TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team battled No. 15-ranked Baylor for 40 minutes before falling 76-70 on Wednesday night inside Fifth Third Arena.
The Bearcats (8-15, 3-8 Big 12) took the lead midway through the third quarter, but the Bears pulled away in the fourth.
Senior Mya Perry led Cincinnati with 20 points, her 21st game in double figures this season and her eighth 20-point outing. Freshman Caliyah DeVillasee added 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting, five rebounds and three assists.
Freshman Joya Crawford rounded out the Bearcats in double figures with 11 points, knocking down a career-high three three-pointers and dishing out four assists.
Cincinnati shot 43% from the field and 33% from deep, while Baylor finished 37% from the field and connected on 12 three-pointers (.429). The Bears also held an advantage at the free-throw line, converting 18-of-22 attempts.
The two teams traded baskets early until an 8-0 run gave the Bearcats a 12-6 advantage. Baylor responded with five straight points before Perry buried a three-pointer to close the first quarter with UC leading 15-11. The Bearcats held the Bears to just 27% shooting and scoreless for nearly five minutes in the opening period.
UC extended its lead to eight early in the second quarter (19-11), but Baylor used four triples in the period to take a three-point edge into halftime, 36-33. Perry paced the Bearcats with 15 points in the opening 20 minutes.
DeVillasee completed an and-one to open the scoring in the third quarter (38-36), and a Crawford triple kept the Bearcats within two midway through the period (43-41). Crawford and Reagan Jackson then connected on back-to-back three-pointers to put Cincinnati back in front before Baylor reclaimed the lead heading into the fourth, 56-54.
Baylor extended its lead to eight with five minutes remaining, and the Bearcats could not get closer than four the rest of the way, falling 76-70.