The Huskies
are the fifth ranked opponent for Cincinnati this season, and the second
consecutive.. The Bearcats, losers of three of their last four and six of their
last nine overall, will look to rebound from a 76-59 loss to No. 18/17 Marquette
on Jan. 27. UConn won its last time out, 64-47, over Notre Dame on Jan.
27.
Cincinnati 12-8, 3-5 BIG EAST
Record:
Overall Home Away Neutral
ALL GAMES
(12-8) (9-3) (2-4) (1-1)
CONFERENCE
(3-5)
(2-2) (1-3) (0-0)
NON-CONFERENCE (9-3) (7-1) (1-1) (1-1)
Last time out: Loss; 59-76, No. 18/17
Marquette.
No. 5/7 Connecticut 18-2, 8-0
BIG EAST
Record:
Overall Home Away Neutral
ALL
GAMES
(18-2) (12-1) (6-1)
(0-0)
CONFERENCE
(8-0)
(4-0) (4-0) (0-0)
NON-CONFERENCE (10-2) (8-1) (2-1) (0-0)
Last Time Out:
Victory; 64-47,
Notre Dame
*
All-Time Head-to-Head Record: 1-0, UConn; The Huskies won last year in the
first-ever meeting, 92-71, in Connecticut.
CINCINNATI PROBABLE STARTERS
PPG RPG APG
PCT
F 22 Shelly Bellman, 5-10, So., Ottawa, Ohio
12.3 7.0 3.3
.453
G 23 Carla Jacobs, 5-7, Fr., Cleveland, Ohio
8.4
2.5
4.4
.350
G 25 Angel Morgan, 5-8, So., Springfield, Ohio
5.9
5.5
2.9
.353
F 40 Jill Stephens, 6-3, So., Mineral Wells, W.Va.
4.7
2.7
0.4
.500
C 52 Michelle Jones, 6-1, So., Cincinnati, Ohio
12.2
6.3
0.6
.529
CONNECTICUT
PROBABLE STARTERS
PPG RPG APG PCT
G 20 Renee Montgomery, 5-7, So., St. Albans, W.Va. 12.2 2.4 4.8
.450
F 24 Charde Houston, 6-1, Jr., San Diego, Calif.
12.0
6.7
2.3
.591
G 25 Mel Thomas, 5-9, Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio
11.5
3.0
1.8
.430
C 31 Tina Charles, 6-4, Fr., Jamaica, N.Y.
11.6
8.1
0.7
.565
G 32 Kalana
Green, 5-10, So. Saint Stephens, S.C.
13.2
7.3
1.9
.519
Noting UConn’s Roster
STARTERS
#
Player
Pos. Elg.Hgt. Hometown
PPG RPG FG% FT%
Min.
20
Renee Montgomery G So. 5-7 St. Albans, W. Va. 12.2 2.4 .450 .685 29.2
* -
has tallied double-figure points in 14-of-20 games this season, leads team in
steals (52) assists (95)
24
Charde Houston F Jr. 6-1 San Diego, Calif. 12.0 6.7 .591 .594 24.9
* -
has tallied double-figure points in 12-of-20 games this season, first in BIG
EAST in FG % at .591
25
Mel Thomas
G Jr.
5-9 Cincinnati, Ohio 11.5 3.0 .430 .921 32.8
* -
leads team and BIG EAST with 53 treys, has tallied double-figure points in nine
games
31
Tina Charles
C
Fr. 6-4 Jamaica, N.Y.
11.6 8.1 .565 .533 19.1
* -
broke BIG EAST and UConn freshman records with 9 blocks vs. Notre Dame; 42
blocks on season
32
Kalana Greene
F
So.5-10 Saint Stephen,
S.C. 13.2 7.3 .519 .650 27.1
* -
has posted double-figure points in six straight games, averaging 17.8 ppg over
last six contests
RESERVES
#
Player
Pos. Elg. Hgt. Hometown
PPG RPG FG% FT% Min.
2
Tahirah Williams
G So.
6-0 Montclair, N.J. 2.8 1.8 .594 .692 9.1
11
Ketia Swanier
G Jr. 5-7 Columbus, Ga. 5.6 2.5 .468 .857 21.9
13
Jacquie Fernandes G
Fr. 5-9 Pawcatuck, Conn. 0.4 0.8 .333 1.000 3.9
14
Meghan Gardler
F Fr. 6-0 Springfield, Pa. 2.0 1.8 .263 .444 10.1
41
Kaili McLaren
F Fr. 6-2 Washington, D.C. 4.8 4.3 .449 .786 14.2
44
Brittany Hunter
C/F So. 6-3 Columbus,
Ohio 8.0 5.3 .623 .516 11.3
51
Cassie Kerns
C/F Fr. 6-3
Valparaiso, Ind.
0.5 0.7 .333 --- 6.3
Keys to the Game
Inside Play
Both
of the team’s in Tuesday night’s Big East showdown will look to work in the
paint more often than Sherwin Williams.
UConn is a team that features only one consistent deep threat, a player
that utilizes the 3-point shot as a regular part of their offense. Mel Thomas, a
Cincinnati native who has hit a Big East-leading 53 3-pointers this season, is
the only Huskie averaging more than one per game. Connecticut likes to pound the ball
inside. Mixing their height, skill
and athleticism to do the job, the Huskies are able to create offense through
great ball movement and unmatched size to get some easy looks and offensive
putbacks against smaller teams.
Connecticut has already totaled 313 offensive rebounds this year, almost
60 more than their competitors, and have two players providing more than two
second chances per game.
When
UConn establishes their presence down low, it opens up scoring opportunities
from the outside for players such as Thomas and Renee Montgomery, as well as a
few of their struggling young shoulders in Ketia Swanier (6-of-28; UConn’s best
passer) and Meghan Gardler (6-of-27). If UC has double consistently down low, it
could create enough space for these struggling marksmen to get into enough of a
rhythm to do some serious damage to both the Bearcat defensive effort and the
team’s designs on an upset.
The
Bearcats are a tream that doesn’t shy away from tossing the ball down low
either, as they like to take the ball inside, particular early on in the
contest. In the last several games, Laurie Pirtle has looked to get the ball
down in the paint to Michelle Jones early and often to both establish a low-post
scoring threat, open upside outside shooters, and try to draw some of the Big
East’s biggest players into early foul trouble. Look for the ’Cats to follow the example
of UConn and try to pound the ball in the paint early on. In addition to the pure post moves of
Jones and backup center Emy Ogide, Karen Twehues and Jill Stephens will use
their face-up game to help open up the lane for one-dribble takes to the basket
and create some open area in the paint in a fashion similar to that of UC’s
penetrating backcourt. Twehues and
Jones have also been very good on the offensive glass for the Bearcats this
season. If the Bearcats can
establish a low-post presence it will help to open up their struggling 3-point
game.
Defensive Rebounding
The
mixture of UConn’s size along with the Bearcats recent struggles rebounding the
ball defensive could make the points in the paint category and second-chance
opportunities very one-sided statistics.
Against Marquette, UC continued a seemingly season-long slump that has
seen them really struggle with some of the basics of the game, such as boxing
out and defensive intensity. While
for the season UC has one the overall season rebounding category quite
convincingly against their opponents overall, 822 to 636 (41.1 to 31.8), the
‘Cats have battled consistency in that department all season long. This has been especially the case
against the teams that simply outmuscle or out jump Cincinnati. If the Bearcats do not bring that
game-long intensity to the floor from the opening, as well as an emphasis on
doing the little things like getting good positions on boxouts and holding their
position, then UC will simply getting pounded with second chance opportunities
and offensive putbacks for the entirety of the affair.
Turnovers
Cincinnati has to play perfect basketball, plain and
simple. That does not mean that
they have to make every shot but they have to at least make sure that they have
the opportunity to take as many shots as their opponents do. In recent games Cincinnati has struggled
with turnovers, which is putting it mildly. The Bearcats have turned the ball over
at least 20 times in seven of their last nine contests and are averaging 18.5
per game on the season. This sloppy play not only takes away from potential
Bearcat baskets but also gives the opposing team both extra possessions and
uncontested looks in the open court.
It is safe to say that turnovers, moreover unintelligent basketball, as
directly lead to at least three of their losses this season and maybe more.
While many of these offensive miscues come as an opportunity cost for the
up-and-down, frantic style of play head coach Laurie Pirtle likes to run, most
of them come as the product of both poor decision making and sloppy play. Not knowing the situation of where to
make a pass, not recognizing how many seconds remain on the shot clock, taking
their eyes off passes, traveling or palming penalties, and just not using their
basketball IQs have been the greatest hindrances to UC playing quality
basketball.
Overall Intensity/Hustle
Points
While this isn’t one of the dominant UConn that features
the great names of Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Swin Cash and Rebbeca Lobo of
yesteryear, this is still a formidable Connecticut squad with designs on making
a Final Four run come March. For
that reason, knowing that the talent they will see on the opposing sideline will
be matched by no one they will square off against for the remainder of the
season, Cincinnati must realize that they cannot go to toe-to-toe with the
Huskies and beat them on talent alone.
UC will have to engage the Huskies in a game of “‘Cats” and mouse by
making sure to outthink and out execute the UConn, as well as bring unrivaled
passion to the game. This is
a potential chance for Cincinnati to make a name for themselves on a national
stage and formally announce their presence as a fully-fledged member of the Big
East conference. UC must do all the
small things in order to have a chance at success on Tuesday night. The best indicator of the Bearcats
ultimate success (simply being in the game at all) or failure against the
Huskies will be the “hustle equation” (steals + second chance points + offensive
rebounds + points off turnovers + opponents turnovers) BCI used last season to
predicate success or failure for the men’s basketball team. Cincinnati will have to win this
statistical battle if they have any hope of winning the 40-minute war.
Statistical Comparison
Cincinnati
Bearcats
Connecticut Huskies
NCAA .. *BIG EAST
................................................... STAT
.................................................*BIG EAST ......... NCAA
33rd
.................. 6th ................ 72.7 ...................... Points
Scored ....................... 80.8
...............1st ............... 3rd
207th ................12th ................ 66.2
.................... Points Allowed ....................... 53.4
...............1st ..........….10th
68th .................. 7th ............... +6.5
.................... Scoring Margin ...................... +27.4
...............1st ................4th
42nd.................. 5th ................ .438
..................... FG Percentage ....................... 501
.................1st ................3rd
244th ................16th ................ .423
.................... FG Pct. Defense .................. .330 ................ 1st
............... 6th
162nd ................12th ............... .307
.................. 3-FG Percentage ................... .313 ................ 9th .........
….165th
77th .................. 5th .................. 5.4
......................... 3-FG Made ....................... 4.4 ............... 11th ......... .. 189th
NA.....................13th ................ .337
.................. 3-FG Pct. Defense .................. 251 ................1st
................NA
249th ................11th ................ .660
..................... FT Percentage ...................... 655 ............... 14th ......... .
..246th
12th .................. 3rd ............... +9.3 .................. Rebound Margin
.................
.+13.2 ..............1st ................4th
13th .................. 3rd ................ 17.1 .............................
Assists .........................
18.8 ............... 1st ................4th
90th .................. 5th .................. 9.7 ..............................
Steals ..............................10.9 ................2nd ............
.39th
316th
................16th .................. 1.2 ............................. Blocks
..............................6.3 .................2nd
..............14th
Noting the Two Sides
* Michelle
Jones leads UC in starts this season with 19. She is the only Bearcat to start
every BIG EAST game this season.
*
UConn leads the BIG EAST in 10 of
20 categories. The Bearcats lead the conference in rebounding defense
(31.8).
*
The game will feature two of the
best ball handlers in the league. UConn's Ketia Swanier leads the BIG EAST in
the assist/turnover ratio at 2.26. Cincinnati's Carla Jacobs is right behind her
with a 2.13 ratio. Both average 4.4 assists per game. The contest will also
feature two of the best from 3-point range. Mel Thomas is second in the
conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.445), while Karen Twehues is fifth
(.392).
*
UC is 7-45 all-time vs. Top 25
teams. The Bearcats' most recent win over a ranked opponent was on Jan. 14 when
UC defeated then ranked No. 24 DePaul, 62-44. UC is 1-3 this season against
ranked foes. The Bearcats are 0-3 vs. teams that received votes (Northern Illinois, USF, Xavier).
*
The Huskies are 61-8 on the road since Feb. 1, 2001.
*
Connecticut will be attempting to become the 18th team in NCAA Division I
women’s basketball history to total 700 wins in its program’s history when it
takes on Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena.
* The
Huskies have won six of its last seven games overall entering Tuesday night’s
matchup with Cincinnati and are a perfect 8-0 in BIG EAST play. The will be 9-0 in league play for the
second consecutive season and the ninth time in the program’s history when it
meets Cincinnati. The Huskiers are 92-7 in their last 99 Big East
contests.
*
UConn is 6-1 on the road this season, a perfect 4-0 in conference road games and
has won 61 of its last 69 road games dating back to Feb. 2001.
UConn/UC share the weekly Honor Roll
awards
UC’s
Carla Jacobs and Connecticut’s Kalana Greene were both heralded for their
individual performances this past week by the Big East conference. Jacobs earned Cincinnati’s first Big
East Women’s Basketball Weekly honor since joining the league in 2005-06, being
named Freshman of the Week.
Jacobs, a
native of Cleveland, Ohio, had a career week as she averaged 16.0 points, 6.0
assists and 3.5 rebounds, while shooting 6-of-6 from the foul line. The guard
tied her career-high with 15 points and dished out a career-high 10 assists in
the team’s 80-62 win over Georgetown (1/23/07), nabbing her first career
double-double. She bettered her offensive production with a new career-high 17
points in UC’s loss to No. 18/17 Marquette (1/27/07). Jacobs shot 6-of-15 from
the field, including a 3-of-6 effort from 3-point
range.
Jacobs, one of only nine
true freshmen Division I point guards who start in their team’s season opener,
is averaging 14.0 point for the
’Cats in the past three games (8.4 overall on the season) and has dished out a
team-high 83 assists. The
teenager’s efficient passing and veteran-like court awareness has helped her
rank second in the Big East in assist/turnover ratio (2.13). UConn’s Ketia
Swanier leads the conference at 2.26.
Connecticut’s sophomore forward Kalana Greene (Saint
Stephen, S.C.) was named the BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Player of the Week,
marking the fifth weekly conference honor earned by a UConn player this season
and the first player of the week recognition.
Greene averaged team-bests
last week with 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds over UConn's 2-0 week, that included
wins over DePaul and Notre Dame.
Familiarity breeds contempt
While the two teams have only met once in their
collectively rich women’s basketball histories, the University of Cincinnati and
University of Connecticut have had their fair share of on-court battles. However, those battles preexisted the
collegiate careers of these young teams. Many of these athletes have had
high school or AAU battles during their high school days.
UConn's Mel
Thomas and UC's Michelle Jones both played at Mt. Notre Dame in Cincinnati where
they led the team to a 28-0 record and a Division I state championship together.
Jill Stephens finished second in the West Virginia Ms. Basketball voting to
UConn's Renee Montgomery, who attended South Charleston, located an hour and 15
minutes south of Parkersburg South, where Stephens played. UC's Stephanie
Stevens played at Pickerington Central High School, just 30 minutes from
Brittany Hunter's alma mater, Brookhaven High School. UC's Emy Ogide grew up
outside of Atlanta, Ga., just a two-hour drive down I-185 to Columbus, Ga. where
Ketia Swanier is from.