Tuesday, November 23
Cincinnati 46, Western Carolina 45
The University of Cincinnati women's basketball team forced a season-high 23 turnovers to edge Western Carolina, 46-45, on Tuesday night at Fifth Third Arena.
The win improves the Bearcats to 3-2. The Bearcats have all three of their wins at home.
Cincinnati shot 66% from the free throw line and held their opponents to 34% from the field and 29% from the three point line.
It was a slow start offensively, but the Bearcats' defense stood strong in the first half. Cincinnati forced 12 turnovers which led to nine points in the first half. Sophomore wing Taziah Jenks had a huge block which led to a backcourt violation and two free throws for junior point guard Akira Levy to cut the lead to 14-11 at the end of the first quarter.
The Bearcats finished the first half making eight out of their 10 free throws. Levy had seven points, two rebounds and one assist in the first half, trailing 16-26.
The halftime talk worked to perfection for the Bearcats as they started 4-of-4 from the field. Sophomore guard Jillian Hayes hit a jump shot right after the break followed by two three pointers from freshman Braylyn Milton cut the lead to 30-29 in favor of the visitors. A Milton lay-up and two baskets from Jenks gave the Bearcats their biggest run (7-0) and the lead in the third quarter.
The Bearcats held Western Carolina to one made shot in the fourth quarter and forced 11 turnovers in the second half. Junior Caitlyn Wilson hit a three-pointer, Hayes' hit a jump shot, and a clutch free throw from freshman Clarissa Craig sealed a 46-45 win for the Bearcats.
East Carolina 75, Coppin State 44
A suffocating defensive effort propelled the East Carolina women's basketball team to a 75-44 victory over visiting Coppin State on Tuesday night.
East Carolina improves to 3-3 on the season, with a 3-0 record inside Minges Coliseum while Coppin State falls to 2-3 on the year.
The Pirates wasted little time getting out to a good start. Danae McNeal scored the game's first six points and ECU jumped out to a 10-2 lead. A 10-5 run from Coppin State cut the lead back to three at 15-12, but Synia Johnson hit a trio of free throws and then Taniyah Thompson found Morgan Moseley for a jumper as the quarter expired to make it 22-12 after one.
The Pirate defense upped its intensity in the second quarter, holding Coppin State to just 4-of-17 (.235) shooting. Back-to-back buckets from McNeal and Da'Ja Green made it 32-17 at the media timeout, but that was just the start. The Pirates scored the next 10 points, holding Coppin State scoreless for more than five minutes. The Eagles got a hint of life by scoring the final five points of the half to make it 42-22 at the break, the largest halftime lead of the season for East Carolina.
The third quarter was much like the second, with East Carolina suffocating any offensive chances for the Eagles. The Pirates held Coppin State to just 3-of-13 (.231) shooting in the frame. A pair of Thompson free throws with two seconds remaining, her fifth and sixth points of the quarter, made it 57-31.
The Pirates extended their lead all the way out to 31, at 64-33 when Tylar Bennett found Chambers for a layup. From there, the Pirates were able to cruise to the finish line for the biggest victory of the year.
Memphis 53, Liberty 51
The Memphis Tigers battled to the end as they took down the Flames of Liberty University (3-1) to kick-off their week-long trip. Memphis claimed the 53-51 win after holding LU in the final seconds of the game.
Following tonight's win, Memphis moves to 4-1 overall.
Liberty opened the game on a 7-0 run behind back-to-back lay-ups from Flames leading scorer Mya Berkman.
Jamirah Shutes would get the first Tiger bucket of the game just over four minutes into playy off a driving lay-up. Maya Stovall would follow Shutes up on the next possession with a left-handed lay-up to cut Memphis' deficit to 7-4.
The Flames defense held the Tigers to just eight points in the first quarter while taking a 15-8 lead after the opening 10 minutes.
Memphis would open the second quarter with an 11-2 run to take their first lead of the night. Makayia Brooks hit back-to-back shots to create a trickle affect for the Tigers scoring. Following Brooks five straight points, Shutes would drain a three-pointer from the corner to extend Memphis' lead out to 19-15.
The Tiger offense would continue to roll through the second quarter, taking their largest lead of the game off a 10-foot jumper from Stovall at the buzzer to give Memphis the 28-21 lead.
Memphis would hold Liberty to just six points in the second frame.
It was a back-and-forth battle in the third quarter; after a 10-2 run from Liberty gave them a 31-30 lead with 6:36 left in the quarter, the Flames and Tigers would trade buckets before Memphis took a two-point lead following Brooks second three-pointer of the game.
It would come down to the wire to decide a winner; after Stovall sank a long jumper and Emani Jefferson, who's only points of the night ended up being the game-winning bucket, scored a driving lay-up through the paint, Memphis would take a 53-50 lead. Liberty's Berkman would go 1-2 from the free throw line to cut the Tigers lead to just two with less than a minute to play.
Liberty would get the ball back with 13 seconds on the clock, but the Tiger defense would hold steady as Alana Davis blocked Priscilla Smeenge's shot and Shutes grabbed the game-securing rebound. Memphis' 53-51 win marked the Flames first loss of the season and broke their 19-game home winning streak dating back to Feb. 1, 2020.
Jamirah Shutes led the way with 16 points while going 3-6 from long range. Maya Stovall played a huge role tonight with nine points, including the bucket that gave Memphis their lead in the fourth quarter. Makayia Brooks came off the bench for eight points while six other Memphis players scored.
As a team, the Tigers shot just over 37% from the field.
Princeton 59, Temple 41
The Temple women's basketball team (2-3, 0-0) suffered a setback Tuesday, falling to the Princeton Tigers (4-1, 0-0) 59-41. The Owls mounted a spectacular comeback in the third quarter, cutting the lead down to as little as two points. From there though, Princeton controlled the game, outscoring the Owls 21-10 in the fourth quarter to cement the victory.
Forward Mia Davis paced the team with nine points. Guards Aniya Gourdine and Jalynn Holmes chipped in with nine points each.
Wichita State 86, Prairie View A&M 71
Jane Asinde made her first career start and produced her first career double-double to lead Wichita State to an 86-71 win over Prairie View A&M Tuesday night in Charles Koch Arena.
Wichita State (4-1) scored a season-high 86 points behind, scoring a good chuck at the free throw line. The Shockers were just 3-of-12 from beyond the arc but set season highs in free throws made (25) and attempts (39).
Asinde registered her first double-double as a Shocker, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds – both team highs. Asia Strong and Mariah McCully both scored 14, while Strong grabbed seven rebounds. DJ McCarty was once again a spark plug off the bench, adding 13 points and five boards.
Seraphine Bastin recorded her third double digit rebound game of the season with 10 rebounds.
The first 10 minutes saw four ties and three lead changes and the score all tied up at 17. Asinde and McCully combined to score 12 of the Shockers' 17 points in the opening quarter.
Wichita State's defense turned up the pressure in the second quarter, outscoring the Panthers 26-12. Prairie View was just 4-of-15 from the field with seven turnovers in the period. A key 13-2 run late in the period stretched the lead to as many as 15.
Behind Asinde's team-high 11 first half points, Wichita State took a 43-29 lead into the locker room. The quartet of Asinde (11), McCully (9), Strong (8) and McCarty (7) scored 35 of the 43 points in the half.
Wichita State was plus-12 in the third quarter, extending the lead to 72-46. Again, it was the four-headed scoring attack of Asinde, McCully, McCarty and Strong that produced 23 of the 29 points in the period.
The fourth quarter gave head coach Keitha Adams the opportunity to get everyone some playing time. All 12 Shockers that suited up, saw time and all but one scored in the contest. Melissa Secchiaroli scored her first points as a Shocker, finishing with six in the quarter.