TicketsCINCINNATI – IImar'I Thomas and Angel Rizor each posted double-doubles and Sam Rodgers drained a career-high-tying five treys to lead the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team to a 78-53 win over visiting Tulsa Wednesday morning. The Bearcats (16-7, 7-3 American), winners of 11 in a row at home, had four players reach double-digit scoring as 1,982 fans saw UC down the Golden Hurricane (6-18, 1-10 American) in an Education Day game that tipped at 11 a.m.
UC opened the game on an 8-0 run as Rodgers nailed two of her five triples while Rizor scored the first two of her 15 points on the day to set the Bearcats up for the win. With a 27-15 lead at the end of the first quarter, the Bearcats added to it to build a commanding 17-point advantage at the half. The second half began much like the first as UC went on a quick 6-0 run to continue to build the lead before claiming the 25-point victory.
Individually, Thomas tallied 21 points and added 11 rebounds while Rizor scored 15 and posted 13 rebounds for the second game in a row. This is the second time this year the duo has posted double-doubles in the same game with the first coming against Ohio State (11/13/19) when Thomas went for 25 and 12 and Rizor added 10 and 12.
Thomas' 21 points marked the ninth time this season and 14th time in her career that she has scored 20+ points in a game while also marking the 60th time in her career she has scored 10+ in a game.
Rizor, who entered the game averaging a career-high 11.3 rebounds per game, upped that number once again as she collected 13 for the second game in a row, one shy of her career high of 14 that she recorded last year against Minnesota. Prior to Saturday's game at SMU, Rizor had grabbed 10+ rebounds in a game just three times all year, twice grabbing 12 (Ohio State and Iowa). She now has pulled down 13 in back-to-back games, the best two-game stretch of her career.
Rodgers scored 15 points for the second game in a row, but this time, all her points came from behind the arc as she finished the day 5-of-11 from the floor and 5-of-8 from three. With those makes, she has connected on three or more treys in a game five this this year as she bettered her previous season-high of four she made against Alabama A&M (12/17/19). Her five makes tied her career-best that she hit against Butler last year.
Antoinette Miller also got into the scoring as she joined Rizor and Rodgers with 15 on the day. Miller and Rodgers led the team with four assists each as well.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats return to the road this weekend for the first of two in a row away from home as they will travel to Orlando, Fla., Saturday for a 2 p.m. game at UCF. The game will be carried live on ESPN3.
// PLAY4KAY FREE THROW CHALLENGE
Participate all month long in the Play4Kay National Free Throw Challenge. Click on the link to join the Bearcats in the challenge: https://pledgeit.org/cincinnati-play4kay.
// GET CONNECTED
Stay up to date with the team by following the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @GoBearcatsWBB.