TicketsCINCINNATI – Junior guard Jillian Hayes recorded her 10th career double-double with a game-high 17 points and 13 rebounds, but the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team fell 60-57 late to UCF inside Fifth Third Arena on Wednesday night.
Cincinnati is now 8-15, 1-9 in the AAC.
Redshirt sophomore forward Taziah Jenks scored the first four points and the Bearcats went on an early 8-1 run to build an 10-7 lead at the first media timeout. Jenks finished the game with 12 points, six rebounds and a career-high four steals.
The two teams continued to trade offensive looks until Hayes collected an entry pass from sophomore guard Braylyn Milton and finished in traffic to extend the lead to 21-16 at the 7:21-minute mark of the second quarter.
Hayes went on to score five straight points, capping it off with an and-one finish, and Jenks converted a driving layup to make it a seven-point margin halfway through the frame. The Bearcats held their visitors scoreless for a 3:03-minute span to take a 28-25 lead into the break.
Cincinnati drew 11 fouls and went 10-11 from the free throw line in the first half. The Bearcats outscored the Knights 18-6 in the paint heading into the locker room.
Senior guard Mya Jackson split two defenders off a kickout pass and finished an and-one floater to move the lead to 39-31 in the third quarter. After the Knights cut it to one possession late in the period, senior guard Caitlyn Wilson connected on a corner three to extend it back to two possessions at 42-36.
Milton knocked down a three to beat the buzzer to secure a 45-41 lead entering the fourth quarter. Milton finished with seven points, four rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes off the bench.
A Knights' three point closed out a 10-0 run that provided them the lead at 56-51 with 2:23 remaining in regulation. Hayes converted a driving layup with 47 seconds left to cut the deficit to one before UCF added to more from the line to extend it to the final score. Senior guard Dais'Ja Trotter came off a double screen to attempt the tying-three on the final possession, but the shot fell short.
The Bearcats finished 21-24 from the free throw line, their third game this season with 20-plus made from the line.
Cincinnati hits the road to close out the season series with Temple on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's basketball, visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWBB on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Cincinnati is now 8-15, 1-9 in the AAC.
Redshirt sophomore forward Taziah Jenks scored the first four points and the Bearcats went on an early 8-1 run to build an 10-7 lead at the first media timeout. Jenks finished the game with 12 points, six rebounds and a career-high four steals.
The two teams continued to trade offensive looks until Hayes collected an entry pass from sophomore guard Braylyn Milton and finished in traffic to extend the lead to 21-16 at the 7:21-minute mark of the second quarter.
Hayes went on to score five straight points, capping it off with an and-one finish, and Jenks converted a driving layup to make it a seven-point margin halfway through the frame. The Bearcats held their visitors scoreless for a 3:03-minute span to take a 28-25 lead into the break.
Cincinnati drew 11 fouls and went 10-11 from the free throw line in the first half. The Bearcats outscored the Knights 18-6 in the paint heading into the locker room.
Senior guard Mya Jackson split two defenders off a kickout pass and finished an and-one floater to move the lead to 39-31 in the third quarter. After the Knights cut it to one possession late in the period, senior guard Caitlyn Wilson connected on a corner three to extend it back to two possessions at 42-36.
Milton knocked down a three to beat the buzzer to secure a 45-41 lead entering the fourth quarter. Milton finished with seven points, four rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes off the bench.
A Knights' three point closed out a 10-0 run that provided them the lead at 56-51 with 2:23 remaining in regulation. Hayes converted a driving layup with 47 seconds left to cut the deficit to one before UCF added to more from the line to extend it to the final score. Senior guard Dais'Ja Trotter came off a double screen to attempt the tying-three on the final possession, but the shot fell short.
The Bearcats finished 21-24 from the free throw line, their third game this season with 20-plus made from the line.
Cincinnati hits the road to close out the season series with Temple on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's basketball, visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWBB on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.