TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team fell to East Carolina, 68-57, at home Saturday afternoon.
The Bearcats have lost five in a row, moving to 10-15 overall and 3-10 in conference action. ECU improves to 11-15 on the season and 4-9 in the American.
Sophomore guard Jillian Hayes led four Bearcats in double-digit scoring with 13 points and added six assists, six rebounds, and two steals. Junior point guard Akira Levy led the team with nine assists while junior forward Jadyn Scott and graduate forward Arame Niang each added 11 points.
The Bearcats outshot the Pirates at the free throw line, UC shooting 80 percent and ECU 71 percent, and also outrebounded them 32 to their 31.
Cincinnati welcomed back former players, coaches and staff for the 50 seasons of women's basketball celebration. Hall of Famers Cheryl Cook, Keely Feeman,Joy Roberts Bachman, Doris Scott Jolinda Miller were in attendance along with former Bearcats' head coach Laurie Pirtle. UC announced during the game that Pirtle, who owns the most wins in program history with 310, will be inducted into the James P. Kelley UC Athletics Hall of Fame this upcoming fall.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bearcats' offense got off to a slow start, only recording six points in the first quarter behind ECU's 18 on seven field goals made.
CIncinnati rebounded in the second quarter, quickly adding points off layups by junior guard Jada Scott and Jadyn Scott and a pull-up jumper by Hayes. The Bearcats went 6-for-6 from free throw line and junior guard Caitlyn Wilson hit back-to-back three-point shots, cutting ECU's lead to 30-20. ECU closed out the quarter on a 10-2 run and went into halftime leading the Bearcats 40-24.
The Bearcats outscored the Pirates 19-13 in the third quarter, helped by an early 12-6 run that started with a Jadyn Scott layup and ended with a Hayes jumper. Jadyn Scott and Niang added two layups and Wilson hit her third three of the game. Hayes hit a jumper at the buzzer and the Cats went into the fourth quarter down 53-43.
Hayes opened the fourth with a layup to start a 9-2 run highlighted by another layups from sophomore forward Malea Williams, Hayes and Niang, who also added two points from the free throw line. The Bearcats run cut ECU's lead to two, 55-53. The Pirates however outscored UC 13-4 to finish out the game.
NEXT UP
The Bearcats are back home Wednesday, Jan. 23 when they welcome the Memphis Tigers to Fifth Third Arena for the last home regular season matchup. It is also senior night for Arame Niang and Nesma Khalifa.
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.
The Bearcats have lost five in a row, moving to 10-15 overall and 3-10 in conference action. ECU improves to 11-15 on the season and 4-9 in the American.
Sophomore guard Jillian Hayes led four Bearcats in double-digit scoring with 13 points and added six assists, six rebounds, and two steals. Junior point guard Akira Levy led the team with nine assists while junior forward Jadyn Scott and graduate forward Arame Niang each added 11 points.
The Bearcats outshot the Pirates at the free throw line, UC shooting 80 percent and ECU 71 percent, and also outrebounded them 32 to their 31.
Cincinnati welcomed back former players, coaches and staff for the 50 seasons of women's basketball celebration. Hall of Famers Cheryl Cook, Keely Feeman,Joy Roberts Bachman, Doris Scott Jolinda Miller were in attendance along with former Bearcats' head coach Laurie Pirtle. UC announced during the game that Pirtle, who owns the most wins in program history with 310, will be inducted into the James P. Kelley UC Athletics Hall of Fame this upcoming fall.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bearcats' offense got off to a slow start, only recording six points in the first quarter behind ECU's 18 on seven field goals made.
CIncinnati rebounded in the second quarter, quickly adding points off layups by junior guard Jada Scott and Jadyn Scott and a pull-up jumper by Hayes. The Bearcats went 6-for-6 from free throw line and junior guard Caitlyn Wilson hit back-to-back three-point shots, cutting ECU's lead to 30-20. ECU closed out the quarter on a 10-2 run and went into halftime leading the Bearcats 40-24.
The Bearcats outscored the Pirates 19-13 in the third quarter, helped by an early 12-6 run that started with a Jadyn Scott layup and ended with a Hayes jumper. Jadyn Scott and Niang added two layups and Wilson hit her third three of the game. Hayes hit a jumper at the buzzer and the Cats went into the fourth quarter down 53-43.
Hayes opened the fourth with a layup to start a 9-2 run highlighted by another layups from sophomore forward Malea Williams, Hayes and Niang, who also added two points from the free throw line. The Bearcats run cut ECU's lead to two, 55-53. The Pirates however outscored UC 13-4 to finish out the game.
NEXT UP
The Bearcats are back home Wednesday, Jan. 23 when they welcome the Memphis Tigers to Fifth Third Arena for the last home regular season matchup. It is also senior night for Arame Niang and Nesma Khalifa.
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.