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CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team welcomes Wichita State for game two of the season series Saturday inside Fifth Third Arena at 2:00 PM ET. The game will be streamed on ESPN+. This is the last game for the Bearcats in January. Cincinnati hosted four home games in January, the most of any month this season. Saturday will be only the ninth meeting between the opponents of the American Athletic Conference. Cincinnati leads the all-time series 5-3, but trail 1-2 at home. The Bearcats are looking to snap a three-game losing streak against the Shockers and fight back after falling 61-49 in their conference opener on Dec. 30 earlier this season. All but one of the meetings between the two teams occurred in conference action. Cincinnati broke a nearly 40-year program record and a Charles Koch Arena record with 14 blocks in the December 30 contest. Junior forward/center Malea Williams also recorded an individual best seven blocks. The Bearcats lead the conference and rank 15th nationally with 5.1 blocks per game. Cincinnati has recorded five or more blocks in nine contests, while seven different Bearcats have recorded at least one multi-block game this season. Junior guard Jillian Hayes is averaging 1.5 blocks per game, which ranks first in the conference and 50th nationally as of Jan. 26. She has recorded multiple blocks in nine of her last 13 games. Williams is averaging 1.4 blocks per game, which ranks fourth in the conference and 88th nationally as of Jan. 26. The tandem has accounted for 59.8% of the team’s blocks this season. Cincinnati fell to Houston 63-39 inside Fifth Third Arena last played on Jan. 25. Redshirt sophomore forward Taziah Jenks had 13 points, the most as a Bearcat and one point shy of his career, as well as three rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 22 minutes. He went 9-12 from the free throw line, the most attempted by a Bearcat this season. The Bearcats were 14-19 converts on 73.7% from the free throw line against the Cougars. It marks the fifth consecutive game in which Cincinnati has made at least 70.0% of the line. Cincinnati is receiving input from a multitude of sources as 11 of the 13 Bearcats are averaging double-digit minutes per game. The Bearcats had 12 different starting combinations in their first 19 games. Cincinnati has posted 22.6 points per game off the bench and has had 13 double-digit goals off the bench this season. Second-year guard Braylyn Milton has taken on more of an enabling role at the guard spot as of late with his assist average increasing from 2.2 to 3.8 in conference action. The Wichita State Shockers are 12-8 overall, 2-5 in the AAC in their sixth season under head coach Keitha Adams. The Shockers are averaging 65.8 points per game and 68.4 points on the road this season. Senior forward Jane Asinde is averaging a double-double at 11.3 points and 10.6 rebounds in her first 20 games. She is also one of three Shockers averaging double-digit points per game. The Shockers excel on the glass, ranking third in the conference with 41.3 rebounds per game and second by a margin of +8.6 rebounds.
NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN ON SPORTS DAY
In conjunction with the UC Sports Administration program, Cincinnati Women’s Basketball celebrates girls and women in sports with a panel discussion and several game promotions. The panel discussion will begin at 12:00 in the Vault in the East Atrium. Jen Sturm (Moderator) – Assoc. CEO/Director of Leadership and Learning, Cincinnati Athletics Sally Grimes – Executive Director, Beyond the Classroom Activities Madison Mullinger – Media Coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals Jackie Regruth – Social Media Coordinator, FC Cincinnati Emily Robinson – Director of Partnership Activation, FC Cincinnati Betsy Ross – President, Daytime Communications Game
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