CINCINNATI — University of Cincinnati women’s basketball head coach J. Kelley Hall earned his 300th career victory and UC won its first BIG EAST Conference game of the season with a 69-49 win over Georgetown (10-4, 0-1) at Fifth Third Arena on Tuesday night. Jill Stephens(Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South)recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 18 points and 13 rebounds and Kahla Roudebush Noblesville, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern)scored a game-high 21 points to guide UC (10-4, 1-1) to the victory.
Carla Jacobs(Cleveland, Ohio/Regina)added 17 points for the Bearcats and Tenishia Benson(Akron, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban chipped in 10 for UC, which shot 47.8% from behind the 3-point line as a team. Cincinnati connected on 11-for-23 at the charity stripe while the Hoyas were held to four points at the free throw line and the Bearcats forced a season-high 22 turnovers.
“We knew we the key to this game was getting off to a good start,” said Hall, who now has a 300-122 overall record as a head coach. “Obviously, tonight we got off to a hot start.”
Roudebush hit two three pointers and dished out an assist to Natasha Graboski(Upper Sandusky, Ohio/Upper Sandusky)to give UC an 8-0 to start the game. Georgetown put two points on the board at the 17:01 mark but six turnovers in the first 4:21 allowed UC to jump out to an 11-2 lead with 15:39 to go. UC went on a 6-3 run to go up 17-5 before the Hoyas bounced back with a 7-2 run to pull within seven, 19-12 with 7:20 to play in the first stanza. The Bearcats scored seven unanswered points to lead, 27-12, with 5:15 to go. Roudebush finished the half with 14 points and 4-for-9 shooting from downtown to give UC a 31-20 advantage going into locker room.
Stephens knocked down a three pointer for UC’s first points of the second half at the 17:51 mark. She followed that up with an identical trey to give the Bearcats a 37-22 advantage. The Hoyas switched to a full court press and went on a 15-11 run that pulled them within 11, 48-37, with 9:42 to play. UC reacted with seven unanswered point to regain a comfortable 18 point lead, 55-37. The Bearcats cruised to the 69-49 victory.
Georgetown was led by Kieraah Marlow with 14 points and Meredith Cox added 12 points for the Hoyas.
Cincinnati takes on Pittsburgh at Fifth Third Arena on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008 for a 1 p.m. matinee.