TicketsJan. 9, 2013
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team got 23 points from junior Dayeesha Hollins (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods/Michigan) but it was not enough as Seton Hall earned a 64-56 decision Wednesday in a BIG EAST Conference matchup inside Fifth Third Arena.
Cincinnati fell to 8-7, 0-2 BIG EAST while the Pirates, on a three-game winning streak, improved to 7-8, 2-0 BIG EAST.
Hollins' 23 points, which included a career best seven three pointers, led all players. It was her 10th career 20-point game and 26th-straight contest scoring in double figures. Lesha Dunn (Toronto, Canada/Trinity Valley Community College)also found double figures for UC, pouring in 11. Dunn and Hollins tied for the team lead with six rebounds apiece.
Seton Hall had three players finish in double digits, with Ka-Deidre Simmons' 18 leading the way. Brittany Morris finished with 16 while Alexandra Maseko finished with 10. Simmons also added a game high seven rebounds.
UC's offense ebbed and flowed throughout the game with the Bearcats hitting six threes coming out of halftime to move to a 43-40 advantage with 11:38 to go. Hollins drained five of the six threes.
The Bearcats pushed their lead to five, their biggest of the night, after a pair of free throws by Dunn with 10:42 remaining. UC maintained a three-point margin at 49-46 following a Tiffany Turner jumper in the paint with 8:38 left.
UC struggled down the stretch, going 1-of-6 from the field with four turnovers during the final 8:14 and succumbing to an 18-7 Seton Hall run which left the final margin at eight.
The Bearcats finished 18-of-47 (.383) from the field and 8-of-18 (.444) from behind the arc while the Pirates finished 22-of-50 (.440) and 6-of-12 (.500). Seton Hall turned 15 UC turnovers into 13 points, held a 22-12 advantage on points in the paint and outscored UC 11-2 on the fast break.
UC trailed 25-22 at the break as both teams struggled offensively in the opening stanza. Combined, the two teams were 18-of-52 (.346) from the field with Seton Hall committing eight turnovers and UC seven.
The Bearcats led 10-9 with 11:18 left but the offense went cold and the Bearcats would go without a field goal for over five minutes, trailing by 18-10 with 5:55 left. Seton Hall pushed the lead to 10, 22-12, with 3:47 remaining in the half. From there, UC found its shot, going on a 10-3 run to close the half out
Dunn (7) and Hollins (5) provided the bulk of the first-half scoring for UC while Morris (10), Simmons (6) and Green (5) topped the ledger for the Pirates.
The Bearcats will embark on a two-game road swing, taking on USF on Tuesday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. and facing Louisville on Friday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m.