TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati women's basketball weathered a late Houston rally to secure a 61-57 Senior Night win inside Saint Ursula Academy Gymnasium & Convocation Center.
With the win, the Bearcats clinched the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye in the 2018 Aaron's American Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Championship, March 3-6 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Red & Black will face the winner of the No. 12 Tulsa – No. 5 Houston matchup on Sunday at 8:30 p.m.
Overall, UC improved to 18-11 on the season – its best record since going 23-8 in 2002-03 – and notched its 10th conference win – the most since the '02-'03 squad went 11-3 in Conference USA. Meanwhile, Houston dropped to 20-10 in 2017-18 and 9-7 in The American.
The Bearcats led by as many as 17 points at the end of the third quarter and seemed to have the game in hand. The Cougars did not go down without a fight and mounted a fourth-quarter comeback, scoring the first nine points of the period to pull within three, 48-45, with 5:56 left to play.
The two teams battled down the stretch, with UH finally hitting its shots from deep. After a triple from Cougar Serithia Hawkins to cut the Red & Black's lead to just two, 54-52, with 3:55 left, the Red & Black manufactured a 5-0 run – paced by senior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) – to jump ahead by seven with 2:31 to go.
The visitors from Texas responded, again, to pull within two, 59-57, with under a minute to play. Looking to tie the game late, the Cougars missed a pair of free throws and a wing jumper. Sophomore guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) proceeded to ice the game from the free-throw line to give UC a thrilling, 61-57, Senior Night triumph.
The two Bearcats seniors stepped up on Monday in their final home regular season game. Senior forward Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe CC) led all scorers with 17 points as well as five assists, two blocks, and two steals. Owens, in her 120th career start, chipped in 11 points and five assists. In addition, Rodgers totaled 16 points and a career-high tying seven assists.
The UC defense caused havoc, forcing the Cougars into 23 turnovers and converting those miscues into 26 points. The Bearcats dominated on the glass, 46-30, scoring 17 points off of 20 offensive rebounds.
With the win, the Bearcats clinched the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye in the 2018 Aaron's American Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Championship, March 3-6 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Red & Black will face the winner of the No. 12 Tulsa – No. 5 Houston matchup on Sunday at 8:30 p.m.
Overall, UC improved to 18-11 on the season – its best record since going 23-8 in 2002-03 – and notched its 10th conference win – the most since the '02-'03 squad went 11-3 in Conference USA. Meanwhile, Houston dropped to 20-10 in 2017-18 and 9-7 in The American.
The Bearcats led by as many as 17 points at the end of the third quarter and seemed to have the game in hand. The Cougars did not go down without a fight and mounted a fourth-quarter comeback, scoring the first nine points of the period to pull within three, 48-45, with 5:56 left to play.
The two teams battled down the stretch, with UH finally hitting its shots from deep. After a triple from Cougar Serithia Hawkins to cut the Red & Black's lead to just two, 54-52, with 3:55 left, the Red & Black manufactured a 5-0 run – paced by senior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) – to jump ahead by seven with 2:31 to go.
The visitors from Texas responded, again, to pull within two, 59-57, with under a minute to play. Looking to tie the game late, the Cougars missed a pair of free throws and a wing jumper. Sophomore guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) proceeded to ice the game from the free-throw line to give UC a thrilling, 61-57, Senior Night triumph.
The two Bearcats seniors stepped up on Monday in their final home regular season game. Senior forward Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara/Monroe CC) led all scorers with 17 points as well as five assists, two blocks, and two steals. Owens, in her 120th career start, chipped in 11 points and five assists. In addition, Rodgers totaled 16 points and a career-high tying seven assists.
The UC defense caused havoc, forcing the Cougars into 23 turnovers and converting those miscues into 26 points. The Bearcats dominated on the glass, 46-30, scoring 17 points off of 20 offensive rebounds.