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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team picked up an 83-75 season-opening win at Southeast Missouri on Friday night inside the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
In both teams' first game of the regular season, the Bearcats were led to victory by junior Shanice Johnson's (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe Community College) double-double of game highs of 32 points and 13 rebounds and junior Ana Owens' (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) 25 points. Freshman Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) also reached double-figure scoring with 12 points. SEMO was paced by a double-double of 29 points and 12 rebounds by Olivia Hackmann.
// THE SHORT STORY
The offense for both teams flowed freely in the opening five minutes of the game. UC took a 15-11 lead into the first media timeout after Owens scored eight-straight points. SEMO responded with a 10-2 run and took a 21-17 advantage into the second quarter. The Redhawks built an advantage up to as many as 10 points -- 31-21 -- with 6:21 to go in the second quarter, but the Bearcats battled back. With an 18-9 run over the final six minutes of the half, UC closed the gap to 40-39 heading into halftime.
UC began the third quarter with a 6-4 burst to take its first lead since late in the first. Johnson imposed her will in the period with 10 points and three rebounds. A near-half-court heave from freshman Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup) swished home and gave the Bearcats a 61-55 advantage heading into the fourth. The Bearcats quickly pulled ahead in the period, pushing their lead to nine a minute in. Midway through the quarter, UC took its largest lead off the game of 11 - 72-61. SEMO refused to go away lightly, though, and cut its deficit to four with 1:54 remaining. The Bearcats then put their finishing touches on the contest down the stretch with a 6-0 surge to move ahead by 10 - 82-72 - with 37 seconds left.
// KEY PLAYERS
CINCINNATI
Shanice Johnson: 32 points | 13 rebounds | 6 steals | 3 assists | 2 blocks
Ana Owens: 25 points | 4 rebounds
Sam Rodgers: 12 points | 2 assists
Chelsea Warren: 12 rebounds | 5 points
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
Olivia Hackmann: 29 points | 12 rebounds
Ashton Luttrull: 9 points | 2 rebounds
Bri Mitchell: 9 assists | 8 points
Hilma Mededovic: 8 points | 4 rebounds
// TEAM NOTES
- The Bearcats were 30-of-81 (37 percent) from the field, 7-of-23 (30 percent) from three-point range, and 16-of-23 (70 percent) from the free throw line.
- UC outrebounded SEMO 50-43, grabbing 31 offensive rebounds which it turned into 27 second-chance points.
- With 26 points in the paint, UC also got 16 points from its bench and turned SEMO over 22 times which resulted in 16 points.
- UC won its first road season opener since Nov. 10, 2006 when it came away victorious, 85-78, at Youngstown State.
// INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Johnson's 32 points marks the first time a UC player has scored 30 or more points in a game since Owens scored 35 points against No. 10 Ohio State on Dec. 6, 2015. Her six steals were the most for a Bearcat since Alyesha Lovett had six on Nov. 21, 2015 against Bowling Green.
- Owens recorded the ninth 20-plus point game of her career with 25 on the night.
- Sophomore Chelsea Warren (Red Oak, Texas/Red Oak) grabbed a career-best 12 rebounds.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati will be back on the road when it visits Bowling Green, Ohio for a noon tipoff against the BGSU Falcons on Tuesday, Nov. 15, inside the Stroh Center. A live video stream will be available on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app, while a live audio broadcast can be accessed on BearcatsTV.