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TAMPA, Fla. - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team dropped a 72-52 decision to the No. 20 USF Bulls on Wednesday night at the Sun Dome.
UC falls to 14-8 on the season and 5-4 in American Athletic Conference play. Meanwhile, USF improves to 18-3 overall 7-1 in the league.
Junior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) paced the Bearcats with 11 points and eight assists. Junior forward Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./CC) chipped in eight points and a team-best seven rebounds. Three Bulls scored in double-figures, led by Maria Jespersen's game-high 26 points. Jespersen also grabbed a game-best 12 rebounds.
UC matched the nationally-ranked Bulls through the opening five minutes of the game, playing to a nine-all draw. USF then went on a 9-2 run over the next three minutes to pull ahead, 18-11. The Bearcats managed to get within four and subsequently encountered a 19-13 deficit at the end of the first quarter. Trailing by five, 22-17, with 8:10 to go before halftime, UC saw USF piece together a 13-2 surge to pull ahead by a first-half high 16 points. The Bearcats countered with a 7-2 burst over the final four minutes of the second quarter to face a 37-26 shortfall at the break.
UC cut its deficit to eight points, 39-31, through the opening three minutes of the third quarter. The Bearcats kept their shortfall at a manageable nine points through the first six minutes of the period before USF manufactured an 11-1 run from the 4:19 to 1:10 marks of the third to put UC behind by a then-game-high 19 points, 55-36. The home team stayed in control throughout the final quarter as the Bearcats never got closer than 16 points down.
// UP NEXT
UC will return to Cincinnati to welcome the top-ranked UConn Huskies to Fifth Third Arena for a 7 p.m. tipoff on Tuesday, Feb. 7. Admission will be complimentary, as it has been all season long, as part of the Experience UC initiative. Partnering with UC Health, the Bearcats will hold their annual "Think Pink" game to promote breast cancer awareness. UC will wear uniforms featuring pink accents, while fans are also encouraged to wear pink. Those unable to attend the game can watch live on WatchESPN and the ESPN app.
// 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.