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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team rallied from as many as 11 points down to defeat the Bowling Green Falcons, 68-58, on Tuesday afternoon inside the Stroh Center in Bowling Green, Ohio.
The Bearcats (2-0) faced a 29-22 deficit at halftime, and after outscoring the Falcons (0-2) by two in the third quarter, really turned it on in the final period by outscoring the home team, 24-9, to pick up their second-consecutive road win to begin the season. UC, again, was paced on the offensive end by the one-two scoring punch of juniors Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe Community College) and Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) who scored 25 and 20 points, respectively. In addition, senior Bianca Quisenberry (Springfield, Ohio/Tecumseh) chipped in 13 points. BGSU was led for the game by Abby Siefker who scored 14 points and grabbed 16 rebounds.
// THE SHORT STORY
Through the opening five minutes of the game, Owens and Johnson provided the offense for the Bearcats with six and three points apiece as UC faced a narrow 10-9 deficit at the first media timeout. BGSU then went on an 8-0 run over the duration of the first quarter, aided by a personal and subsequent technical foul on Cincinnati, to take a 18-9 advantage into the second quarter.
Offensive conversions on their first four possessions of the second quarter allowed the Bearcats to chip away at the Falcons' lead. UC cut their deficit to four points early, but saw BGSU answer back to pull ahead by 11, 29-18, with 2:58 to go before halftime. The Bearcats battled back to trim their shortfall to seven, 29-22, going into the break.
UC came out of the lockerrom energized with a 9-2 run to tie the game at 31 at the 7:28 mark of the third quarter, led by seven points from Quisenberry. The Bearcats took their first lead since the middle of the first quarter on a Johnson free throw with 6:53 remaining in the period, but saw the Falcons go on a 13-7 run to pull ahead by eight. UC fired back with an 8-2 streak but allowed a Falcons' three-pointer as time was winding down in the period to bring the score 49-44 heading into the fourth.
The two teams went back and forth during the opening seven minutes of the final quarter with a pair of ties before UC put its foot on the gas. Following her game-tying three pointer, Johnson cleaned up her miss with a lay in to give the Bearcats a 57-55 advantage with two minutes remaining. Owens followed with a huge three-pointer to push UC's lead to five with 1:26 to play. Solid defense and free-throw conversions down the stretch sealed the victory for the Bearcats.
// KEY PLAYERS
CINCINNATI
Shanice Johnson: 25 points | 8 rebounds | 3 steals
Ana Owens: 20 points | 3 rebounds | 3 steals
Bianca Quisenberry: 13 points | 5 steals | 4 assists
BOWLING GREEN
Abby Siefker: 16 rebounds | 14 points | 5 assists | 4 blocks
Carly Santoro: 12 points
Rachel Myers: 8 points
// TEAM NOTES
- UC shot the ball at a 39-percent clip for the game and limited BGSU to only two made field goals in the fourth quarter.
- The Bearcats grabbed 12 offensive rebounds and converted them into 12 second-chance points.
- UC forced BGSU into 24 turnovers which it converted into 24 points.
- The Bearcats held a sizeable lead in fast-break points over the Falcons, 19-2, and dominated in the paint, 32-20.
- The Bearcats were issued two technical fouls in the first half -- one on Johnson in the first quarter and one on Owens in the second. UC had yet to be issued a technical this season heading into Tuesday's game.
// INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Johnson's 25 points were a game high while her eight rebounds were a team best. Through two games, she is averaging team highs of 28.5 points and 10.5 rebounds.
- Owens' 20 points pushed her season average to 22.5 per game.
- Quisenberry's five steals were a game-best and career high, while her four assists were a team-high.
- Sophomore forward Maya Benham (Douglasville, Ga./Osborne) made her first appearance of the season.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati will welcome Indiana State to Fifth Third Arena on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 6 p.m. in the Bearcats' regular season home opener. A pregame Tipoff Extravaganza will feature various activities for fans such as a photo booth and a bounce house for kids, among other elements. During the game, fountain drinks at the concession stand will be for sale for only $1, while a kid's shootaround on the floor and Signature Saturday autograph opportunities will take place following the game. The game will also mark the launch of the Bearcats Button Contest. Click here to learn more about the contest. Fans unable to attend the game can watch it live online on BearcatsTV. A subscription is required to watch online.
// EXPERIENCE UC
Again, this season, the Bearcats will be participating in the University's "Experience UC" initiative which offers complimentary, free of charge admission to home games. The initiative is geared toward inviting the community to campus to see firsthand the great things about and surrounding the University. Groups interested in attending games in 2015-16 should contact Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Branding Luke Willman (513-556-1081; luke.willman@uc.edu) for more information.
// MOBILE APP: CINCINNATI GAMEDAY
Improved for the 2016 season, the Cincinnati Gameday app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices offers fans a wide variety of information on the Bearcats — home and away. The free app is available in the App Store and Google Play. The app offers live scores & stats, social interaction, and fan maps, among other features, to enhance the Cincinnati gameday experience.