TicketsFeb. 8, 2009
NEW YORK - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team dropped a 60-53 decision to St. John's on Sunday (Feb. 8) afternoon at Madison Square Garden.
Kelly McManmon scored a career-high 20 points to lead the Red Storm (15-7, 3-6 BIG EAST).
Kahla Roudebush (Noblesville, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) and Jill Stephens (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) led the Bearcats (13-9, 3-6 BIG EAST) with 14 points apiece. Angel Morgan (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield North) posted her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The game began sloppily for both teams, with poor shooting and turnovers leading to a combined 15 points scored through the first 10 minutes of action.
St. John's led 18-16 after a pair of Monique McLean free throws with 4:15 to play, but the Bearcats used a 12-3 run to close the first half and take a 28-21 lead into the locker room. Roudebush led all first-half scorers with 11 points, while Stephens added nine.
UC scored the first seven points of the second half and opened up a 14-point lead on a Roudebush three-pointer with 18:10 to play.
St. John's then embarked on a 16-2 run, during which the Bearcats turned the ball over seven times against the Red Storm press. A Monique McLean layup and free throw drew the Red Storm even at 39-39 with 11:19 to play.
McManmon hit three three-pointers and Da'Shena Stevens scored eight points as the Red Storm pulled ahead down the stretch.
UC cut the lead to three (49-46) on a pair of Shelly Bellman (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf) free throws, but a missed shot and a turnover on the next two offensive possessions led to four points for St. John's and a seven point lead with just 2:31 to go.
Stephens connected on a pair of free throws to cut the lead to five, but McManmon drilled a three on the next possession to seal UC's fate.
Stevens and Sky Lindsay also scored in double figures for the Red Storm, dropping in 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Morgan, the Bearcats' leading rebounder, has averaged 10.0 boards per game over the last 10 games.
The Bearcats wrap up a two-game road swing when they travel to Georgetown on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 8 p.m.