TicketsORLANDO, Fla. – IImar'I Thomas scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds but Cincinnati dropped a 57-41 decision at UCF on Sunday at Addition Financial Arena.
Diamond Battle tallied a game-high 14 points and had five assists while Brittney Smith contributed 12 points and five rebounds for UCF (7-2, 5-1 American).
Destiny Haymer scored all 10 of her points after intermission for Cincinnati (3-8, 2-5). She also made a pair of 3-pointers to go with two steals and two assists. Caitlyn Wilson matched her season high with eight points and a pair of threes.
Thomas finished two rebounds shy of her fourth double-double in the last five games.
UCF entered the game as one the nation's best defensive units, and it showed why. The Knights held the Bearcats to a season-low in points and field goal shooting percentage (.286) on 14 of 29 shooting. UCF held UC to a seven-point second quarter and eight-point third quarter.
The Knights, who entered the game ninth in the nation in scoring defense at 51.8 points per game, recorded 11 steals and converted 18 UC turnovers into 15 points.
UC fell behind 14-2 midway through the first quarter but clawed back on a 14-5 run to pull within 19-16 deficit on a 3-pointer by Wilson at 9:44 in the second quarter. Wilson had five points and Thomas made a couple of layups inside during the stretch.
However, UCF responded by scoring 25 of the game's next 30 points. The Knights closed the second quarter on a 15-4 run and jump started the third frame on a 10-1 spurt to grab a commanding 44-21 advantage at 3:21 in the third quarter.
UC could not pull within more than 16 points the rest of the way.
UP NEXT
UC returns home for a pair games at Fifth Third Arena this week beginning Wednesday with Memphis. Tipoff is 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Diamond Battle tallied a game-high 14 points and had five assists while Brittney Smith contributed 12 points and five rebounds for UCF (7-2, 5-1 American).
Destiny Haymer scored all 10 of her points after intermission for Cincinnati (3-8, 2-5). She also made a pair of 3-pointers to go with two steals and two assists. Caitlyn Wilson matched her season high with eight points and a pair of threes.
Thomas finished two rebounds shy of her fourth double-double in the last five games.
UCF entered the game as one the nation's best defensive units, and it showed why. The Knights held the Bearcats to a season-low in points and field goal shooting percentage (.286) on 14 of 29 shooting. UCF held UC to a seven-point second quarter and eight-point third quarter.
The Knights, who entered the game ninth in the nation in scoring defense at 51.8 points per game, recorded 11 steals and converted 18 UC turnovers into 15 points.
UC fell behind 14-2 midway through the first quarter but clawed back on a 14-5 run to pull within 19-16 deficit on a 3-pointer by Wilson at 9:44 in the second quarter. Wilson had five points and Thomas made a couple of layups inside during the stretch.
However, UCF responded by scoring 25 of the game's next 30 points. The Knights closed the second quarter on a 15-4 run and jump started the third frame on a 10-1 spurt to grab a commanding 44-21 advantage at 3:21 in the third quarter.
UC could not pull within more than 16 points the rest of the way.
UP NEXT
UC returns home for a pair games at Fifth Third Arena this week beginning Wednesday with Memphis. Tipoff is 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+.