TicketsFeb. 16, 2010
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Kahla Roudebush (Noblesville, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) scored 12 points, but the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team dropped a 59-44 decision at Providence on Tuesday (Feb. 16) night in Alumni Hall.
Michelle Jones (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mt. Notre Dame) became the 24th player in school history to reached 1,000 career points with a layup at the 2:50 mark of the first half. She becomes the third player in the last two seasons to reach the milestone, as Jill Stephens and Roudebush each scored their 1,000th career point last season.
Chelsea Marandola scored 23 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for the Friars (15-10, 6-6 BIG EAST).
The Bearcats (11-13, 4-8) jumped out to leads of 4-0 and 7-2, but Providence took control with a 19-8 run to take a six-point lead, 21-15, with 6:59 to go in the first half. Cincinnati drew even at 23-23 with an 8-2 run of its own, but PC scored the final four points of the half to take a 29-25 lead into the lockerroom.
Providence scored the first five points of the second half and pushed the lead to 11, 40-29, with 13:52 to go. A 7-0 run for UC cut the lead to 42-38 on a Carla Jacobs (Cleveland, Ohio/Regina) layup with 8:21 to go.
That is as close as the Bearcats would get, as the Friars posted an 8-2 run of their own to extend the lead back to 11 at 50-39 with 4:35 to go.
The Bearcats shot just 24 percent (6-of-25) in the second half and 30 percent for the game, while PC shot 41 percent from the floor and won the rebounding battle, 42-34.
Val Schuster (Wausau, Wis./Wausau Newman Central) matched her season-high with 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Jones gathered a team-best 10 boards, but shot just 3-of-12 from the field and finished with nine points.
Mi-Khida Hankins added 11 points and eight rebounds for the Friars.
Cincinnati returns to Fifth Third Arena to take on Villanova on Saturday, Feb. 20, at 2 p.m. The Bearcats will wear pink jerseys in support of the WBCA's Pink Zone initiative for breast cancer awareness. Fans are encouraged to wear pink as well, as proceeds from the game will go to the Barrett Cancer Center.