TicketsTHE SERIES
Marquette leads the series 24-14. Last time out, the Bearcats hosted Marquette on Dec.10, 2020 where the Golden Eagles won 86-75. In the game, Marquette started on a 16-0 run and led by 20, 22-2, with 2:54 left in the first quarter. The Bearcats chipped away but were not able to make a significant dent in the score until after halftime.
UC started the second half on a 14-5, six-minute run, pulling the deficit down to nine, 55-46, with 3:33 to go in the third quarter. Marquette answered with an 8-0 over next two-plus minutes which pushed the lead back to 17 at 63-46 with 1:38 left in the stanza. The Bearcats closed the game on a 6-0 run, hitting their last four shots.
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
The Bearcats improved to 7-4 on the season following their third straight win this past Sunday, beating North Carolina A&T 87-77 in double-overtime. It was their first double-overtime game since Jan. 7, 2015. In the game, junior point guard Akira Levy scored a new season and career high 22 points and 12 rebounds, her first double-double of the season, and accounted for roughly 53% of the Bearcats' 87 points. She also went 11-for-11 from the free throw line, which marked her tied for fourth all-time in the UC record book for free throw shots made.
Levy earned a spot on the AAC weekly honor roll after her performances against Chattanooga and North Carolina A&T. This is the second honor earned this season; she was Player of the Week on Nov. 15th to start the season. She is the team leader in scoring, averaging 14.6 points per game. Levy leads the AAC and is 27th in the NCAA in steals with 30 and is second in the AAC and 11th in the NCAA in assists with 68.
The Bearcats are first in the AAC in free throws made and 42nd in the NCAA with 150 total free throws. The team is also second in the AAC and 48th in the NCAA in blocked shots with 48.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLESMarquette suffered its first loss of BIG EAST play Sunday afternoon, falling to Seton Hall, 69-57. moving to 8-3 overall and 2-1 in the Big East. Graduate guard Karissa McLaughlin had her highest-scoring game in a Marquette uniform, finishing with 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the floor and 6-of-10 shooting from outside the arc to lead all scorers.
MU's strong defense has once again been its calling card this season, holding opponents to a league-best 53.6 points per game. On the year, teams are shooting just 35.7 percent (208-of-582) from the floor and 24.0 percent (36-of-150) from behind the arc when facing the Golden Eagles, while turning the ball over 17.3 times per game.
HOW TO WATCHThe contest will stream on Flohoops and you can watch it here.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's basketball, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati WBB (@GoBearcatsWBB) and Coach Michelle Clark-Heard (@Coachheard) on Twitter. You can also follow the team on Facebook and Instagram.