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Date Posted: 03:13:27 12/02/01 Sun
Author: X-band '01
Author Host/IP: 9.cleveland-01rh15rt-oh.dial-access.att.net / 12.87.144.9
Subject: Hometown Shootout Preview

Skyline Chili Hometown Shootout (UC leads series 17-6)
CINCINNATI


UC Pregame Notes
Last game: UC 76, St. Francis PA 49

XAVIER


Xavier Pregame Notes
Last game: Vanderbilt 78, Xavier 56

Game time: 2:00 PM
Radio: WVXU-FM (91.7)
TV: WSTR-TV (WB64)

And, without further ado, here are the matchups for today's 24th meeting between both schools:

POINT GUARD
K.B. (Kristen) Sharp will start at the point for the Bearcats. The junior PG has averaged 6.3 PPG and 6.8 APG in 4 games so far this season. She has only committed 7 turnovers so far this season, and recently had a UC record 13 assists in a win over Robert Morris. She is a good defender and can play against either of Xavier's starting guards.

Amy Waugh mans the point for Xavier. Since she reclaimed her role as the starting PG, Waugh has averaged 11.8 PPG and 7.6 APG in 5 games this season. She is a smart floor leader, and will play as minutes as necessary during the game. She has played all 40 minutes in 3 games so far this season, and even played nearly 50 minutes in Xavier's double-OT loss to UC two years ago. As long as she can limit turnovers, she'll be fine.

Advantage: XU

SHOOTING GUARD
Valerie King wasted no time last year in establishing a starting role and a berth on C-USA's All-Rookie team last season. She was a preseason 1st-team All-CUSA pick this year, and for good reason. She has thus far averaged 15.8 PPG and 2.3 RPG in this young season. She torched the Muskies in last year's meeting with 26 points, including a 4-6 mark behind the arc last year. She's slightly more turnover-prone than her backcourt mate, but is UC's deadliest shooter. Her defense is still a work-in-progress.

Reetta Piipari is Xavier's answer at the SG slot, and has thus far averaged 12.8 PPG and 5.2 APG this season. Like King, Piipari is also an excellent shooter from the court, but she is extremely prone to turnovers against pressure defense, and UC will be playing her closely, especially in situations where she runs the point. So far, her outside shooting has been stellar - she has shot at a 12-for-26 clip so far this season.

Advantage: UC

SMALL FORWARD
Brittani Young is another sophomore for UC that saw action in all of UC's games last season, and broke into the starting lineup for UC's last 10 games last season and has started ever since. Her offensive numbers aren't gaudy (1.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG), but she is another defensive stopper in the mold of UC. Her minutes have fluctuated with the quality of opponent - she saw a lot of action against Dayton and Middle Tennessee State, but was used sparingly against Robert Morris and St. Francis. Her duty will be to keep Shavon Bell in check.

Bell, Xavier's lone senior, will match up against Young for most of the game. After being a key bench contributor last season, she has improved her offensive numbers considerably this season (11.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG). She has also improved her shooting range, and having as many offensive weapons as possible will be critical for Xavier's success. Bell is a gnat on defense - she has the speed to go into transition on steals and loose balls.

Advantage: XU

POWER FORWARD
In what should be a matchup of highly-touted freshmen, Debbie Merrill will play the 4 spot to start the game; she will also move over to center in other game situations. Merrill is off to a fast start this season, averaging 16.8 PPG and 8.3 RPG in her first season in a UC uniform. Merrill was the 5th-highest recruited center in the country last season, and she will be a serious two-way threat in this contest as well.

Alexis Henderson moved into Xavier's starting lineup during the holiday tournament at Maine. Although she is Xavier's only starter not to average double figures in points per game, her averages of 6.6 PPG and 4.2 RPG are tops among XU's freshmen this year. She'll be at a size disadvantage against Merrill, but her defense of her will be critical to Xavier's success.

Advantage: UC

CENTER
Tammy Douglass is UC's leading rebounder (8.3 RPG) and 3rd-highest scorer (14.3 PPG) so far this season. She is the lone senior on UC's starting 5, and returns after having started each and every game last season. She will start most of the game in the post, but she could switch defensive assignments with Merrill if the need arises.

Kate Kreager is now showing more signs of potential when she was highly recruited by Xavier. As a sophomore, Kreager is leading the Muskies in scoring and rebounding (16.2 PPG and 5.8 RPG). Clearly she is slowly mastering her finishing moves in the paint, although her defensive intensity will have to step up if she is to keep the UC posts in check for this game.

Advantage: XU

BENCH
Laura Wilder is UC's first player off the bench, and will play mostly to spell Young relief on the wing. She was UC's leading rebounder the past two seasons, although she has been playing with a broken hand so far this season. Merelenea Dozier is a 3-point specialist who can give spot minutes to give UC scoring punch when needed. Carolyn Alexander and Leslie Knoch are other players who can spell spot duty as well.

Xavier's bench isn't as deep - Ashleigh Cuncic (an outside-shooting specialist) is one of two other players to have seen action in every game thus far. Aida Sarajilia can spell relief for either Henderson or Kreager for defensive purposes, and can also give starter's minutes should either player get into foul trouble.

Advantage: UC

On paper, the two teams look fairly evenly matched, although UC has had the early 4-0 mark due to their defensive pressure. This is due to Coach Laurie Pirtle's (11-6 vs. XU) system that she learned as a player at Ohio State and also utilized as head coach at Capital University in Columbus before coming to the Queen City. Xavier, on the other hand, is coming off of 3 consecutive losses, mainly because of a combination of outstanding defense by their opponents and a high mark of turnovers by Xavier thus far this season.

Since the Muskies are unlikely to win the battle of the boards against UC, it is critical that they have a good shooting performance and a low turnover output. They'll need the A-games of Waugh, Piipari, and Kreager for this one. For UC, they need to establish their inside game early and often. King and Merrill will be the X-factors for UC in this game.

But, Xavier has a 22-game home winning streak in their favor, and have not lost at home since moving into the Cintas Center. A pro-Xavier crowd and big-game experience will be the deciding factor in this one. Look for Xavier to break their 5-game losing streak against the team from Clifton this season.

Prediction: Xavier 65, Cincinnati 62

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