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HOUSTON - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit to defeat the Houston Cougars, 67-61, on Saturday afternoon inside Hofheinz Pavilion.
// THE SHORT STORY
Falling behind by as many as 16 points in the second quarter and facing a 13-point hole at halftime, the Bearcats (8-18, 4-11 The American) put together a stellar second half in which they outscored the Cougars (5-21, 1-14 The American) 48-29 to gain a solid late-season road victory. An 8-0 UC run to begin the third quarter was the catalyst for the comeback in which Cincinnati outscored UH 22-9 in the third period to even the score at 41 going into the final quarter. In the fourth, the Bearcats surged ahead from the start, even accumulating a game-high nine-point lead in the period. UC was able to stymie any Cougars comeback, outscoring the home team 26-20 in total in the quarter to gain a 67-61 victory.
// KEY PLAYERS
CINCINNATI
Jasmine Whitfield: 19 points | 10 rebounds
Alyesha Lovett: 13 points |7 rebounds | 4 steals | 3 assists
Ana Owens: 11 points | 4 rebounds | 2 assists
HOUSTON
Marche' Amerson: 13 points | 7 rebounds
Jessieka Palmer: 11 points | 5 rebounds | 3 assists
Tyler Gilbert: 10 points | 9 rebounds
// KEY RUNS
- The Bearcats fell behind early, trailing 8-0 following the opening four-and-a-half minutes of the game. UC finally got on the board on a fast break lay-in by redshirt senior guard Alyesha Lovett (Newark, N.J./Malcolm X Shabazz) with 3:13 remaining in the period. Cincinnati trailed 12-4 after the opening quarter.
- UC was outscored 14-9 through the opening six minutes of the second period as the Cougars took their then-largest lead of the game of 13 points. The Bearcats fell behind by as many as 16, 32-16, with 2:23 left before halftime but ended the quarter with a 5-2 to surge to reduce their deficit to 32-19 at the break.
- The Bearcats stormed out of halftime with an 8-0 burst to reduce their deficit to 32-27 with 8:10 to go in the third quarter, aided by a pair of three-pointers from senior guard Jasmine Whitfield (Crestwood, Ky./South Oldham) and junior guard Bianca Quisenberry (Springfield, Ohio/Tecumseh). UH responded to pull ahead by seven with 5:32 to play in the period, but UC countered with an 8-0 burst to take its first lead of the game, 38-37, on a steal and Lovett breakaway lay-in with 2:25 remaining in the third quarter. The two teams traded baskets over the duration of the period before Whitfield nailed a jumper at the buzzer to tie things up at 41 heading into the final stanza.
- Armed with the momentum, the Bearcats got a quick and-one conversion from Whitfield on the team's opening offensive possession to pull ahead by a score of 44-41. UC was able to continue to put pressure on the home team throughout the quarter, pulling ahead by a game-high nine points on a Whitfield triple with 2:27 left to play.
// TEAM NOTES
- The Bearcats are now 7-4 this season when the trio of Owens, Whitfield, and Lovett each score in double-figures.
- Cincinnati scored 24 points in the paint Saturday to mark the 18th time this season they have scored 20 or more in the painted area in a game.
- UC forced UH into 17 turnovers which the Bearcats converted into 21 points.
- Cincinnati turned 14 offensive rebounds into 15 second-chance points.
// INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Whitfield notched her fourth double-double of the season with game-highs of 19 points and 10 rebounds.
- Lovett scored in double-figures for the 15th time this season and the 38th time of her career with 13 points. The senior also posted game bests of three assists and four steals.-
- Owens recorded her 19th of the season and 37th of her career double-digit scoring performance with 11 points.
// UP NEXT
UC will begin its final homestand of the season when it first welcomes the East Carolina Pirates to Fifth Third Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 24, for a 7 p.m. tipoff. The game will be streamed live on Bearcats TV, while live stats will be available through . Admission will be complimentary as part of the University's season-long "Experience UC" initiative.