Tulsa Seniors Score in Double Figures in 55-53 Loss to Cincinnati

Wednesday, January 13

Reynolds Center

7:00 pm

Tulsa

6-11, 3-3AAC

Cincinnati

6-10, 2-3AAC

Cincinnati

Tulsa

Tulsa Seniors Score in Double Figures in 55-53 Loss to Cincinnati

1/13/2016 9:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Stephanie Hall

Final Stats in PDF
Final Stats in HTML
Season Stats in PDF

Seniors Ashley Clark and Kelsee Grovey each scored in double figures, but it wasn't enough as Tulsa dropped a 55-53 decision to Cincinnati on Wednesday night at the Donald W. Reynolds Center. TU fell to 6-11 on the season and 3-3 in American Athletic Conference play, while the Bearcats moved to 6-10 overall and 2-3 in the league.

Clark had a team-leading 15 points, Grovey added 10 and Erika Wakefield scored eight points. Both Te'era Williams and Clark pulled down seven rebounds.

"We had no energy and it is still fatigue off our road trip," Head Coach Matilda Mossman said. "Our kids aren't recovered yet and it is unfortunate because this is a game we should have won. We have to be better at recovery and get these kids ready for Saturday."

"We had a lot of looks that went in and out, but Cincinnati got the rebounds that they needed to get and got the second chances to win the game," Mossman added.

Tulsa had 26 points in the paint, 12 points off turnovers and 10 bench points, compared to Cincinnati's 20 points in the paint, six points off turnovers and three points off the bench.

Both teams struggled to shoot the ball, scoring just two points each in the first five minutes, but Tulsa climbed to a 12-9 lead at the first quarter break. TU extended their advantage to eight, 17-9, on an 11-2 run at the 8:06 mark in the second frame, but the Bearcats countered with a 10-2 run to tie the score at 19-all with 3:31 left to play in the period. UC outscored TU, 5-3, to close out the half with a 24-22 lead. There were seven lead changes and four tied scores in the first 20 minutes of the contest.

The Golden Hurricane shot 25-percent from the field, went 0-of-12 from three-point range and scored 4-of-5 free throws in the first half, compared to Cincinnati's 26-percent from the field, including 33-percent from behind the arc, and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe.

UC went on a 5-0 run to extend their lead to 29-22 with 8:29 on the clock in the third quarter, but a Grovey layup and three-pointer pulled Tulsa to within two, 29-27, at the 7:47 mark. The Bearcats then climbed to an eight-point advantage (39-31) with 3:15 remaining on the clock, but a 6-0 run to close out the frame pulled Tulsa to within two, 39-37.

Clark hit a jumper to start the fourth quarter and tied the game at 39-all for the fifth tied score of the contest. The score was tied again at 41 and 44, before a Bianca Quisenberry free throw gave the Bearcats the lead. The teams would trade the lead six times throughout the remainder of the contest with UC coming out on top by two points.

Cincinnati was led by two players with double-doubles, including Jasmine Whitfield with 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Ana Owens with 13 points and 11 boards. Alyesha Lovett added 15 points.

For the game, both teams shot 33-percent from the field, while Cincinnati shot 26-percent from three-point range compared to Tulsa's 13-percent. UC hit all seven of their free throw attempts and TU made 4-of-5.

Tulsa will return to action on Saturday, January 16 against Tulane. Game time is set for 1:00 pm at the Reynolds Center.