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CINCINNATI - Behind freshman Makenzie Cann's (Lawrenceburg, Ky./Anderson County) career-high 15 points the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team earned a 56-46 conference road win over SMU Saturday afternoon.
CINCINNATI 56 (7-21, 4-13) | SMU 46 (6-22, 2-15)
// THE SHORT STORY:
In a game that featured 11 lead changes, the Bearcats erased an eight-point second-half deficit to earn a 10-point win over SMU behind a trio of double-digit performances. Marley Hill (Columbus, Ohio/Africentric) recorded a game-high 17 points while Cann turned in a career-day with 15 and Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) added 11.
Cincinnati outscored SMU 20-9 over the final six minutes and 19 seconds of the game to secure the win. Hill accounted for 12 of those points, scoring four of her six buckets down the stretch. Cann's five threes were a career best as were Jasmine Whitfield. (Crestwood, Ky./South Oldham) 11 rebounds.
// KEY PLAYERS:
CINCINNATI
#5 Makenzie Cann: 15 points | 5-9 3PT FG | 2 assists | 1 steal
#3 Ana Owens: 11 points | 4 rebounds | 2 steals | 2 assists
#35 Marley Hill: 17 points | 9 rebounds | 2 blocks | 2 steals
#23 Jasmine Whitfield: 11 rebounds | 5 points | 5 assists
SMU
#31 Destynee Hives-McCray: 13 points | 7 rebounds | 1 block
#15 Stephanie Collins: 10 points | 4 rebounds | 3 blocks
#3 Gabrielle Wilkins: 8 points | 6 rebounds | 1 block | 1 steal
// KEY RUNS:
- UC made their first run of the game thanks to a 10-0 scoring advantage that started with a three from Bianca Quisenberry (Springfield, Ohio/Tecumseh). The UC defense held SMU scoreless for four minutes and one second while Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) ripped off eight points including a pair of three-pointers.
- SMU immediately answered with a 10-0 run of their own that gave them back the three-point edge, 20-17, at the break. Stephanie Collins added a pair of lay-ups for SMU.
- SMU took their largest lead of the game to start the second half by scoring the first five points and take a 25-17 lead at the 17:33 mark.
- Cincinnati closed out the game on a 20-9 run over the final 6:19 of the contest. Hill added 12 while Cann and Whitfield contributed three.
// TEAM NOTES:
- Starters: Owens (G), Quisenberry (G), Whitfield (G), Hill (F), Jamison (F)
- Cincinnati recorded their first road win since a 76-73 double overtime win over Houston on Jan. 7.
- Cincinnati's 23 three-point shots are tied for the most in a game this season. UC also had as many deep shots against UConn (1/25) and at UT-Martin (11/19).
- The Bearcats' nine steals were one shy of the season high of 10 set three times this season.
- UC rebounded from shooting 22.6 percent in the first half to hit 12-of-29 shots in the second half (41.4%).- SMU swatted 11 shots, the most for any UC opponent.
- SMU committed 17 turnovers, leading to 12 UC points.
// INDIVIDUAL NOTES:
- Marley Hill scored 12 of her 17 points during the final six minutes and 19 second of the contest. The sophomore finished with nine rebounds, marking the third time this season she has been one rebounds shy of a double-double. It also snapped a three-game streak without double-digits points, giving her 22 games with double-digit points in her career.
- Makenzie Cann recorded career-high marks in both points (15) and three-pointers made (5). Her previous best was 12 points against UT-Martin on Nov. 19, 2014 where she hit four three's. It marked the seventh time she has totaled double-digits.
- Jasmine Whitfield pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds. Her five assists were one shy of her career-best mark of five set against UT-Martin.
- Ana Owens recorded double-digit points for the 18th time this season with 11 on 3-of-7 shooting from three-point range. She has hit multiple three's in 18 games this season.
// UP NEXT:
The Bearcats will play the final game of the regular season Monday, March 2 inside Fifth Third Arena. The game against Tulsa will tip-off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3. UC's senior Chelsea Jamison (Indianapolis, Ind./Broad Ripple) will be honored before the game.