TicketsBearcats Top Xavier in Annual Crosstown Shootout
UC Snapped Xavier's 22-game Home Winning Streak
Contact: Lisa Helgeson
12/2/2001
CINCINNATI, OHIO-- Debbie Merrill scored 22 points and had a career-high 13 rebounds and Tammy Douglass scored 13 to lead the University of Cincinnati to a 62-56 win over Xavier in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout in the Cintas Center on Sunday afternoon. With the win, UC snapped Xaviers' 22-game home winning streak.
Merrill, who played 30 minutes, connected on seven-of-14 field-goal attempts to notch thesecond double-double of her career. Douglass had seven points at halftime and pulled down five rebounds. Valerie King chipped in with 10 points and K.B. Sharp added nine points.
?Wow, what a battle,? Head Coach Laurie Pirtle said. ?I?m pleased with how our kids responded after being down by six early in the second quarter. I thought we played well down the stretch. Give credit to Xavier, they are a good team.?
Amy Waugh led Xavier with 16 points.
The Bearcats stormed out of the gates, feeding Merrill inside for UC?s first seven points. Cincinnati?s lead would extend to 10-2 before the Musketeers? Kate Kreager hit a jumper to make the score 10-4. The Bearcats built up a 12-point lead at the 8:05 mark in the first half. Xavier would bring it to within four, but baskets by Douglass and K.B. Sharp extended UC?s lead back to nine. Two made free throws by Amy Waugh cut Cincinnati?s lead to seven going into the lockerroom. UC made 14-of-27 field goal attempts (.431) to the Musketeers?nine-of-20 (.401). Xavier owned the rebounding edge, 14-12.
The second half was a battle. Xavier cut Cincinnati?s lead to one and then tied it at 37-37 on a Reetta Piipari free throw. The Bearcats missed their next three shots while Xavier hit a lay up and two threes to take the lead, 45-39. Douglass hit a lay up to make it 45-41 and King hit a crucial three pointer to pull within one. Douglass hit another lay up to retake the lead and UC went on a 10-0 run to virtually seal Cincinnati?s sixth straight win over Xavier. The Musketeers? resorted to fouling in the late minutes of the game and the Bearcats pulled away for a 62-56 win.
Notes:
With the win, Cincinnati is 5-0 for the first time since the 1997-98 season, when UC went 5-0 before losing to Dayton in the sixth game of the season.
Cincinnati defeated Xavier for the sixth-straight time and won for the first time in Xavier?s year-old Cintas Center. UC ended Xavier?s 22 game winning streak at home and handed the Musketeers? first loss in the Cintas Center. Xavier was undefeated in the Cintas Center until UC?s win.
Debbie Merrill recorded her second career double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Her 13 rebounds was a career high.
Junior K.B. Sharp played her 21st game of 40 minutes and her third game this season. She tallied three assists in the game to give her 30 assists in five games and 264 for her career. She is currently eighth on UC?s career assist chart.
Senior Laura Wilder played her first game without a cast on her right hand and chipped in four points and two rebounds.
UC was outrebounded in the game 34-32, making it the first time the Bearcats have been outrebounded all season.