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DETROIT, Mich. – In its first true road game of the season, the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team was unable to complete a second-half comeback, falling to the Detroit Titans, 77-68, inside Calihan Hall.
// THE SHORT STORY
Facing a halftime deficit for the sixth time this season, the Bearcats, per usual, staged a second-half comeback to tighten the game. Trailing by as many as 15 points with 4:04 to go in the third quarter, UC fought back to cut its deficit to just three points, 57-54, entering the fourth period. After a back and forth eight minutes of the fourth, Cincinnati trailed by only three, 71-68, but a few empty offensive possessions and subsequent conversions at the free-throw line from the Titans iced the game away. UC had only four players score in the game, led by Jasmine Whitfield's (Crestwood, Ky./South Oldham) career night of 24 points and 17 rebounds.
// KEY PLAYERS
CINCINNATI
Jasmine Whitfield: 24 points |17 rebounds
Ana Owens: 21 points | 6 assists
Alyesha Lovett: 15 points | 9 rebounds
DETROIT
Rosanna Reynolds: 21 points | 10 rebounds
Nicole Urbanick: 16 points | 4 rebounds
Haleigh Ristovski: 11 points | 12 rebounds
// KEY RUNS
- The Bearcats jumped out to a quick 9-4 lead following hitting four of seven shots in the opening three minutes of play.
- Detroit responded with an 8-4 run to take its first lead of the game, 13-12, five minutes in.
- Over the final five minutes of the opening period, the Titans outscored the Bearcats, 10-7. UC was able to reduce a then game-high deficit of seven points to four on a Whitfield three pointer at the first quarter buzzer.
- The Titans opened the second quarter on a 7-0 surge over the opening three-and-a-half minutes. The Bearcats faced its then largest deficit of the game of 11 with 7:01 to go in the first half. Over the final seven minutes of the period, UC outscored its opponent, 13-11, to go into halftime trailing, 41-32.
- Sophomore point guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) drained a three-pointer on UC's first possession of the third quarter to bring the score to 41-35. Detroit answered with a 14-5 burst over the next five-and-a-half minutes to take a game-high 15-point, 55-40, lead with 4:04 remaining in the third quarter.
- Facing their largest deficit of the game, 55-40, with four minutes left in the third quarter, the Bearcats manufactured a 14-2 run, capped by a junior guard Bianca Quisenberry (Springfield, Ohio/Tecumseh) triple to bring the score to 57-54 at the end of three.
- UC trailed 62-59 with 7:19 remaining in the game, but the Titans countered with a 7-2 burst to lead by eight with 3:07 to go. Cincinnati then answered with a 5-0 run over the next minute, capped by a Quisenberry three to bring the score to 69-66.
// TEAM NOTES
- Cincinnati totaled 21 offensive rebounds and converted these boards into 20 second-chance points.
- UC had two players with 20 or more points for the first time since Jan. 7, 2015 when Whitfield had 24 and Marley Hill had 28.
- The Bearcats forced the Titans into 16 turnovers, but only turned these miscues into 11 points.
- Cincinnati got to the free-throw a line a season-low four times, making all four.
- For the first time this season, the Bearcats got zero points from their bench.
// INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Whitfield recorded her first double-double of the season and second of her career with a career-high-tying 24 points and a career-best 17 rebounds. The double-double is the second this season for the Bearcats after Owens recorded 25 points and 12 rebounds against Saint Francis (Pa.) in the season opener on Nov. 14. Whitfield's six three-pointers were also a career-best and marks the first time a UC player had six or more three's in a game since Makenzie Cann had six on March 6, 2015.
- Owens recorded her 23rd-career game with double-digit points (21) and the fifth of this season. Her point total was also her sixth career 20-plus point game and second this season.
- Senior guard Alyesha Lovett (Newark, N.J./Malcolm X Shabazz) posted her fourth double-digit scoring performance of the season and 27th of her career with 15 points.
- Quisenberry tied a career high with four steals. The junior also had eight points and four rebounds.
// UP NEXT
UC will host No. 10 Ohio State on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 1 p.m. inside Fifth Third Arena. The game will be broadcasted live on CBS Sports Network, while a live audio stream will be available through Bearcats TV. The game will also be the Bearcats' annual "White Out" game where fans are encouraged to wear white. Admission is complimentary as part of the University's "Experience UC" initiative.