TicketsDec. 14, 2005
CINCINNATI, Ohio - Treasure Humphries poured in a career-high 23 points with six assists and five rebounds to lead Cincinnati to a 73-61 win over Texas-Arlington in women's basketball action in Fifth Third Arena on Wednesday night.
Humphries made 8-of-14 shots from the field and 7-of-8 from the line as UC improved to 6-1 and a perfect 6-0 at home. She was joined in double figures by freshman Michelle Jones. The Mt. Notre Dame grad recorded career-highs of 17 points and seven rebounds and made 7-of-10 shots from the field.
"Treasure has stepped it up to a whole new level," said head coach Laurie Pirtle. "She's playing hard and really well and just getting it done."
UTA (3-3), the defending Southland Conference champion, was led by Maryann Abanobi's 14 points and 12 points from Tojjinay Thompson and Ashley Bobb. Terra Wallace, who entered the game averaging 21.0 points per game, was held to eight points on 2-of-15 shooting, though she contributed eight assists.
The Bearcats claimed a double-digit rebounding margin for the seventh time in seven games with a 39 to 26 edge on the boards. UC committed a season-low 16 turnovers and shot 52.7 percent from the field, a season-high.
In the first five minutes of the game there were three ties and four lead changes as neither team could take control. Jill Stephens, who finished with eight points and six rebounds, jumpstarted the Bearcats with a back-to-back scored to start a 15-4 run.
Humphries recorded four points and three assists in the stretch and Shelly Bellman handed out assists on the final two baskets for a 19-10 UC lead with 10:29 left in the half.
The Mavericks responded by scoring the next five points to cut the lead to four. Emy Ogide stretched it back to seven, 24-17, with 6:54 left, by Abanobi answered with a three-pointer for UTA.
Jones scored four-straight points and Bellva May followed with a putback to push the UC lead to 32-22. Thompson made a jumper and a three-pointer to help UTA pull to 32-29 with 1:35 left, but Humphries followed a Jones lay-in with four-straight points to make the score 38-29 at the half.
Humphries led UC with 11 points, four assists and four rebounds, while Jones added eight points and a game-high five boards.
Abanobi led the Mavs with nine points as UTA was held to 32.3 percent shooting. The Bearcats shot 45.5 percent from the floor and held a 27 to 15 edge on the boards.
UC came out strong to start the second half with a 15-7 run, keyed by five points from Jones. Humphries started the run with a jumper to open the half and closed it with a score to give the Bearcats a 53-36 lead with 13:39 left.
But as in their last game, the Bearcats allowed the large lead to be chipped away. Ashley Cole scored back-to-back trips and Bobb put in five of the next seven points as the Mavericks went on a 13-2 run to close to 58-54 with 7:24 left.
Bellman, who is second on the team in scoring but had been held scoreless, responded with a big three-pointer and UTA never got closer than five the rest of the way. Humphries scored six points in the final five minutes and Jones had four.
"We responded eventually," added Pirtle. "Our kids were resilient. We found a way to win when we weren't playing real well."
UC is next in action on Saturday, Dec. 17 when it hosts Big Ten foe Indiana at 2 p.m. in Fifth Third Arena.