TicketsORLANDO, Fla. – University of Cincinnati women's basketball was topped, 56-55, by the UCF Knights on Sunday afternoon at CFE Arena.
The Bearcats (9-7, 1-2 AAC) – who held the lead for almost 30 minutes over the course of the game -- took a 55-52 advantage on a senior guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) 3-pointer with under a minute left to play. The Knights (14-2, 3-0 AAC) answered with four unanswered points in the final seconds to edge the Red & Black.
Junior forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) led the way for UC with 16 points – to go along with six rebounds and a career-best six assists. Goings added 11 points, including three triples. In addition, sophomore forward IImar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) added eight points and a team-high eight rebounds, while junior guard Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup) contributed eight points, a game-best eight assists, five rebounds, and three steals.
After struggling a bit early, the Bearcats went on a 14-6 run over the final six minutes of the first quarter to take a 16-13 advantage into the second. UC kept the momentum going with an 8-0 run to take a 24-16 lead with eight minutes to go in the first half. The Red & Black pushed its lead to as many as 10, 28-18, midway through the second quarter, but saw the Knights manufacture a 10-4 surge over the duration of the half to bring the score to 32-28, UC, at the break.
Following the home team cutting its deficit to just one, 32-31, a minute in the second half, the Bearcats responded with an 8-0 streak to pull ahead. The Knights fought back to reduce their shortfall to 45-40 going into the final period. The fourth quarter saw a lot of back-and-forth action with the Red & Black pressing forward to a 52-48 advantage with 2:34 to go. UCF evened up the score at the 1:28 mark before Goings drilled the go-ahead trifecta less than a minute later. The Knights rallied in the final 60 seconds with four-straight points to lead, 56-55. UC had a chance at the end with the ball with five seconds left, but a turnover in the backcourt dashed any hopes of game-winning heroics.
UC dished out 20 assists on 23 made field goals and turned 15 UCF turnovers into 17 points. The Bearcats also scored 20 points in the paint and got out on the fast break for 12 points. Furthermore, the Red & Black got 17 points from its bench and, as a team, nailed six 3-pointers.
// UP NEXT
UC will return home to welcome Temple to Fifth Third Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 16. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
// SINGLE-GAME TICKET INFO
Single-game tickets for the 2018-19 season are on sale now. General admission tickets are available at just $5, while Champions Club tickets are $7. Discounts for youth (ages 4-12) and seniors (ages 65+) include $3 general admission tickets and $5 Champions Club tickets. Tickets can be purchased by either calling 1-877-CATS-TIX, logging onto GoBEARCATS.com/Tickets, or by visiting the Fifth Third Arena ticket office on gameday.
// SEASON TICKET INFO
Catch the exciting start of the Michelle Clark-Heard era and the reopening of Fifth Third Arena by purchasing your season tickets now! The prices for standard Bearcats season tickets are $65 for adults and $50 for youth, seniors, UC faculty and staff and current or former military members. Courtside season tickets are on sale for $100. Click here for more information on season tickets. Click here to purchase today.
The Bearcats (9-7, 1-2 AAC) – who held the lead for almost 30 minutes over the course of the game -- took a 55-52 advantage on a senior guard Nikira Goings (Marietta, Ga./Osborne) 3-pointer with under a minute left to play. The Knights (14-2, 3-0 AAC) answered with four unanswered points in the final seconds to edge the Red & Black.
Junior forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) led the way for UC with 16 points – to go along with six rebounds and a career-best six assists. Goings added 11 points, including three triples. In addition, sophomore forward IImar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) added eight points and a team-high eight rebounds, while junior guard Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup) contributed eight points, a game-best eight assists, five rebounds, and three steals.
After struggling a bit early, the Bearcats went on a 14-6 run over the final six minutes of the first quarter to take a 16-13 advantage into the second. UC kept the momentum going with an 8-0 run to take a 24-16 lead with eight minutes to go in the first half. The Red & Black pushed its lead to as many as 10, 28-18, midway through the second quarter, but saw the Knights manufacture a 10-4 surge over the duration of the half to bring the score to 32-28, UC, at the break.
Following the home team cutting its deficit to just one, 32-31, a minute in the second half, the Bearcats responded with an 8-0 streak to pull ahead. The Knights fought back to reduce their shortfall to 45-40 going into the final period. The fourth quarter saw a lot of back-and-forth action with the Red & Black pressing forward to a 52-48 advantage with 2:34 to go. UCF evened up the score at the 1:28 mark before Goings drilled the go-ahead trifecta less than a minute later. The Knights rallied in the final 60 seconds with four-straight points to lead, 56-55. UC had a chance at the end with the ball with five seconds left, but a turnover in the backcourt dashed any hopes of game-winning heroics.
UC dished out 20 assists on 23 made field goals and turned 15 UCF turnovers into 17 points. The Bearcats also scored 20 points in the paint and got out on the fast break for 12 points. Furthermore, the Red & Black got 17 points from its bench and, as a team, nailed six 3-pointers.
// UP NEXT
UC will return home to welcome Temple to Fifth Third Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 16. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
// SINGLE-GAME TICKET INFO
Single-game tickets for the 2018-19 season are on sale now. General admission tickets are available at just $5, while Champions Club tickets are $7. Discounts for youth (ages 4-12) and seniors (ages 65+) include $3 general admission tickets and $5 Champions Club tickets. Tickets can be purchased by either calling 1-877-CATS-TIX, logging onto GoBEARCATS.com/Tickets, or by visiting the Fifth Third Arena ticket office on gameday.
// SEASON TICKET INFO
Catch the exciting start of the Michelle Clark-Heard era and the reopening of Fifth Third Arena by purchasing your season tickets now! The prices for standard Bearcats season tickets are $65 for adults and $50 for youth, seniors, UC faculty and staff and current or former military members. Courtside season tickets are on sale for $100. Click here for more information on season tickets. Click here to purchase today.