FORT WORTH, Texas – Cincinnati had revenge on its mind against Memphis in the second opening round game of the 2021 Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Championship on Monday night at Dickies Arena. The Bearcats avenged a midseason loss to the Tigers with a 78-67 win in the tournament’s first round.

Cincinnati’s IImar’I Thomas, the American Player of the Year, hit 10-of-17 shots from the floor and all 10 of her tries from the free-throw line for a game-high 30 points to go along with 12 rebounds. Milan Schimmel chipped in 15 points, seven boards and seven assists for the Bearcats. Dulcy Fankam Mendjadeu logged 20 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots for Memphis.

 
Both teams battled through the first five minutes as Memphis (4-15) inched ahead 6-5 at the first media timeout on the strength of four early points from Fankam Mendjiadeu. Madison Griggs drained a jumper that extended the Tigers’ lead to 14-8. After Cincinnati (8-15) closed within three points on a Thomas layup (16-13), Aerial Wilson drilled a 3-point shot in response to end the quarter with Memphis ahead 19-13.
 
Cincinnati battled out of the deficit and tied the game at 23-all three minutes into the second quarter on a Schimmel shot from distance. The Bearcats pushed the lead as high as nine points following a made second-chance basket by Arame Niang in the final minute of the first half. Keke Hunter drove home a layup within the final 10 seconds for Memphis to cut the halftime deficit to 37-30.
 
The Bearcats built the lead as large as 47-32 early in the third quarter before Memphis’ Jatyjia Jones scored the hoop and harm and Fankam Mendjiadeu nailed a layup to trim the score to 10 at 47-37. A fastbreak layup down the floor by Griggs further cut into the Cincinnati lead at 49-41 before a great feed from Thomas to Jadyn Scott and a Caitlyn Wilson transition 3-pointer made it 54-41 Bearcats. A putback by Aerial Wilson near the buzzer at the end of the third brought Memphis within 13 points at 60-47 after 30 minutes.
 
The squads traded baskets up and down the floor for the first five minutes of the final quarter before Coriah Beck knocked down a contested 3-pointer to give Memphis momentum. A touch-pass sequence from Niang to a cutting Thomas extended the Cincinnati lead to 11 at 67-56. Five straight points from Memphis cut the Tiger deficit to single digits at 69-61 with two minutes remaining. A steal and coast-to-coast finish from Beck ignited the Tigers further at 69-63, but a tied ball with Memphis in possession and the opportunity to move within one score sent the ball back Cincinnati’s way.
 
All of the latest tournament information can be found at Championship Central throughout the week by visiting TheAmerican.org/wbb.
 
2021 Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Championship
March 8-11, 2021
Dickies Arena 
Fort Worth, Texas
 
First Round - Monday, March 8
No. 9 Wichita State 76, No. 8 Tulsa 64
No. 7 Cincinnati 78, No. 10 Memphis 67

Quarterfinals - Tuesday, March 9
No. 5 Temple vs. No. 4 Tulane - Noon ET/ 11 a.m. CT (ESPN+)
No. 9 Wichita State vs. No. 1 USF - 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
No. 7 Cincinnati vs. No. 2 UCF - 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
No. 6 East Carolina vs. No. 3 Houston - 10 p.m. ET/ 9 p.m. CT (ESPN+)

Semifinals - Wednesday, March 10
Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner – 5:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner - 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. CT (ESPN+)

Final - Thursday, March 11
Semifinal winners – 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT (ESPNU)