TicketsJan. 17, 2009
CINCINNATI - Shanasa Sanders (Jacksonville, Fla./Ribaut Senior) scored a career-high 25 points and added nine rebounds to lead the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team to a 72-62 victory against Seton Hall on Saturday (Jan. 17) night at Fifth Third Arena.
Sanders, a freshman point guard, played 40 minutes and shot 8-of-16 from the field. She knocked down a career-best four three-pointers, added four assists, and committed just one turnover.
Kahla Roudebush (Noblesville, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) scored 20 points, the fifth time in her last six contests that she has topped the 20-point plateau. Shelly Bellman (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf) scored 12 points, all in the second half and Angel Morgan (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield North) scored eight points and added eight rebounds for the Bearcats (13-4, 3-1 BIG EAST).
UC won its third conference game in four tries. The Bearcats didn't win their third BIG EAST game until the 16th league game last season, a 66-59 win at Providence.
Seton Hall (13-4, 2-3 BIG EAST) led early in the first half, 6-0, but three-pointers by Morgan, Sanders, and Roudebush pushed UC ahead, 9-8, just over four minutes in.
The teams traded baskets throughout most of the half, until the Pirates put together an 11-5 run to take a 35-26 lead with just under three minutes to play in the stanza. The Pirates led 37-30 going into the half.
UC opened the second half on a 10-3 run to pull even at 40-40 on a Roudebush three with 16:53 to play.
Sanders hit a jumper and a three-pointer on back-to-back possessions to push UC ahead, 45-42. The Bearcats' lead hovered between two and six for the next 10 minutes before SHU drew even at 56-56 with 5:48 to play.
Morgan drilled a three on the ensuing UC possession and the Bearcats never trailed again.
Bellman was clutch down the stretch, knocking down a three with the shot clock expiring to give the Bearcats a 65-60 lead and hitting a jumper moments later to push UC's lead back to five, 67-62, with a minute to play.
Sanders and Roudebush combined to knock down 5-of-6 free throws to put the game out of reach.
UC outscored SHU, 42-25, in the second half, hitting 6-of-10 threes and 12-of-14 free throws.
Noteisha Womack, the nation's leading rebounder at 13.5 per game coming into the contest, led the Pirates with 19 points and 10 rebounds, her 12th double-double of the season.
The Bearcats travel to Louisville for an 8 p.m. tipoff against the rival Cardinals on Tuesday, Jan. 20. The game will be televised live on CBS College Sports.