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Cincinnati Opens Florida Gulf Classic with Alabama A&M Friday

by Molly Metress

The University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team opens the Florida Gulf Classic against Alabama A&M on Friday at the Community School of Naples in Florida.

Game Notes
Cincinnati Opens Florida Gulf Classic with Alabama A&M FridayCincinnati Opens Florida Gulf Classic with Alabama A&M Friday
Kj Garmong

CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team opens the Florida Gulf Classic against Alabama A&M on Friday at the Community School of Naples in Florida.

The Bearcats will also face New Mexico on Saturday. Both games are set for 3:30 p.m. and will be streamed on the Women’s Sports Network.

THE RUNDOWN

  • Cincinnati is coming off a 96-57 win over Canisius on Sunday in Fifth Third Arena. Five Bearcats finished in double figures, and all 10 available players scored.
  • UC dished out 27 assists on 37 made baskets and shot 56.1% from the field — the team’s best shooting performance since hitting 56.3% against Memphis on March 7, 2020. The 27 assists were also its most in a game since 2021.
  • Ramiyah Byrd and Caliyah DeVillasee became the first UC duo to record double-doubles in the same game since Dec. 21, 2023. Byrd notched the first double-double of her career with personal bests of 10 points and 11 rebounds, while DeVillasee registered her second with 12 points and 10 assists.
  • DeVillasee is just the second Division I player in the last 20 years to total at least 90 points and 40 assists through her first six career games, joining Iowa’s Caitlin Clark (2020-21).
  • DeVillasee was named to the Big 12 Starting Five on Monday after earning Freshman of the Week honors the previous week. She was joined on the Week 3 Starting Five by TCU’s Marta Suarez (Player of the Week), Houston’s Jade Jones (Freshman of the Week), Baylor’s Taliah Scott and Iowa State’s Audi Crooks.
  • Last week, DeVillasee averaged 16.5 points, 6.0 assists and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 52% from the field and 50% from 3-point range. She ranked sixth in the Big 12 in assists, 11th in scoring and 14th in field goal percentage. Her 10 assists were the most by any Big 12 player for the week.
  • Junior Reagan Jackson scored a team-high 23 points against Canisius for her fourth career 20-point performance. She hit five 3-pointers and shot 50% overall. She is averaging 14.8 points on the season and leads the team with a 48% clip from 3-point range, which ranks fifth in the Big 12. She also sits sixth in the conference in free throws made (28).
  • DeVillasee’s program-record 15 assists are tied for the most by any freshman in the nation this season and are the second most in a game by any player. The mark also ties the most by a major conference freshman in the last 20 years (USC’s Minyon Moore, Dec. 3, 2016; Vanderbilt’s Aubrey Galvan, Nov. 23, 2025).
  • Senior Mya Perry has scored in double figures in all six games and is averaging 18.5 points while shooting 40% from 3-point range. She ranks fifth in the Big 12 in scoring and ninth in 3-point percentage.
  • DeVillasee is one of six players — and the only freshman — nationally averaging at least 15 points, six assists and three rebounds per game, joining Florida’s Liv McGill, TCU’s Olivia Miles, Richmond’s Maggie Doogan, BYU’s Delaney Gibb and Texas A&M’s Ny’Ceara Pryor. She ranks sixth in the Big 12 and 14th nationally in assists per game (6.8).
  • Freshman forward Kylie Torrence is the fourth Bearcat averaging double figures at 11.0 points per game. She is tied for the team lead in blocks (6) and ranks third in rebounds (6.0).
  • Redshirt senior Alliance Ndiba has started the last three games and is averaging 6.3 points and 7.3 rebounds during that stretch.
  • Cincinnati outscored Canisius 50-38 in points in the paint. Destiny Thomas and Mary Carden each added a season-high nine points.
  • As a team, Cincinnati ranks third in the Big 12 and 11th nationally in three-point percentage (.398). They also sit second in the league in offensive rebounding (16.5) and fourth in scoring offense (81.0).
  • Cincinnati will face a challenging non-conference slate, playing four teams that reached the NCAA Tournament or WBIT last season and three others that played in the WNIT.
  • Friday marks the fourth meeting between Cincinnati and Alabama A&M and the first played outside Cincinnati. The Bearcats lead the series 3-0.
  • UC and New Mexico will meet for the first time in program history. The Bearcats face six first-time opponents in 2025-26.