UC Hosts No. 2 Notre Dame For Saturday's Doubleheader - University of Cincinnati Official Athletic Site

Jan. 13, 2012

Cincinnati Game Notes

CINCINNATI â€" The University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team (9-7, 0-3 BIG EAST) hosts No. 2 Notre Dame (16-1, 4-0 BIG EAST) on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the UC men’s basketball team, who hosts Villanova at 12 p.m. Both games are tabbed as the Ring of Red games, as all fans are asked to wear red to show their Bearcats spirit and support one of the fans’ favorite traditions. The game will be streamed live on GoBEARCATS.com with Tom Gelehrter on the call.

Last Time Out
The University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team was defeated by No. 10 Rutgers, 58-47, on Saturday, Jan. 7 at the RAC. The Bearcats were led by Bjonee Reaves with a game-high tying 15 points.

Reaves was UC’s lone double-digit scorer and shot 5-of-18 from the field, including four 3-pointers. Her 15 points matched the game-high, as Rutgers’ Monique Oliver also scored 15. The Scarlet Knights held UC’s leading scorer Dayeesha Hollins to just nine points.

Bearcats Against the Fighting Irish
UC has never beat the Fighting Irish, as Notre Dame holds the 7-0 series advantage, including a 3-0 mark at Fifth Third Arena.

UND won the last contest on Feb. 26, 2011 by a score of 66-48 at the Joyce Center, despite Kayla Cook scoring a game-high 18 points. Cincinnati shot 42 percent from the field, including 50 percent from 3-point range, while the Irish made 40 percent of its shots, including 40 from behind the arc. However, the Irish won the turnover battle 28-18 and made 13 steals to hold the edge. Four Notre Dame players finished in double digits, including Devereaux Peters, Becca Bruszewski, and Skylar Diggins with 12 points apiece. Natalie Novosel chipped in 11 for UND.

Scouting Notre Dame
Notre Dame enters Saturday’s game with a 16-1 overall record and 4-0 BIG EAST mark. The Fighting Irish defeated Georgetown, 80-60, after beating Connecticut at home in overtime, 74-67. Notre Dame is 5-1 on the road this season and is defeating opponents by a margin of +33.5.

Junior guard Skylar Diggins leads UND in scoring (16.9 ppg) and assists (5.5 apg). Graduate student forward Devereaux Peters is averaging a team-best 7.6 rpg.

The Fighting Irish were picked to finish first in the BIG EAST in the preseason polls, while Diggins was named the league’s preseason player of the year.

Up Next
The Bearcats travel to No. 3 Connecticut on Thursday, Jan. 19 for a 7:30 p.m. tip.