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ORLANDO, Fla. - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team picked up its first American Athletic Conference victory of the season with a 68-50 road win over the UCF Knights on Saturday afternoon inside CFE Arena.
// THE SHORT STORY
Behind a career performance from redshirt senior guard Alyesha Lovett (Newark, N.J./Malcolm X Shabazz), the Bearcats (5-8, 1-1 The American) earned their first road and league victory of the year with a convincing 68-50 victory at UCF (3-9, 0-1 The American). After an even first quarter, UC outscored its opponent 17-12 in the second to take its first halftime lead since Dec. 20. Armed with the momentum, the Bearcats again outpaced the Knights 17-12 in the third to increase its lead and then thoroughly widened the gap, 15-7, in the final period. A 9-0 run late in the third quarter to put itself up by 10 proved to be the game's turning point as UC went on to even up in conference action.
// KEY PLAYERS
CINCINNATI
Alyesha Lovett: 28 points | 6 rebounds | 4 steals
Ana Owens: 12 points | 7 rebounds | 3 steals
Jasmine Whitfield: 11 points | 11 rebounds | 3 steals
UCF
Zykira Lewis: 12 points | 4 rebounds
Ashley Polacek: 10 points | 8 rebounds
// KEY RUNS
- After falling behind by a score of 14-8 with 3:59 left in the first quarter, the Bearcats manufactured an 11-5 run to bring the score to 19-all at the end of one.
- The two teams traded baskets during the opening four minutes of the second period before UC pieced together a 5-0 burst from the 5:40 to 5:15 marks to pull ahead by a then-game-high five points, 28-23. The Knights countered by scoring four-straight over the next minute, but the Bearcats responded to outscore UCF 8-4 over the duration of the second quarter to take a 36-31 lead into halftime.
- After leading by five, 44-39, with five minutes left in the third quarter, UC surrendered a 4-0 surge by the Knights to put the home team within one point. The Bearcats then answered with a 9-0 streak to pull ahead by a game-high 10 points, 53-43, with 1:48 to go in the period.
- UC added to its largest lead of the game in the final period as it outscored UCF 15-7 in the quarter to come away with a 68-50 victory.
// TEAM NOTES
- The Bearcats scored 20 or more points in the paint for the tenth time this season with 34 on the day.
- UC forced UCF into 23 turnovers and capitalized on these miscues with 19 points.
- The Bearcats got more than 10 points from their bench for the sixth-consecutive game with 13 for the contest.
- Saturday marked the Bearcats' first road victory of the season and their first since Feb. 28, 2015 at SMU (56-46).
- UC's 36-31 halftime advantage was its first halftime lead since Dec. 20 against Eastern Illiinois (43-28).
// INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Lovett's career-high 28 points marks her first 20-plus point game this season and the third of her career. The scoring output is also only the fifth time this season a UC player has scored 20-plus points. Lovett also swiped a game-high four steals.
- Sophomore guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) scored in double-figures for the 10th time this season and 28th time of her career with 12 points. Owens also dished out a team-high two assists.
- Senior guard Jasmine Whitfield (Crestwood, Ky./South Oldham) achieved her second double-double of the season and third of her career with 11 points and a team-best 11 rebounds.
- Freshman forward Chelsea Warren (Red Oak, Texas/Red Oak) scored a season-high 5 points and also corralled five rebounds.
// UP NEXT
UC will look to gain its first home conference win of the season on Thursday, Jan. 7, when it welcomes the Memphis Tigers to Fifth Third Arena for a 7 p.m. tipoff. The game will be streamed live on Bearcats TV. Admission will be complimentary as part of the University's season-long "Experience UC" initiative.