Sunday, Dec. 8 - Tuesday, Dec. 10
Highlights
Cincinnati 98, Miami (OH) 68
University of Cincinnati women's basketball outmatched the Miami (OH) RedHawks with a 98-68 victory Sunday at Fifth Third Arena.
UC's scoring output was the most since tallying 96 at home vs. Valparaiso (96-69) on Nov. 16, 2007.
With all 12 UC players that played reaching the scoring column, junior forward IImar'I Thomas led the way with a game-best 24 points -- as well as eight rebounds, four assists, and three blocks – for her fourth 20-point game of the season. Senior forward Angel Rizor tied a career high with 18 points to go along with seven rebounds and two assists. In addition, senior guard Florence Sifa chipped in season highs of 10 points and four assists, while redshirt sophomore Addaya Moore stuffed the stat sheet with season bests of eight points, nine rebounds, and four assists.
UC (5-4) started the game energized, scoring the first seven points and took a 23-16 advantage into the second quarter. In the following period, Miami (4-5) faced a 16-point deficit, but responded with an 11-0 run to trail by just five with 3:33 to go before halftime. The Bearcats answered with a late-first-half surge to go up 42-31 at the break.
The Red & Black stormed out of the locker room, pushing its lead to 20 (57-37) midway through the third quarter. In total, the home team outpaced the visitors 24-14 in the period to hold a 66-45 advantage with 10 minutes remaining. In the final stanza, UC stayed in control, maintaining a 20-point advantage throughout before its reserves widened the gap to 30 down the stretch.
The Bearcats had their best shooting day of the season, firing at a 57% (41-of-72) clip from the field. UC also buried five 3-pointers and knocked down 11-of-14 from the free-throw line.
Memphis 77, UAB 52
Combining a staunch defensive effort with a dominating presence in the paint, the University of Memphis women's basketball team opened December by defeating the UAB Blazers 77-52 Sunday afternoon. The victory lifts the Tigers to a 5-4 record on the year.
Led by Gazmyne Herndon and Alana Davis' 15 points, the Tigers held a UAB offense that averaged 80 points per game to just 52 on the afternoon. Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu played a strong presence in the paint as well, posting her third career double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Memphis came out with a strong defensive effort in the first quarter, holding UAB to a 27 percent field goal percentage, including a 2-for-9 start from beyond the arc.
Maintaining defensive pressure into the second, the Tigers limited the Blazers offense to just nine points on 25 percent shooting. The visitors also turned the ball over six times in the quarter, amounting to nine first-half miscues. Memphis used balanced scoring to build a 34-19 lead at the midway break. Five Tigers scored at least five points in the first half, led by Davis' nine.
Memphis continued to attack the paint in the fourth quarter to finish the game on a high note. Jamirah Shutes put in seven in the quarter to put the game on ice. She would finish the afternoon with nine points and a team-best four assists.
Houston 67, Louisiana Tech 53
The University of Houston Women's Basketball team saw three players score in double-figures as the Cougars knocked off Louisiana Tech on Sunday afternoon inside the Fertitta Center, 67-53.
Bria Patterson and Dorian Branch both scored 15 points, while Julia Blackshell-Fair grabbed nine rebounds.
Houston came out strong in the opening minutes of play as Dorian Branch got going early from long-range and Tatyana Hill made an immediate impact in the post. In her second career start, Bria Patterson would score the first bucket of the contest off a jumper in the lane as Houston took a 10-8 lead at the halfway point in the frame. Timely baskets from Tech down the stretch would give the visiting team a 16-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Both teams would keep things close in the second quarter, but a 6-0 run from Tech before the halfway point of the frame would give them a 24-21 advantage. Houston would come alive following the media timeout, making plays on both offense and defense. Patterson would account for five of Houston's nine points, as the Cougars would take control of the game via a 12-0 scoring run, holding Tech scoreless for over five minutes. Houston would take a 33-24 lead at the half.
Louisiana Tech came out strong in the third quarter, going on a 6-0 run with over seven minutes to play. Tech would get within five at the halfway point of the frame. In the fourth, a trio of three-pointers and a strong defensive showing would lift Houston to its fourth win inside the Fertitta Center this season and fifth victory overall as Houston won in an 67-53 decision.
UConn 81, Notre Dame 57
UConn players had heard the narrative that Sunday's game against rival Notre Dame would be a match-up of two programs in down years.
The Huskies wanted to make a statement that they are not in a rebuilding mode.
Megan Walker scored 26 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead No. 4 Connecticut to an 81-57 rout of the Irish.
Walker hit 10 of her 18 shots for the Huskies (8-0) . Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 16 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Christyn Williams had 12 points and Crystal Dangerfield, who returned to the Huskies starting lineup after missing two games with back spasms, chipped in with 10.
Anaya Peoples had 17 points and 11 boards to lead Notre Dame (5-6), which has a losing record for the first time in 16 years. Katlyn Gilbert scored 15 and Marta Sniezek added 14 for the Irish.
UConn never trailed, outrebounded the Irish 48-32 and had 21 second-chance points, while holding Notre Dame to just five.
A steal and conventional 3-point play from Walker gave UConn its first 20-point lead at 46-25. The, junior forward had 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the first half and UConn led 52-25 at the break.
The Huskies extended their run to 18 in the second half before a layup by Peoples midway through the third quarter.
SMU 66, North Dakota 51
SMU rallied to beat North Dakota, 66-51, behind a strong second-half on Monday night inside Moody Coliseum.
Johnasia Cash recorded a career high 16 rebounds, and chipped in 18 points to lead the Mustangs in a stellar effort on the glass. The Mustangs broke the SMU Moody Coliseum rebounding record by hauling in 64 boards in the win. SMU brought in 29 offensive boards, nearly half of their total on Monday night.
North Dakota (7-3) started with an early edge, leading the Mustangs 15-11 after one frame of action. SMU (4-4) held the Fighting Hawks without a basket for 5:08 to start the second, fighting its way back from the 9-point deficit that they faced early in the second period, but a couple of late 3-pointers allowed UND take a 10-point lead into the half.
The Mustangs exploded on both ends of the floor in the second half. They started the half by cutting the Hawks' lead to 2 points before a Kayla White and-1 on the offensive end put SMU ahead for the first time since the opening minutes. The SMU defense held North Dakota scoreless for the first 5:10 of the half and the teams were all square at 41 heading into the final period.
It was all Mustangs in the fourth. The team held UND to 10 points on 13 percent shooting in the fourth. SMU put up 25 points in the period, knocking down late free throws to ice the victory.
Kayla White came one rebound short of a double-double as she finished with 22 points and 9 boards, a new career best.
Temple 74, Villanova 69
The Temple women's basketball team held off a furious fourth quarter Villanova rally to pick up a 74-69 win over the Wildcats in Philadelphia Big 5 action on Tuesday night at McGonigle Hall. The win pushes Temple to 6-5 overall (1-1 Big 5), while Villanova falls to 4-5 (1-1 Big 5).
After a tight first quarter, Temple took over in the second and third and led by nearly 18 points. Villanova rallied to cut the deficit to just one point late in the fourth quarter, but Temple got timely baskets and was perfect from the line in the final frame to seal the win.
Freshman Asonah Alexander tallied her second career double-double, with a stacked stat line of 19 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Junior Mia Davis also notched a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
The teams traded blows to start the second quarter before Temple created separation. The Owls got threes from Alexander and Lena Niang to open with a 28-22 advantage. Villanova countered with a 7-2 run to close the gap to 30-29. From there, Temple got hot, closing the half with a 14-4 run to put the Cherry and White up by 11, 44-33, at the break.
An offensive minded game turned defensive early in the fourth as the teams combined for just eight points in the first five minutes. Temple pushed the lead back to 11 after a pair of Alexander free throws at the 6:31 mark, but Villanova answered with seven straight to get the lead down to 64-60. The Owls broke a long scoring drought with an Alexander drive to the basket, but Villanova hit a three to make it 66-63 with just over two minutes to play. Temple pushed the lead back up to seven, but Villanova again rallied, cutting it to 70-69 with under 20 seconds remaining. A pair of Marissa Mackins free throws made it 72-69, but Villanova was fouled with six seconds on the clock. However, the Wildcats came away from the line with no points, allowing the Owls to seal the win with another set of Mackins free throws.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
