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CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team fell Sunday to the Xavier Musketeers, 72-61, in the 2016 Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout inside Fifth Third Arena.
UC has now dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season and is now 6-3 on the year, while Xavier improves to 7-1 overall. The Kendle Cup rivalry trophy will stay in Norwood, Ohio for the third-consecutive year.
Per usual, the game was highly competitive featuring three ties and two lead changes. After an even first quarter, XU pieced together a 10-2 run in the early portion of the second quarter to gain a 32-24 advantage. The Bearcats responded before halftime to make the score 38-35, Musketeers, at the break.
XU separated itself from UC in the third quarter, outscoring the home team, 18-11. An early Musketeer run in the fourth quarter upped their advantage over the Bearcats to a game-high 14 points, 60-46, with 7:44 to go. UC was able to whittle its deficit down to eight points late in the fourth, but timely conversions down the stretch by XU was too much to overcome as the visitors came away victorious, 72-61.
Junior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) paced the Bearcats in scoring for the second time this season with 22 points to mark her third 20-plus point game of the season and the 11th of her career.
Junior forward Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe CC) tallied her seventh double-figure scoring game of the year with 19 points.
A pair of Musketeers scored in double figures with Raeshaun Gaffney posting a game-high 24 points, while Maddison Blackwell added 14 points.
// QUARTER-BY-QUARTER BREAKDOWN
After falling behind 7-2 two minutes into the game, the Bearcats manufactured a 12-0 run to pull ahead by a score of 14-7. XU responded to UC's 12-0 burst with a 13-6 streak of its own to tie the game at 20 heading into the second quarter.
The Musketeers began the second with a 12-4 run to go up by a game-high eight points, 32-24, with 5:56 to go before halftime. The Bearcats answered with a 9-4 surge to trail by just one point, 36-35, with 2:02 remaining in the period. A late XU lay-in gave the Musketeers a 38-35 advantage at the halftime break.
Following a 40-40 tie at the 7:47 mark of the third quarter, UC fell victim to a 10-0 Xavier run. The home team countered with four-straight points to bring the score to 50-44 with two minutes left in the period. A late Musketeers burst would make the score 56-46 going into the fourth quarter.
UC saw XU increase its lead to a game-high 14 points, 60-46, with 7:44 remaining. The Bearcats bounced back with a 5-0 run over the next minute, but again saw the Musketeers push their advantage to double digits. Seven makes from the charity stripe in the final 2:42 thwarted any UC comeback.
// KEY PLAYERS
CINCINNATI
Ana Owens: 22 points | 7 assists | 6 rebounds
Shanice Johnson: 19 points | 5 rebounds | 2 assists | 2 blocks | 2 steals
Chelsea Warren: 6 points | 6 rebounds
XAVIER
Raeshaun Gaffney: 24 points | 4 rebounds | 3 steals
Maddison Blackwell: 14 points | 4 rebounds
Marquia Turner: 9 points | 5 rebounds | 4 assists
// TEAM NOTES
- UC scored 27 points in the paint, cashed in with 13 points off of 12 XU turnovers, scored 14 points on the fast break, and got 10 points from its bench.
- The Bearcats dished out 12 assists on 24 made field goals and knocked down six three-pointers.
- UC shot 14 less free throws than XU (21-7).
- The Bearcats blocked a season-high tying six shots.
// INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Owens dished out a game and season-high seven assists and grabbed a season-best and team-high six rebounds.
- Sophomore forward Chelsea Warren's (Red Oak, Texas/Red Oak) six points ties a season-best.
// UP NEXT
UC will continue its homestand Thursday when it welcomes Georgia for a noon tipoff inside Fifth Third Arena. Admission will be complimentary, as it is all season long, as part of the Experience UC initiative. The game will also celebrate Education Day in which area schoolchildren will attend the game. Those unable to attend the game can watch live on BearcatsTV. A subscription is required to view 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.