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Women’s Basketball Opens Season at UIC Tuesday

The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team opens the 2024-25 season at UIC on Tuesday night. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET in Chicago.

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Women’s Basketball Opens Season at UIC TuesdayWomen’s Basketball Opens Season at UIC Tuesday
CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team opens the 2024-25 season at UIC on Tuesday night. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET in Chicago.
 
THE RUNDOWN
  • Cincinnati kicks off year two under head coach Katrina Merriweather on Tuesday, taking on UIC in Chicago. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET.
  • Merriweather made an immediate impact last season, leading the Bearcats to a 14-18 overall record and a 5-13 mark in their debut Big 12 season. The 14 wins were the team's most since 2019 and marked a five-win improvement from the prior season.
  • Merriweather also returned her alma mater to postseason play for the first time since 2019, adding to her career total of six postseason qualifications in seven eligible seasons (excluding 2020 due to COVID).
  • Cincinnati brings back nine letterwinners, including four starters. Key returners include three of the top four scorers from last season: Jillian Hayes (12.9 ppg), A'riel Jackson (9.4 ppg) and Reagan Jackson (8.2 ppg).
  • The Bearcats welcome four newcomers to the 2024-25 roster: Tineya Hylton (senior, transfer from Texas A&M), Daylee Dunn (fifth-year, transfer from Loyola Marymount), Alliance Ndiba (redshirt junior, transfer from Arizona Western), and freshman Chloe Mann from Fort Worth, Texas.
  • Fifth year forward Jillian Hayes, the first Bearcat to earn All-Big 12 honors, is back for the Bearcats. She ranked inside the top 5 in the Big 12 in free throws made (159) and rebounding (8.4) and finished top 20 in the league in points per game (12.9) and blocks per game (0.8).
  • Hayes has led Cincinnati in scoring, rebounding and steals for three straight seasons — a first in program history. She posted 10 double-doubles last season, becoming the first Bearcat since Doris Scott (1997-99) to record back-to-back double-digit double-double seasons.
  • In the program's record books, Hayes sits third in blocks (127), fourth in free throws made (403), fifth in rebounds (844), eighth in steals (183) and 14th in scoring (1,299).
  • Cincinnati pulled down 1,269 rebounds last season — the program's third-highest single-season total and its most since 2017-18. They finished the season with a positive rebounding margin (+5.0) for the first time since 2018-19 and the best margin since 2006-07. The Bearcats led the Big 12 and ranked 23rd nationally in offensive rebounds per game (14.5).
  • Cincinnati led the Big 12 and ranked 15th nationally in free throws made per game (15.9) in 2023-24. Hayes reached the line frequently, ranking inside the top 15 nationally in free throws made (159) and attempts (217), both third-best for a single season in UC history.
  • The Bearcats went 9-3 in non-conference play in 2023-24, achieving their best non-conference win percentage (72.7%) in 15 years. They also had a six-game winning streak, the longest since 2019-20.
  • Cincinnati holds a 7-3 record over the past 10 season openers.
 
UP NEXT
Cincinnati begins a three-game homestand with Delaware State on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. inside Fifth Third Arena.