TicketsJan. 10, 2009
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaking 71-70 decision to Syracuse on Saturday (Jan. 10) night at Fifth Third Arena.
Chandrea Jones hit a free throw with seven seconds left to give Syracuse (13-3, 2-1 BIG EAST) its second straight BIG EAST win and Shanasa Sanders' (Jacksonville, Fla./Ribault Senior) three-point attempt was no good as time expired.
Kahla Roudebush (Noblesville, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) led four UC players in double figures, scoring 21 points and connecting on three three-pointers. She has scored 20 or more in four of her last five games and is averaging 23.2 points per contest over her last five games.
Shelly Bellman (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf) tallied 16 points, including four threes, and Jill Stephens (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) dropped in 13 points. Angel Morgan (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield North) posted her second career double-double, scoring 10 points and adding a game-high 13 rebounds.
The Bearcats (12-4, 2-1 BIG EAST) led by as much as 16 in the first half, taking a 21-5 lead over the first nine minutes of the game thanks to an 11-0 run, capped by a Stephens jumper.
Syracuse cut the lead to 25-19 on a layup by Tyler Ash, but UC pushed its lead back to 11 at the half, 38-27.
Syracuse fought all the way back and took its first lead since 2-0 on a Vionca Murray free throw with 9:14 to play.
SU led by as much as four, but UC drew even at 68-68 on a Stephens free throw with 2:16 to play. Morgan knocked down a pair of free throws on the next possession to give the Bearcats a 70-68 lead.
A Chandrea Jones jumper tied the game again at 70 and Roudebush had her shot blocked on the next UC possession. Syracuse rebounded and called timeout. The Orange missed three times, but got offensive rebounds on each attempt before Jones was fouled with 7.7 seconds to play and four seconds on the shot clock.
She hit the first, but missed the second. Morgan grabbed the long rebound and got the ball up the floor to Sanders on the right wing. Her three hit the front of the rim and caromed off, sending the Bearcats to their first conference loss of the season.
Nicole Michael led the Orange with 16 points and was joined in double figures by Jones (12 points) and Murray (10 points).
UC knocked down 12 three-pointers, one shy of a school record and outrebounded the Orange, 40-35.
The Bearcats are next in action when they host Seton Hall on Saturday, Jan. 17, at Fifth Third Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.