12-05-2010, 01:34 PM
Women's bragging rights on the line in Xavier-Cincinnati game Sunday
By Shannon Russell • srussell@enquirer.com • December 4, 2010
CINCINNATI -- Minutes after No. 4 Xavier escaped Southern California with a Thursday victory at Cintas Center, Musketeers senior Amber Harris was asked to expound on Sunday's Skyline Chili Women’s Crosstown Shootout against Cincinnati.
She broke into a smile.
“It’s going to be a fun game,” said Harris, pointing to the rivalry and XU’s familiarity with UC players. “I’m ready.”
Bragging rights are on the line at 2 p.m. at Fifth Third Arena when the teams resume the battle for the Kendle Cup traveling trophy.
The Musketeers won last season’s game 69-38 and again approach the match-up with statistical advantages.
They’re off to a program record-tying 7-0 start and have outscored opponents by an average 25.9 points behind the frontcourt of 6-foot-5 Harris (21.1 points, 9.7 rebounds) and 6-foot-6 Ta’Shia Phillips (15.7 points, 11.9 rebounds).
Second-year Bearcats coach Jamelle Elliott said that frontcourt is among the challenges her team faces.
“They’re deeper than us, bigger than us, and probably more athletic than us. We’ve got to do the little things to stay in the game and hopefully compete for 40 straight minutes,” Elliott said.
The Bearcats have 11 players on scholarship out of a potential 15. Only eight are suiting up now because of injuries and transfer rules.
Still, UC got off to a 5-0 start for the first time since 2006-07 and raced to five wins in half the time it took one season ago. Elliott attributed the surge to freshmen like Kayla Cook, Tiffany Turner and Jeanise Randolph, who have “stepped up and played like they’ve done it before.”
Shareese Ulis and Shelly Bellman – who is in her sixth year with the program following knee injuries that forced her to miss two seasons – provide senior leadership for a Bearcats team coming off its first loss this season.
Although UC trailed Dayton by only four points with 3:02 remaining Thursday at UD Arena, the Flyers mounted a 9-2 run down the stretch for a 70-59 victory.
About the same time, XU finished its 69-66 thriller over Southern California. Harris scored the go-ahead basket with 38 seconds left and later was fouled as she grabbed a key offensive rebound.
Phillips’ stickback on Harris’ free-throw miss with four seconds left iced the victory.
Coach Kevin McGuff has been pleased with facets of XU’s start, but said the team still has “a long way to go” in many respects.
“I think we could be a dominant half-court defensive team and we’re not there yet. On offense, our execution, our screening, our ball movement could improve. I think we’ve been good offensively but that certainly could help us be even better,” McGuff said.
XU’s field goal accuracy (50.3 percent) is No. 1 in the nation.
Although the Muskies have won three of the last five Shootouts, UC leads series 22-10 and is 11-4 at home against XU.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20101.../312040017
By Shannon Russell • srussell@enquirer.com • December 4, 2010
CINCINNATI -- Minutes after No. 4 Xavier escaped Southern California with a Thursday victory at Cintas Center, Musketeers senior Amber Harris was asked to expound on Sunday's Skyline Chili Women’s Crosstown Shootout against Cincinnati.
She broke into a smile.
“It’s going to be a fun game,” said Harris, pointing to the rivalry and XU’s familiarity with UC players. “I’m ready.”
Bragging rights are on the line at 2 p.m. at Fifth Third Arena when the teams resume the battle for the Kendle Cup traveling trophy.
The Musketeers won last season’s game 69-38 and again approach the match-up with statistical advantages.
They’re off to a program record-tying 7-0 start and have outscored opponents by an average 25.9 points behind the frontcourt of 6-foot-5 Harris (21.1 points, 9.7 rebounds) and 6-foot-6 Ta’Shia Phillips (15.7 points, 11.9 rebounds).
Second-year Bearcats coach Jamelle Elliott said that frontcourt is among the challenges her team faces.
“They’re deeper than us, bigger than us, and probably more athletic than us. We’ve got to do the little things to stay in the game and hopefully compete for 40 straight minutes,” Elliott said.
The Bearcats have 11 players on scholarship out of a potential 15. Only eight are suiting up now because of injuries and transfer rules.
Still, UC got off to a 5-0 start for the first time since 2006-07 and raced to five wins in half the time it took one season ago. Elliott attributed the surge to freshmen like Kayla Cook, Tiffany Turner and Jeanise Randolph, who have “stepped up and played like they’ve done it before.”
Shareese Ulis and Shelly Bellman – who is in her sixth year with the program following knee injuries that forced her to miss two seasons – provide senior leadership for a Bearcats team coming off its first loss this season.
Although UC trailed Dayton by only four points with 3:02 remaining Thursday at UD Arena, the Flyers mounted a 9-2 run down the stretch for a 70-59 victory.
About the same time, XU finished its 69-66 thriller over Southern California. Harris scored the go-ahead basket with 38 seconds left and later was fouled as she grabbed a key offensive rebound.
Phillips’ stickback on Harris’ free-throw miss with four seconds left iced the victory.
Coach Kevin McGuff has been pleased with facets of XU’s start, but said the team still has “a long way to go” in many respects.
“I think we could be a dominant half-court defensive team and we’re not there yet. On offense, our execution, our screening, our ball movement could improve. I think we’ve been good offensively but that certainly could help us be even better,” McGuff said.
XU’s field goal accuracy (50.3 percent) is No. 1 in the nation.
Although the Muskies have won three of the last five Shootouts, UC leads series 22-10 and is 11-4 at home against XU.
Quote:Skyline Chili Women’s Crosstown Shootout
No. 4 Xavier at Cincinnati
Tipoff: 2 p.m. Sunday, UC’s Fifth Third Arena
Streaming video: http://www.gobearcats.com; streaming radio: http://www.goxavier.com
Records: XU 7-0, UC 5-1
Matchup in numbers:
Stat XU UC
Points 80.7 62
Against 54.9 50
FG% 50.3 43.6
Against 34.3 32.6
3-point% 32.8 36.7
FT% 64.6 61.7
Reb. margin +10.7 +7.3
TO margin +3.6 -2
Promotions: Gates open at 12:30 p.m. and the first 1,000 fans receive a free poster. An autograph session with UC and XU women’s athletes (not including basketball players) will be featured in the North Hallway until 1:45 p.m. During pre-game Lucy the Bearcat will visit the Bearcats Family Zone in the East concourse, where there will also be a sign-making station and a pop-a-shot basketball game.
Former UC women’s hoops players will be recognized at halftime.
UC women’s basketball players and former ESPN anchor Betsy Ross, author of “Playing Ball with the Boys,” will sign autographs after the game.
Tickets: $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under
Parking: Cash parking is $7 per car. Because of a College-Conservatory of Music event, fans are encouraged to arrive early and avoid the CCM Garage off Corry Boulevard.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20101.../312040017