Bearcats the stalker... or the prey?

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Pressure defense has keyed Cincinnati's undefeated start, but none of those victories came against a point guard of Travis Diener's caliber or a team of Marquette's quality.

Dominating the opposition like no other team in the nation, the 10th-ranked Bearcats (11-0, 2-0) look to show their hot start has not just been a result of facing inferior competition as they visit the 21st-ranked Golden Eagles (11-2, 2-0) on Wednesday.

Marquette won both meetings between these teams last season while ending Cincinnati's run of seven straight Conference USA regular season titles. The Bearcats have lost their last three trips to the Bradley Center.

``We're going to go up there and make a statement that Cincinnati is back, that we're a Top 10 team and we're going to bring a championship back to Cincinnati,'' Bearcats forward Jason Maxiell said.

The Bearcats are winning by an average of 26.2 points per game, tops in Division I. However, only one of their non-conference foes — Clemson — was from a major conference.

Marquette is no pushover. The team's only losses have come on the road against ranked teams — Wisconsin and Arizona — and the Golden Eagles know Diener gives them a good chance to solve the Bearcats' stifling full-court press.

``He's one of the best in the country,'' Cincinnati forward Tony Bobbitt said of Diener. ``He also knows that he'll get 10 crazy Bearcats coming after him hard.''

With coach Bob Huggins using a deep bench to consistently employ the press, Cincinnati is forcing 23 turnovers and making 10.7 steals per game while leading the conference with a plus-10.9 turnover margin.

THIS WEEK'S CONTENT FROM BONESVILLE.NET:
Brian Bailey: From the Anchor Desk - 01.14
— Colossal challenge also an opportunity
Bonesville: 'Cats the stalker... or the prey? - 01.14
Nuggets: Notes from ECU and beyond - 01.14
Pirate Radio 1250 Audio: Sportsline with Patrick Johnson - 01.13
— Segment with guest Steve Janski
Greg Vacek: Daily Web Headlines Roundup - 01.14
Denny O'Brien: Pirate Notebook No. 169 - 01.13
— Improved league has ECU playing catch-up
Bonesville: Key recruiting weekend nets bumper harvest - 01.13
Bonesville: ACC stymied on title game - 01.13
Bonesville: BCS dilemma still hanging - 01.13
Bonesville: Updated football recruiting thumbnails - 01.13
Nuggets: Notes from ECU and beyond - 01.13
Pirate Radio 1250 Audio: Press Box with Troy Dreyfus - 01.13
— Brian Bailey, Jody Jones, Jim Gentry
Pirate Radio 1250 Audio: Locker Room with Kevin Monroe - 01.13
— Sean Farmer, Mike & Drew Steele, Steve Janski, Leonard Henry
Cable 7 Audio: Brian Bailey Show - 01.13
— Greg Lassiter, Kenny Cline, Jonathan Medford
Al Myatt: View from the East - 01.12
— ECU in the 'Pink' with verbal from legacy
Bonesville: Fans still booking Virtual Bowl "seats" - 01.12
Bonesville: Updated C-USA basketball standings - 01.12
Nuggets: Notes from ECU and beyond - 01.12
Keith LeClair: From The Dugout - 01.11
— Pete Rose: Hall of Fame, or outside looking in?
Bonesville: Road dishes more misery to Pirates - 01.11
Nuggets: Notes from ECU and beyond - 01.11
Letter to the Editor: David Beauchamp, Aberdeen, NC - 01.11

Diener has an outstanding 3.4 assist-to-turnover ratio and leads the conference with 6.1 assists per game. The 165-pound junior is also averaging a team-high 17.5 points, and shooting 47 percent (37-of-79) from 3-point range and 86 percent (37-for-43) at the foul line.

``Travis has so much ability. He can create in the tougher situations,'' Marquette forward Dameon Mason said. ``I have never played with a guard nowhere near as good as he is.''

Diener's bank shot with 2.6 seconds left gave the Golden Eagles a 61-59 victory over Saint Louis on Saturday night. He scored 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting but had just two assists.

``It wasn't his best night as a Marquette player, but he does what he normally does, he wins,'' Golden Eagles coach Tom Crean said.

Bobbitt is second on the team with 14.1 points per contest, leading a Bearcats bench which has accounted for 35.7 points per game. Ten Bearcats are averaging at least 13 minutes.

Maxiell, a junior forward, is averaging team highs of 15.5 points and 8.1 rebounds.