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CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball weathered a late surge from the UCF Knights to pick up a 63-57 victory Wednesday night at Fifth Third Arena in the Bearcats' American Athletic Conference home opener.
UC improves to 10-5 on the season and evens up at 1-1 in league play. UCF drops its third-straight game and falls to 10-5 overall and 0-2 in The American action.
Junior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) notched her fourth 20-plus point game of the season and the 12th of her career with a game-high 20 points as well as a career-high tying three steals. Owens was joined in double-digit scoring by junior forward Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe Community CC) who stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Sophomore guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) also scored in double-figures with 10 points as well as five rebounds. The Knights were paced by Aliyah Gregory who scored 15 points.
After an evenly-played first quarter, UC took a 30-25 advantage into halftime. The Bearcats quickly pulled ahead by as many as 12 points in the third quarter and led by eight heading into the final period. Following producing a lead of 16 points early in the fourth quarter, UC had to dig in down the stretch to stymie the Knights' comeback hopes. Clinging to a two-point lead with 20 seconds to play, Johnson made a huge defensive play with a steal out near midcourt. Late free-throw conversions then sealed the victory for the Bearcats.
// QUARTER-BY-QUARTER BREAKDOWN
The game was tight early with UC holding a slight, 7-6, advantage six minutes into the game. UCF followed with a 6-0 run, but the Bearcats countered with five-consecutive points from Owens to tie the game at 12 going into the second quarter.
UC began the second period with a quick 6-0 burst to take an 18-12 lead. In total, the Bearcats manufactured a 12-2 run to take a then-game-high 10-point lead. UCF responded with an 11-6 surge over the duration of the period to bring the score to 30-25, UC, heading into the halftime break.
The Bearcats came out halftime energized, putting together a 7-0 run to take its then largest lead of the game of 12 points. After the Knights cut their deficit to eight points, 43-35, UC answered by outscoring the visitors 5-2 over the final two minutes of the third quarter.
Cincinnati built up its largest lead of the game early in the fourth quarter, a 16-point, 57-41, advantage with seven minutes remaining. The Bearcats appeared to be on the way to a comfortable victory but a subsequent 16-2 UCF run over the next six minutes made the final minute interesting. A steal and timeout call by Johnson with 20 seconds to go led to Goings icing the game from the free throw line down the stretch.
// KEY PLAYERS
CINCINNATI
Ana Owens: 20 points | 6 assists | 3 steals
Shanice Johnson: 10 points | 7 rebounds | 3 assists | 2 blocks
Nikira Goings: 10 points | 5 rebounds | 2 steals
UCF
Aliyah Gregory : 15 points | 6 rebounds | 3 assists
Zykira Lewis: 11 points | 2 rebounds
Tolulope Omokore: 9 points | 9 rebounds
// UP NEXT
Home conference play will continue for the Bearcats on Saturday, Jan. 7, when they welcome the Houston Cougars to Fifth Third Arena for a 2 p.m. tipoff. Admission will be complimentary, as it is all season long, as part of the Experience UC initiative. Fans are encouraged to wear black to the game. Promotions include $2 cheeseburgers for sale at the concession stand and postgame shootaround & autograph opportunities. Fans unable to attend can watch the game 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.