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TULSA, Okla. - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team picked up its second road conference victory of the young season with a 55-53 victory over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Wednesday evening inside the Reynolds Center.
// THE SHORT STORY
The Bearcats (6-10, 2-3 The American) trailed by as many as eight points in the second quarter, but battled back to take a 24-22 lead into halftime. In the third quarter, UC was able to increase its lead to a game-high eight points, but saw Tulsa (6-11, 3-3 The American) respond to trail by only two, 39-37, heading into the fourth quarter. The two team traded baskets for much of the final period until senior guard Jasmine Whitfield (Crestwood, Ky./South Oldham) added to the Bearcats' 52-51 advantage with a driving bucket-and-a-foul to put UC up 55-51 with 3:32 remaining. In the closing minutes, UC held strong and weathered any storm by the Hurricane to gain a 55-53 win.
// KEY PLAYERS
CINCINNATI
Jasmine Whitfield: 18 points | 10 rebounds
Alyesha Lovett: 15 points | 7 rebounds
Ana Owens: 13 points | 11 rebounds | 5 assists
TULSA
Ashley Clark: 15 points | 7 rebounds | 4 assists
Kelsee Grovey: 10 points | 4 rebounds | 2 assists | 2 steals
// KEY RUNS
- Both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net during the opening five minutes with a combined 3-for-22 shooting from the field as Tulsa led, 4-2. UC took a 7-6 lead following the first media stoppage of the night before the Hurricane put together a 8-5 run to lead, 12-7, and ended the first quarter with a 12-9 advantage.
- Early in the second period, TU increased its lead to 17-9, but the Bearcats responded with a 4-0 burst to pull within 17-13. With UC trailing 19-16 with 3:31 to go before halftime, redshirt senior guard Alyesha Lovett (Newark, N.J./Malcolm X Shabazz) buried a corner three-pointer off of a sophomore guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) assist to even the score at 19.
- Trailing 22-21 with under a minute to play in the opening half, Lovett nailed another trifecta with 35 seconds on the clock to give UC a 24-22 advantage - its first lead of the game -- at the break.
- The Bearcats charged out of halftime with a quick 5-0 surge, manufacturing a 13-9 run over the opening five-and-a-half minutes of the quarter. In this burst, UC even built a then-game-high advantage of seven points, 29-22. Cincinnati progressed to lead by as many as eight points, 39-31, before Tulsa answered with a 6-1 run over the final 3:15 of the period to reduce the Bearcats' advantage to 39-37 heading into the final period.
- The two teams battled back and forth during the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. With UC holding onto a 46-44 lead with 7:23 left to play, the Hurricane's Kelsey Grovey nailed a three-pointer to put TU up, 47-46.
- Trading baskets over the next few minutes, the Bearcats got a huge and-one conversion from Whitfield to take a 55-51 lead with 3:32 to go. Down the stretch, UC was able to hold Tulsa to only one made basket as the Bearcats came away victorious, 55-53.
// TEAM NOTES
- The Bearcats scored 20 or more points in the paint for the 13th time this season with 20 on the night.
- Cincinnati outrebounded Tulsa, 48-40, including 13 offensive rebounds which were converted into six second-chance points UC is 3-1 this season when outrebounding its opponent.
- The Bearcats forced TU into 11 turnovers and cashed in on these miscues with six points
- UC secured it first halftime lead (24-22) since Jan. 2 at UCF where it later recorded a 68-50 victory. Cincinnati is 3-1 this season when leading at the half.
// INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Whitfield reached double-figure scoring for the 11th time this season and 29th time of her career with a game-high 18 points. The senior also added 10 rebounds to record her third double-double of the season and the fourth of her career.
- Owens notched her second double-double of the season and the third of her career with 13 points and 11 rebounds. The sophomore also added a game-high five assists.
- Lovett scored in double-figures for the ninth time this season and the 32nd time of her career with 15 points.
// UP NEXT
UC will be back home to face UCF for the second time in two weeks when it welcomes the Knights to Fifth Third Arena on Saturday, Jan. 16, for a 2 p.m. tipoff. A video stream will air live on The American Digital Network. Also, live audio will be available on Bearcats TV, while live stats can be accessed through . Admission will be complimentary as part of the University's season-long "Experience UC" initiative.