TicketsTAMPA, Fla. – University of Cincinnati women's basketball suffered an 84-65 setback Saturday to the 18th-ranked USF Bulls inside the Sun Dome.
UC's four-game winning streak was snapped as it dropped to 17-11 on the year and 9-6 in American Athletic Conference play. Meanwhile, USF won its ninth-consecutive game to improve to 24-5 overall and 13-2 in the league.
Looking for a season-high five wins in a row, UC matched USF throughout the early portion of the opening quarter on the Bulls' Senior Night. The Bearcats then fell victim to USF surge to fall behind by eight points. The Red & Black responded with a 7-0 run to end the period to trail just 16-15 heading into the second. UC took the lead with 7:37 to go before halftime, but then saw the home team go on a 22-8 run to end the period -- including a 12-2 burst over the final three minutes -- to trail 43-30 at the break.
USF's momentum continued into the second half as it outscored the Red & Black 15-5 early in the third quarter to take control of the game. Facing a 70-45 deficit heading into the final period, the Bearcats did not quit and outscored USF, 10-5, over the first six minutes of the fourth to pull closer. UC's fight to the finish continued to the final horn with a 7-3 run to close the game.
Senior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) led the way for the Bearcats with 15 points as well as two rebounds and two assists. Sophomore guard Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup) continued her strong play off the bench with 14 points to go along with six rebounds. Junior guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) also reached double-figure scoring with 12 points. For USF, senior Maria Jespersen scored a game-high 26 points in her final home regular season game.
UC shot the ball at a 47-percent clip from the field and buried five 3-pointers. The Bearcats were also 10-of-13 from the charity stripe and dished out 11 assists on 25 made field goals. In addition, the Red & Black scored 30 points in the paint and got 30 points from its reserves. UC also got out on the fast break for 11 points.
// UP NEXT
UC will close the 2017-18 regular season on Monday, Feb. 26, when it welcomes Houston to Saint Ursula Academy Gymnasium & Convocation Center for a 7 p.m. tipoff. Admission to the game will be free of charge as part of the season-long Experience UC initiative. Johnson and Owens will honored before the game as part of Senior Night celebrations. The winner of the game will clinch the No. 4 seed in the upcoming 2018 American Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Championship, presented by Aaron's, March 3-6 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, and thus earn a first-round bye in the tournament.
UC's four-game winning streak was snapped as it dropped to 17-11 on the year and 9-6 in American Athletic Conference play. Meanwhile, USF won its ninth-consecutive game to improve to 24-5 overall and 13-2 in the league.
Looking for a season-high five wins in a row, UC matched USF throughout the early portion of the opening quarter on the Bulls' Senior Night. The Bearcats then fell victim to USF surge to fall behind by eight points. The Red & Black responded with a 7-0 run to end the period to trail just 16-15 heading into the second. UC took the lead with 7:37 to go before halftime, but then saw the home team go on a 22-8 run to end the period -- including a 12-2 burst over the final three minutes -- to trail 43-30 at the break.
USF's momentum continued into the second half as it outscored the Red & Black 15-5 early in the third quarter to take control of the game. Facing a 70-45 deficit heading into the final period, the Bearcats did not quit and outscored USF, 10-5, over the first six minutes of the fourth to pull closer. UC's fight to the finish continued to the final horn with a 7-3 run to close the game.
Senior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) led the way for the Bearcats with 15 points as well as two rebounds and two assists. Sophomore guard Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup) continued her strong play off the bench with 14 points to go along with six rebounds. Junior guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) also reached double-figure scoring with 12 points. For USF, senior Maria Jespersen scored a game-high 26 points in her final home regular season game.
UC shot the ball at a 47-percent clip from the field and buried five 3-pointers. The Bearcats were also 10-of-13 from the charity stripe and dished out 11 assists on 25 made field goals. In addition, the Red & Black scored 30 points in the paint and got 30 points from its reserves. UC also got out on the fast break for 11 points.
// UP NEXT
UC will close the 2017-18 regular season on Monday, Feb. 26, when it welcomes Houston to Saint Ursula Academy Gymnasium & Convocation Center for a 7 p.m. tipoff. Admission to the game will be free of charge as part of the season-long Experience UC initiative. Johnson and Owens will honored before the game as part of Senior Night celebrations. The winner of the game will clinch the No. 4 seed in the upcoming 2018 American Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Championship, presented by Aaron's, March 3-6 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, and thus earn a first-round bye in the tournament.