TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati women's basketball tipped off American Athletic Conference play Sunday with a 69-57 victory over the visiting SMU Mustangs inside Fifth Third Arena.
The Bearcats (9-5, 1-0 AAC) controlled the first half, complete with a 15-1 run over the final 5:36 of the second quarter to take command, 41-21, at the break. The Mustangs (6-8, 0-1 AAC) fought back in the second half, but the early Red & Black advantage proved too much to overcome. The win is the Bearcats' fourth in a row and the largest margin of victory in an American opener in their six seasons in the league.
UC's starting five combined to score all of the team's points on the day, led by 22 from sophomore forward IImar'I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) – her fourth-straight 20-plus effort. Junior guard Sam Rodgers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) had a career day with 20 points – 17 of which came in the first half – and five 3-pointers. In addition, junior forward Angel Rizor (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake) totaled 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while junior guard Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich/Southfield-Lathrup) contributed 12 points, six assists, and a career-best five steals.
After more than two weeks off from competition over the holidays, the Bearcats showed no signs of rust, jumping out to an 11-point lead late in the first quarter. Up 20-11 after one, the Red & Black saw its lead reduced to just six points, 26-20, with 5:43 to go before halftime. UC answered with a 15-0 run – aided by three triples from Rodgers – to jump into the driver's seat.
Armed with a sizable lead, the Bearcats struggled from the field for much of the third quarter, but ended the period strong to take a 55-37 surplus into the final stanza. The Mustangs did not go away lightly, chipping away at their deficit throughout the quarter. UC saw its advantage cut to 12, 63-51, with 1:45 left, but the cushion it built in the previous three quarters allowed it to weather the late storm.
The Bearcats defense was suffocating, forcing SMU into an opponent-season-high 28 turnovers which they converted into 27 points. The Red & Black was also dominant in the paint, scoring 32 points. In addition, UC scored 12 points off of 11 offensive rebounds, made 10-of-13 free throws, and assisted on 19 of its 27 made field goals.
// UP NEXT
UC will head to Storrs, Connecticut to take on the nationally-ranked and AAC favorite UConn Huskies on Wednesday, January 9, at 7 p.m. at Gampel Pavilion. The game will be broadcast live on SportsNet New York (SNY) and 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.