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HOUSTON - The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team stymied a late rally from the Houston Cougars to earn a 71-62 road victory Saturday at Hofheinz Pavilion.
UC snapped a four-game losing skid and improved to 15-9 overall and 6-5 in American Athletic Conference action. The Bearcats also swept the regular season series versus UH after previously knocking off the Cougars, 85-64, on Jan. 7 in Cincinnati. Meanwhile, UH dropped to 9-16 on the season and 2-10 in league play.
Five Bearcats reached double-figure scoring, marking the first time the feat has been accomplished since a 78-64 home win over Eastern Illinois on Dec. 21, 2016. Senior guard Bianca Quisenberry (Springfield, Ohio/Tecumseh) led the way with 17 points, while junior forward Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe CC) nearly recorded UC's first triple-double in 25 years with 13 points, nine rebounds, and a season-high eight assists. Junior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) added 12 points and a season-best eight rebounds, while sophomore guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) came off the bench to score 12 points with four made three-pointers.
A 19-point, third quarter Bearcats lead was reduced to only eight late in the fourth but late free-throw conversions and critical defensive stops allowed UC to ultimately thwart any UH comeback.
UC fell behind UH 4-0 in the opening minutes of the game but responded with a 16-2 run over the duration of the first quarter, including an 8-0 streak over the final 1:34. The home team began the second quarter with an 8-0 run to cut the Bearcats' advantage to three points but UC countered by outscoring the Cougars 21-9 over the final 6:27 of the first half.
The Bearcats came out of halftime energized with 5-of-5 made field goals -- including 2-of-2 from three-point range -- in the opening four minutes of the third quarter to go ahead, 54-35. As the fouls began to pile up for UC, UH went on an 8-0 run midway through the period to pull within 11 points, 54-43. UC recovered late in the quarter to take a 59-43 lead into the final period.
The Bearcats saw their advantage reduced to 11 points early in the quarter and after pulling back ahead by 14, saw the home team fight back to trail by only eight points with 2:06 to play. UC was then able to execute down the stretch to come away with a 71-62 victory.
// UP NEXT
UC will continue its road swing Wednesday when it travels to New Orleans to take on the Tulane Green Wave at 8 p.m. ET at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse. Fans can watch live on TulaneGreenWave.com or listen live on BearcatsTV. Follow along with live stats here.
// 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.