TicketsFeb. 20, 2010
CINCINNATI - Michelle Jones (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) recorded her third double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds, but the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team dropped a 60-57 decision to Villanova on Saturday (Feb. 20) in Fifth Third Arena.
The Bearcats wore pink uniforms, shooting shirts, and shoelaces in support of the WBCA's Pink Zone initiative, which raises awareness for breast cancer. Proceeds went to the UC Barrett Cancer Center to help fund research efforts.
Shareese Ulis (Toledo, Ohio/Trinity Valley C.C.) added 11 points and seven assists for the Bearcats, who fell to 11-14 overall and 4-9 in BIG EAST play.
Kahla Roudebush (Noblesville, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) scored eight points and grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds.
The Bearcats controlled the first half, taking a 19-7 lead on a Shanasa Sanders (Jacksonville, Fla./Ribault Senior) jumper with 8:58 left in the half. The Wildcats (13-13, 2-11) cut the lead to five at 26-21 with under 30 seconds to play in the stanza, but a Ulis three pushed it to 29-21 going into intermission.
Villanova shot just 31 percent in the first half and hit on just 3-of-18 three-point attempts. The second half was a different story.
VU shot 14-of-21 in the second stanza and used a 23-11 run over an eight-minute stretch to take a 54-49 lead with 4:10 left to play. The Wildcats hit 5-of-6 three-pointers during one stretch and finished the half shooting 6-of-10 from beyond the arc.
The Bearcats cut the lead to three on two occassions, but were unable to get any closer and Villanova escaped with just its second league win of the season.
Maria Getty led the Wildcats with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting and Shannon Elliott recorded a school-record eight blocks on the afternoon.
Cincinnati won the rebounding battle, 36-29, and committed just nine turnovers.
The Bearcats return to action on Tuesday, playing host to No. 9/8 West Virginia at 7 p.m. in Fifth Third Arena.