TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team knocked off No. 11 Iowa State, 71-63, Wednesday night inside Fifth Third Arena.
The win marked the highest-ranked victory in program history for the Bearcats and Cincinnati’s first win over a ranked opponent since 2011.
Senior Mya Perry delivered a standout performance, pouring in 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three-point range. Perry has now scored in double figures in 16 straight games and recorded her sixth 20-point outing of the season.
Cincinnati shot 49% from the field (25-of-51) and went 17-of-24 from the free throw line. The Bearcats’ defense limited Iowa State to 36% shooting overall and just 19% from beyond the arc (4-of-21), holding the Cyclones 26 points below their season average.
The Bearcats came out firing, jumping to a 14-7 lead behind six early points from Perry. Iowa State responded with a 6-0 run to pull within one before an and-one from Crawford made it 17-13. Jumpers from DeVillasee and Thomas pushed UC’s lead to seven, and a Crawford driving layup sent the Bearcats into the first break ahead 23-20.
Defense took center stage in the second quarter as the teams combined for just 18 points. A 5-0 Bearcats run sent Cincinnati into the locker room with a 33-28 halftime lead. UC held Audi Crooks to nine points on 4-of-9 shooting in the first half.
Iowa State opened the third quarter with a 13-5 run to reclaim the lead at the media timeout. Alexander and Jackson answered with strong finishes through traffic, with Jackson completing the three-point play to give UC a 43-41 advantage. Another 6-0 Bearcats run closed the quarter, putting Cincinnati ahead 51-48 entering the fourth.
Alexander sparked the final frame with two key plays, and a Perry three extended the Bearcats’ lead to eight with under eight minutes remaining. Cincinnati’s defense held the Cyclones scoreless for nearly three minutes and sealed the victory at the free throw line, going 11-of-15 in the fourth quarter.