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CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team was defeated by the UT Martin Skyhawks, 63-57, on Friday evening inside Fifth Third Arena.
// THE SHORT STORY
The Bearcats trailed throughout the game; weathering a 12-0 run by UT Martin to start, taking a 31-27 deficit into halftime, and falling behind by as many as 13 points with 6:20 left in the third quarter. Per usual, UC showed resiliency and clawed back to even take its first lead of the game with 6:43 remaining in the contest. The two teams traded baskets during the six and two minute marks in the fourth quarter before the Skyhawks converted back-to-back layups to pull ahead by five, 60-55, with 1:42 left to play. Down the stretch, UT Martin was able to capitalize on a few more plays than the home team as the Bearcats dropped a 63-57 decision.
// KEY PLAYERS
CINCINNATI
Jasmine Whitfield: 13 points | 9 rebounds
Bianca Quisenberry: 13 points | 7 rebounds
Alyesha Lovett: 12 points | 10 rebounds | 5 assists
UT MARTIN
Jessy Ward: 20 points
Haley Howard: 18 points | 12 rebounds
Chelsea Roberts: 12 points | 8 assists | 5 rebounds
// KEY RUNS
- Sophomore point guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind.) halted a 12-0 run by UT Martin to start the game with a right-wing jumper with 4:35 remaining in the opening period. Senior guard Jasmine Whitfield (Crestwood, Ky. South Oldhmam) contributed to the comeback effort with back-to-back baskets to close the gap to 14-6 with four minutes left in the first quarter. The two teams traded baskets for the duration of the period with the Skyhawks taking a 19-11 advantage into the second quarter.
- An Owens three-pointer with 6:28 left in the second quarter cut the Bearcats' deficit to two, 19-17. UT Martin responded with a 5-0 run, but UC countered with a 6-0 surge to pull within one, 24-23, on a freshman guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) coast-to-coast lay in with 3:58 remaining in the first half. Over the final three minutes of the half, the Skyhawks outscored the Bearcats 7-4 to take a 31-27 advantage into halftime.
- UT Martin manufactured a 9-0 run over the opening three minutes of the third quarter to pull ahead by a game-high 13 points, 40-27. UC then answered with a 10-0 run over the next two-and-a-half minutes.
- Facing a 45-40 deficit to begin the final period, UC had a quick 5-0 burst to pull even for the first time in the game. A deep Whitfield three-pointer gave the Bearcats their first lead of the game, 48-47, with 6:43 to go, but UT Martin answered right back to regain the lead.
- Back and forth basketball occurred over the next four minutes until the Skyhawks converted consecutive baskets to lead, 60-55, with 1:42 to go.
- A lay in by senior guard Alyesha Lovett (Newark, N.J./Malcolm X Shabazz) with 1:25 left cut the deficit to three, 60-57, but following both teams going scoreless over the next minute, a layup from UT Martin's DaiJia Ruffin with 20 seconds remaining pretty much sealed the Bearcats' fate.
// TEAM NOTES
- The Bearcats played without two of its veteran starting guards over the final five minutes of the contest due to fouling out (Whitfield) and injury (Quisenberry).
- UC got 20 or more points in the paint for the seventh time this season with 20 tonight.
- Cincinnati grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and turned them into 14 second-chance points.
- The Bearcats got 11 points from their bench. Friday marks back-to-back games UC has gotten 10 or more points from its bench.
// INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Lovett recorded her first-career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The senior guard also dished out a team-best five assists.
- Whitfield reached double-figure scoring for the eighth time this season with a team-high-tying 13 points. With a pair on Friday evening, the senior guard has nailed at least two three pointers in each of her last four games.
- Junior guard Bianca Quisenberry (Springfield, Ohio/Tecumseh) scored in double-figures for the sixth time this season and the 15th time of her career with a team-best-tying 13 points.
- Goings scored a season-best-tying eight points. The freshman has scored eight in back-to-back games.
// INJURY UPDATE
Quisenberry was wheeled off of the court on a stretcher after a fall on an offensive rebound attempt with 5:14 left in the fourth quarter which impacted her head and neck area. The junior was examined on the court by medical personnel and was attached to a stretcher and wheeled off of the court as a precaution. Quisenberry had movement in all of her extremities and was transported to University Hospital where she received further testing and evaluation. Her status is day to day.
// UP NEXT
UC will have a quick turnaround as it will close out home nonconference play on Sunday, Dec. 20, when it faces the Eastern Illinois Panthers at 2 p.m. inside Fifth Third Arena. Admission will be complimentary as part of the University's "Experience UC" initiative and "Signature Sunday" will feature a postgame autograph session with UC women's basketball players and coaches. The game will also be streamed live on Bearcats TV.