Bearcats Fall At Home To Temple

CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team lost at home on Saturday afternoon, 75-68, to Temple.

Opens in a new window Game Book (PDF) Opens in a new window Coach Heard Recap Opens in a new window YouTube Opens in a new window Box Score (PDF)
Bearcats Fall At Home To TempleBearcats Fall At Home To Temple
CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team lost at home on Saturday afternoon, 75-68, to the Temple Owls.
 
The Bearcats were led offensively by junior guard Caitlyn Wilson's 17 points and junior guard Akira Levy's 15 points, seven assists and two steals along with 12 team three-point shots.
 
Temple was held to just 40.6% shooting from the floor and only 20% from three-point range by Cincinnati.
 
The Bearcats move to 7-7 on the season while Temple picks up their first win since Dec. 5 and move to 6-6 on the season. Temple extends its advantage in the series to 9-6 and 4-3 in Clifton.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
The visitors caught fire early and were shooting over 50% en route to a 16-4 advantage. Sophomore guard Jillian Hayes' jump shot stopped a 7-0 run for the Owls with her first and only basket in the first half. Wilson had nine points in the first quarter including two three pointers and three free throws and cut it to a 22-15 deficit at the end of one.
 
Levy was the first to react on a loose ball and assisted with a flashy pass on junior guard Jada Scott's layup. Graduate student Arame Niang had two straight field goals on strong layups in the paint and cut the deficit to 11. Levy's two free throws and smart thinking to draw a late foul cut the visitor lead to nine, making it 43-34 in Temple's favor at half. 
 
Sophomore forward Malea Williams had her first five points in the third and her late three-pointer cut it to a five point deficit at 60-55. Levy's quick hands led to a steal and a Williams lay-up to start the second half. Freshman guard Braylyn Milton hit her first shot from three as the lead was cut to 54-48.
 
Williams hit her second three of the night to start the final quarter and was followed by a Wilson three and the deficit was at four, the lowest all day. Niang finished a layup in traffic that capped a 6-0 run late, but Temple kept their offense going and held on for a 75-68 win.

NOTABLES
  • Levy made eight out of her nine free throws, the most since her perfect 11 for 11 against North Carolina A&T. Levy leads the team and AAC in made free throws.
  • Hayes and Williams both flirted with double-doubles, each had eight points and eight rebounds.
  • Levy came into the game averaging 5.6 assists per game, the second most in AAC, and had seven this afternoon.
  • Hayes leads the team in rebounds and kept up her pace with eight today, the most on the team.
  • Hayes had two steals and now has steals in seven straight games. Hayes is second on the team after Levy.

UP NEXT
The Bearcats host Wichita State on Thursday, Jan. 13 at 7:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Arena.

FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's basketball, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati WBB (@GoBearcatsWBB) and Coach Michelle Clark-Heard (@Coachheard) on Twitter. You can also follow the team on Facebook and Instagram.