Mayberry and Madi Washington posted nine points each to lead the Hurricane.
• Cincinnati owns a slight 6-5 lead in the series with Tulsa, including a 78-53 home win last season.
• UP NEXT: The Bearcats stay home to welcome Tulane on Saturday, Jan. 9. Tipoff is 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+. 

CINCINNATI HEADLINES

• Senior forward IImar'I Thomas has been named AAC Co-Player of the Week and enters the week averaging 27.6 points behind only Middle Tennessee's Anastasia Hayes (28.6 points) for the nation's top scorer.  
• Thomas entered Monday atop The American and ranked among the nation's top 20 leaders in seven categories: points per game (second at 27.6), field goals made (fourth at 73), total points (seventh at 193), minutes played (11th at 38.8), free throws made (14th at 46), free throws attempted (19th at 55) and field-goal percentage (20th at .613).
• Entering the week, UC ranked among the top half of the AAC in six categories: blocked shots (1st at 5.3 per game), rebounding defense (2nd at 35.9), field goal percentage (2nd at .434), free throw percentage (3rd at .684) and scoring offense (5th at 65.9).

TOUTING IIMAR'I THOMAS

• NATIONAL NUMBERS: Thomas enters the week averaging 27.6 points behind only Middle Tennessee's Anastasia Hayes (28.6 points) for the nation's top scorer. Thomas entered Monday atop The American and ranked among the nation's top 20 leaders in seven categories: points per game (second at 27.6), field goals made (fourth at 73), total points (seventh at 193), minutes played (11th at 38.8), free throws made (14th at 46), free throws attempted (19th at 55) and field-goal percentage (20th at .613).
• AAC NUMBERS: Thomas entered action Monday ranked among the AAC leaders in nine categories: scoring (1st at 27.6), field goal percentage (1st at .613), minutes played (1st at 38.7), free throw percentage (2nd at .836), rebounds (5th at 8.1), offensive rebounds (T6th at 3.0), defensive rebounds (6th at 5.1), assists (7th at 3.4), and blocks (T10th at 1.1).
• SCORING 30 OR MORE POINTS THREE TIMES IN 20-21: Thomas has scored 30 or more points three times this season already, pouring in 34 points in UC's 76-67 overtime win over Northern Kentucky (11/25), 32 points in UC's 86-75 loss to Marquette (12/10) and 32 points in UC's 73-61 loss against then-No. 20 USF. Thomas has eclipsed the 30-point plateau on two other occasions during her UC career. She netted 32 points against UCF on Jan. 12, 2020 before posting a career-best 35 points against Houston on Jan. 22, 2020. 

BEARCATS TIP-INS

• BLOCK PARTY: UC leads the AAC in blocks, averaging 5.3 per game. Three Bearcats rank among the AAC leaders in blocks entering the week: Jillian Hayes (T10th at 1.1), Arame Niang (T10th at 1.1), and IImar'I Thomas (T10th at 1.1).
• Thomas and Niang recorded three blocks each at Wichita State (1/2).   
• SCHIMMEL'S STRONG DAY: Junior transfer guard Milon Schimmel put forth her best game as a Bearcat on Saturday at Wichita State (1/2), posting six season highs with 12 points, a pair of threes, 6-of-6 free throw shooting and a team-best five assists. 
• HAYMER GETS HOT: Junior guard Destiny Haymer poured in a season-best 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting  to go with three assists and two steals against Marquette (12/10). She reached double figures in scoring again at Wichita State (1/2) with 10 points with three assists.  
• She enters the week ranked 15th in the AAC with 2.5 assists per game.
• NIANG NUGGETS: Arame Niang has scored in double figures in each of UC's last two contests with 10 points against USF (12/22) and 10 points at Wichita State. She's shooting a combined 11 of 17 (.647) from the field during the stretch. 
• She ranks second on the team, averaging 8.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks. 
• She enters the week ranked among AAC leaders in blocks (T10th at 1.1) and defensive rebounds (T11th at 4.0).
• Earlier this season, Niang recorded her second career double-double and the first as a Bearcat at Florida (12/5), posting 12 points and 13 rebounds. With Western Kentucky during the 2018-19 campaign, Niang tallied 15 points and 13 rebounds against Morgan State.
• GRITZALI'S FREE-THROW STREAK: UC sophomore guard Sofia Gritzali has made her last seven free throw attempts, making five consecutive vs. ECU (12/20) and two in a row against USF (12/22). 

SCOUTING TULSA

• Tulsa enters Wednesday's contest having lost three in a row after a 69-62 season-opening victory at Oklahoma State. 
• Three Golden Hurricane players average nine or more points, led by Maya Mayberry (10.5 points). She ranks among AAC leaders in 3-pointers made (1st at 2.5 per game) and 3-point shooting percentage (4th at .417). 
• Rebecca Lescay ranks second in the league, averaging 2.8 steals.