TicketsCold Shooting Does in Bearcats
Contact: Geoff Wiswell
12/11/2004
Leslie Knoch scored 14 points and made three, three-pointers. |
CINCINNATI, Ohio ? Xavier shot a blistering 56 percent from the field and four players scored in double figures leading the Musketeers to an 85-50 defeat of Cincinnati in the 2004-05 Skyline Chili Women?s Crosstown Shootout Saturday afternoon at Fifth Third Arena. Xavier?s win was the first in the last nine meetings between the rivals.
?I don?t think we can look to our youth or our injuries for excuses,? said head coach Laurie Pirtle. ?We are a much better team than we showed today. I have to give credit to Xavier for having a game plan and sticking to it.?
XU outscored the Bearcats, 17-4, over the first 10:31 as UC struggled to find an offensive rhythm. Cincinnati (3-4) missed its first nine shots from the floor and didn?t record a field goal until Leslie Knoch hit the first of her three three-pointers at the 14:02 mark. Knoch had a team-high 14 points for the Bearcats.
Xavier (3-3) dominated the backboards in the first half, owning a 27-12 advantage. Adeola Olanrewaju recorded her first double-double of the season in the first half as she poured in 13 points and grabbed 10 caroms. For the game, Olanrewaju totaled a season-best 13 rebounds to go along with her 13 points.
With UC trailing by 14 and less than two minutes to play in the opening stanza, Knoch drilled another trifecta, slicing the Xavier lead to 11 at 30-19. But a quick 5-0 spurt built the lead back to 35-19. Micah Harvey knocked down two free throws just before halftime to pull UC back to within 14 at 35-21 going into the break, the first time Cincinnati had trailed at the half this season.
The 21 points in the first half were the fewest for the Bearcats since scoring 17 against Tulane on Feb. 15 of last season.
Xavier?s hot shooting continued in the second half, while UC?s offense continued to sputter. The teams traded baskets for the first 10 minutes before Xavier put the game away with a 25-7 run. Miranda Green scored seven points during the run, while Kristy Wallner added five.
The Musketeers were perfect from behind the arc, nailing all seven three-point attempts while hitting on 64 percent of its shots from the floor in the second period.
Toni Slaughter had 14 points and seven rebounds, but shot only 4 of 18 for the contest.
Cincinnati, missing starting center Anne Stephens due to an ankle injury, was outscored, 28-18, in the paint and outrebounded, 47-23. Xavier owned a 13-8 advantage on the offensive glass, scoring 20 second-chance points to UC?s seven.
Suntana Granderson scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Musketeers. She hit on 6 of 10 from the floor, including four of four from three-point range.
The Bearcats are next in action on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at Evansville. They return home on Saturday, Dec. 18 to welcome Alabama State to Fifth Third Arena for a 1 p.m. tipoff.