TicketsThe Bearcats look for their first win of the season after falling 68-87 at No. 7/5 Louisville on Monday. Sophomore guard Braylyn Milton erupted for a career-high and game-high 28 points on 9-12 from the field, 5-5 from behind the arc in the season opener against the Cardinals. She was one of three Bearcats in double-figures as Mya Jackson and A'riel Jackson each added 12 points.
Cincinnati finished 9-13 (69.2 percent) from three-point range, the highest percentage against Louisville since Miami converted on 75.0 percent on Feb. 17, 2019. The Bearcats are now 13-2 when shooting above 50.0 percent from three under head coach Michelle Clark-Heard.
Thursday will be the 8th game between Cincinnati and Tennessee Tech and the first since the Bearcats defeated the Golden Eagles 60-38 on Dec. 2, 2016. Cincinnati leads the all-time series 4-3 with all four wins coming in Cincinnati. Clark-Heard is 1-0 against OVC teams at Cincinnati, earning the first win of her tenure against Austin Peay, 69-48, on Nov. 6, 2018. Cincinnati faces off with three OVC teams - Tennessee Tech, at Lindenwood, Southern Indiana - as a part of its non-conference schedule this season.
Tennessee Tech opened its seventh season under head coach Kim Rosamond with a 68-63 home win over Ball State on Monday. The Golden Eagles look to replace a significant portion of its production after finishing 21-11 overall, 14-4 in the OVC en route to an Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Final appearance and WNIT berth last season. The Golden Eagles welcome back Jordan Brook, the program's all-time leading three-point shooter, who was named Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference after missing all of last season due to medical reasons and Anna Walker, who was a part of the OVC All-Newcomer Team last season after averaging 8.5 points and 4.0 rebounds.
WINNING THE HOME OPENER UNDER CLARK-HEARD
With the 73-60 win vs. Alabama A&M last season, Cincinnati has won all four home openers under head coach Michelle Clark-Heard. The Bearcats have a +11.5 margin of victory in home openers under Clark-Heard. The largest win was a 69-48 (+21) victory over Austin Peay on Nov. 6, 2018 inside Fifth Third Arena. Cincinnati is averaging 70.8 points per game in home openers under Clark-Heard. The Bearcats are 8-2 in their last 10 home openers.
BIG NIGHT FOR BRAYLYN
Sophomore guard Braylyn Milton erupted for a career-high and game-high 28 points on 9-12 from the field, 5-5 from behind the arc in the season opener against No.7/5 Louisville. The 28 points by Milton ties the most individual points against Louisville since Notre Dame's Jessica Shepard had 30 against the ACC Women's Tournament Final on Mar. 10, 2019. It is the most points scored by a Bearcat since IImar'I Thomas totaled 30 in the American Athletic Conference First Round against Memphis on Mar. 8, 2021 and the most points in a season opener since Thomas had 34 against Northern Kentucky on Nov. 25, 2020.
WHAT A DEBUT
Senior Mya Jackson (Seton Hall transfer) and freshman A'riel Jackson each finished with 12 points in their Cincinnati debuts. It is Mya Jackson's 19th career game in double-figures. A'riel Jackson is the first Bearcat to score in double figures in her collegiate debut since Ilmar'I Thomas scored 19 against East Tennessee State on Nov 10, 2017.
Despite losing five players from last year's roster, the Bearcats return a lot of production.
Points returning 66.2 percent (1,109 of 1,674)
Rebounds returning 76.6 percent (758 of 990)
Assists returning 52.0 percent (208 of 400)
Blocks returning 66.2 percent (90 of 136)
Steals returning 63.2 percent (144 of 228)
Minutes returning 68.4 percent (3,831 of 5,602)
Cincinnati welcomes back 38.3 points, 26.1 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game. The Bearcats return four players - Jillian Hayes, Caitlyn Wilson, Braylyn Milton, Jadyn Scott - that started double-digit games in 2021-22 and combine for 111 career starts at Cincinnati. Cincinnati welcomes in the addition of Mya Jackson, who started 33 of 34 games last season at Seton Hall and made 59 career starts over three seasons with the Pirates.
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