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CINCINNATI -- The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team withstood a fourth-quarter comeback attempt by SMU, beating the Mustangs 67-65 on Tuesday evening to extend its winning streak to four-straight games. The win avenged an early-season loss to the Mustangs in Dallas and kept the Bearcats undefeated in 2017.
The Bearcats (13-5, 4-1 The American) led by as many as 15 in the third quarter but were held without a field goal for the final three minutes and 56 seconds of the game to allow the Mustangs (10-8, 1-4 The American) to get within a point at 66-65 off a three-point shot from Devri Owens with five seconds left. Junior Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Monroe CC) nailed a free throw and SMU couldn't connect on its half-court heave at the buzzer to preserve the win for the Bearcats.
Johnson paced the team with 17 points and 11 rebounds for her team-leading eighth double-double of the season. She added six steals, four assists and three blocks to round out her solid night against the Mustangs.
Junior Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) finished the game with nine points and is seven away from scoring 1,000 in her career. She will look to reach the milestone in the Bearcats' next game vs. East Carolina on Saturday, Jan. 21.
// QUARTER BY QUARTER BREAKDOWN
The Bearcats ended the first quarter on a 9-4 run, scoring on layups by freshman Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup), senior Bianca Quisenberry (Springfield, Ohio/Tecumseh) and Johnson to take a 15-10 lead after 10 minutes of play.
UC got important contributions off the bench in the second quarter to extend its lead to six points at 33-27 at the half. Sophomore Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) scored five points in the period while freshman Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) added four for the Bearcats.
Three consecutive three-pointers by Quisenberry and Goings (two) gave UC a 46-31 lead in the third. The Mustangs were held scoreless during the run, going three minutes and 48 seconds without a point until a free throw by McKenzie Adams made it 46-32 in favor of Cincinnati. Sophomore Chelsea Warren (Red Oak, Texas/Red Oak) added another trey to help the Bearcats double their lead to 52-40 at the close of the third quarter.
SMU scored 25 points in the final stanza to close the gap on the Bearcats but the home team held on to a slim lead down the stretch. Rizor came up big on the defensive end with a crucial block and rebound to preserve a four-point UC lead with 5.9 seconds remaining. A three-point basket by SMU's Devri Owens cut the UC lead to 66-65 but Johnson sank a free throw and the Mustangs could not convert on a half-court shot to seal the win for Cincinnati.
// KEY PLAYERS
CINCINNATI
Shanice Johnson: 17 points | 11 rebounds | 6 steals | 4 assists | 3 blocks
Bianca Quisenberry: 14 points | 7 rebounds
Nikira Goings: 13 points | 3-of-6 3-point shooting
SMU
McKenzie Adams: 32 points | 4-of-8 3-point shooting
Alicia Froling: 13 points | 11 rebounds
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati will continue its homestand with a game vs. East Carolina on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 2 p.m. The game will again be broadcast on the American Digital Network from Fifth Third Arena.
// 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.