Tickets
OXFORD, Ohio - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team picked up its third-straight road victory of the season Tuesday when it knocked off the Miami Redhawks, 49-43, inside Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio.
With the win, UC improves to 3-1 on the season -- including 3-0 on the road -- while Miami drops to 2-2 on the year and 0-1 inside Millett Hall.
In their second midweek, midday game in seven days, the Bearcats got off to a sluggish start but were able to muster enough production to take a 26-25 lead into halftime. UC was able to separate from the Redhawks in the third quarter, outscoring the home team 14-8 to take a 40-33 lead into the final quarter. Scoring the first five points of the fourth proved to be the difference as UC went scoreless for eight minutes but were able to lock down enough on defense to get the win.
Senior guard Bianca Quisenberry (Springfield, Ohio/Tecumseh) led all scorers in the game with a season-high tying 13 points and a season-best eight rebounds. Junior Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe CC) recorded her second-consecutive double-double with 11 points and a game-best and season-high 14 rebounds.
Miami was led by 11 points from Leah Purvis as well as eight points and six rebounds from Kendall McCoy. Lauren Dickerson added nine points and four rebounds.
// THE SHORT STORY
Facing the Redhawks in their home opener, the Bearcats got off to a bit of a slow start, trailing by as many as eight points, 12-4, midway through the first quarter. UC began to settle in as the period wore on with a 5-0 run over the final 1:48 to trail 17-15 at the end of one.
UC tied the game early in the second quarter, but saw Miami hold on to a narrow lead for much of the period. Saddled with two early fouls, Johnson reentered the game at the 1:44 mark and immediately provided an offensive spark with an and-one conversion. The Bearcats followed on the next possession with a Quisenberry corner three-pointer to tie the game at 25. A subsequent sophomore forward Maya Benham (Douglasville, Ga./Osborne) free throw gave UC a 26-25 lead - its first since the opening basket of the game - heading into halftime.
The Bearcats continued the momentum into the second half, scoring the opening four points of the third quarter and going on an 8-3 run over the first five minutes. Following the fast start, UC's offense went stagnant; going five minutes without a made field goal. The Bearcats broke the streak when freshman Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup) buried a three-pointer at the buzzer to give UC its then largest lead of the game - 40-33 - heading into the fourth quarter.
The roll continued into the final period where the Bearcats scored the first five points to up their lead and proceeded to increase their advantage to a game-high 12 points with eight minutes to play. UC then went scoreless for eight minutes to allow the Redhawks to creep back into the game. Down the stretch, the Bearcats made critical defensive stops and free throw conversions to come away victorious, 49-43.
// TEAM NOTES
- UC got 16 points from its bench and scored 18 points in the paint.
- The Bearcats limited the Redhawks to 24 percent shooting for the game including only five made field goals in the second half.
- Cincinnati committed a season-high 25 turnovers which Miami turned into 10 points.
// INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Miller posted her second-consecutive double-figure scoring game with 10 points and a season-high tying six rebounds.
- Junior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) scored a season-low three points on 0-of-11 shooting from the field.
- Benham scored her first point of the season.
// UP NEXT
UC will welcome the Howard Bison to Fifth Third Arena on Saturday, Nov. 26, at 5:30 p.m. in the second game of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader. Admission to the game will be complimentary, as it is all season long, as part of the Experience UC initiative. Fans unable to attend can watch the game live on Bearcats TV. 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.