TicketsFeb. 12, 2011
CINCINNATI - Despite a big second-half comeback, the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team dropped a 51-44 decision against Seton Hall on Saturday (Feb. 12) in Fifth Third Arena.
The Bearcats (8-15, 1-0 BIG EAST), who fell behind by as much as 24 early in the second half, cut the deficit to three late in the game but were unable to get any closer in dropping their 10th straight game.
Bjonee Reaves (San Bernardino, Calif./Neosho County) scored a team-high 11 points with seven rebounds to lead UC. Jeanise Randolph (Calumet City, Ill./Thornton Fractional North) scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Bearcats.
UC shot just 20 percent and committed 12 turnovers in the first half and went to the locker room trailing 26-9, the fewest points the Bearcats have scored in a half this season.
Seton Hall (8-16, 1-10) pushed its 17-point halftime lead to 33-9 when it scored the first seven points of the second stanza with 18:14 remaining. Cincinnati then opened up a 13-0 run over the next eight minutes with five different players scoring to cut it to 33-22 with 10:12 to go.
SHU stopped the bleeding with a Jazzmine Johnson jumper, but Reaves answered with a three to make it a 10-point game. With the Pirates holding a 40-27 lead with 5:30 to play, another Reaves three started an 11-2 run for the Bearcats, which was capped by a Kayla Cook (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) triple in front of the UC bench that made it 42-39 with 2:20 to play.
Shelly Bellman (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf) had a good look at a three on UC's next possession for the tie, but it rimmed out and Seton Hall sealed the win with free throws down the stretch.
Cook scored eight points with six rebounds and Tiffany Turner (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) grabbed a game-high eight boards to help the Bearcats to a 44-35 advantage on the glass.
Jasmine Crew led the Pirates with 17 points and Brittany Morris tallied 11.
The Bearcats will travel to Villanova for a 7 p.m. tipoff on Tuesday, Feb. 15.