TicketsFeb. 21, 2009
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Jill Stephens (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds, but the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team dropped a 68-53 decision at No. 19/22 Pittsburgh on Saturday (Feb. 21) afternoon at Petersen Events Center.
The Bearcats (13-13, 3-10 BIG EAST) were down just two points at the half, 26-24, but were outscored, 42-29, in the second half.
Pittsburgh (20-5, 10-3 BIG EAST) outrebounded the Bearcats, 43-26, including 20-3 on the offensive glass. Pitt converted those 20 offensive boards into 21 second-chance points.
Shavonte Zellous and Xenia Stewart led Pitt with 16 points apiece, but UC held Zellous, the BIG EAST's leading scorer, seven points under her season average. She shot just 6-of-22 from the floor.
Cincinnati hung with the Panthers throughout the first half, taking three point leads on three occasions. Stephens scored eight points to lead UC, while Shanasa Sanders (Jacksonville, Fla./Ribault Senior) scored seven.
The Bearcats were 9-of-22 from the floor in the first half, and held the Panthers to 9-of-34 shooting. Pitt hurt UC on the offensive glass, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds and converting those into 11 second-chance points.
In the second half, UC stayed close, pulling within 41-40 on a Kahla Roudebush (Noblesville, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) layup with 14:10 to play. Pitt then went on a 14-0 run to open up a 55-40 lead.
A Shelly Bellman (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf) three cut the lead to 55-43 and stopped the bleeding, but the Bearcats got no closer than 12 the rest of the way.
Stephens now has 984 career points, 16 points shy of 1,000 for her career. Roudebush was the only other Bearcat in double figures with 10 points. Sanders and Bellman finished with nine each.
The Bearcats travel to Rutgers for a 7:30 p.m. tip on Tuesday, Feb. 24, against the Scarlet Knights in the Louis Brown Athletic Center.