Bearcat Women Fall To Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Cincinnati Women’s Basketball Team dropped a 65-50 decision at Michigan on Friday night (Dec. 19) at Crisler Arena.

Michigan connected on 10-of-28 three-pointers and shot 46 percent from the floor, including a blistering 58 percent in the second half.

Shanasa Sanders (Jacksonville, Fla./Ribault Senior) scored 12 points to lead the Bearcats and Jill Stephens (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) had eight points and seven rebounds.

UC opened a 13-5 lead early in the first half thanks to some hot shooting behind the arc. The Bearcats knocked down threes on three straight possessions, one each by Shelly Bellman (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf), Elisa Shoate (Spiro, Okla./Arkansas-Fort Smith), and Sanders, to take a 9-5 lead.

Back-to-back jumpers by Kahla Roudebush (Noblesville, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) and Sanders gave the Bearcats a 13-5 lead, the largest of the first half.

Michigan countered with a 10-2 run, capped by a Melinda Queen three to take its first lead, 18-15, at the 10:20 mark. Carly Benson’s three at the 8:48 mark gave Michigan a 21-18 lead.

Cincinnati scored the next six points to take a 24-21 lead on a Roudebush layup. The teams went to the locker room tied at 28.

UM’s Stephanie Skrba led all scorers with 11 points in the first half.

UC shot just 8-for-23 in the second half and went over six minutes without a field goal while Michigan built a nine-point lead.

The 65 points for Michigan marked the first time this season a team has scored more than 60 points against the Bearcats.

The Bearcats return to Fifth Third Arena for a 2 p.m. tip against Davidson on Sunday, Dec. 21 before a nine-day layoff for the holidays.