SU Loses to Cincinnati, 59-43, at the Dome

Saturday, January 21

Carrier Dome

1:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

Cincinnati

Brittany Smith matched her career high with 11 rebounds against Cincinnati.

1/21/2006 3:37:04 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score
Coach Cieplicki Quotes
Syracuse Player Quotes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Cincinnati Bearcats used an 18-0 run over a span of 8:23 in the first half to secure a 59-43 win against the Orange on Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Carrier Dome.

The two teams were tied, 7-7, just 5:45 into the game when Eckhart drilled two free throws, but Cincinnati scored 18 unanswered points to take a commanding 25-7 lead with 6:10 remaining in the opening half. SU was held without a field goal for almost 10 minutes during that stretch. Smith scored on a layup with 5:52 left to end SU’s drought. The Bearcats owned a 31-16 lead heading into the locker rooms.

The Bearcats pushed its lead to 19, 35-16, by scoring the first four points of the second half. With the score, 39-20, SU scored seven unanswered points to pull within 12, 39-27, with 13:32 left in the game. The Orange cut to the lead to as few as 11, 45-34, but Cincinnati pulled away down the stretch to seal the win.

SU was held to a season-low 16 points at halftime, with freshman Jenny Eckhart (Libertyville, Ill.) scoring 10 of the Orange’s first half points. Eckhart finished the day with a team-high 15 points shooting 5-for-13 from the floor. Freshman Brittany Smith (Milwaukee, Wisc.) tied her career-high with 11 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass, to go along with nine points. Rookie point guard Cintia Johnson tied her personal best with six points in 24 minutes.

The Orange defense held the Bearcats to 59 points after Cincinnati had scored at least 80 points in its last two contests. The Bearcats were averaging 70.8 points per game entering today.

SU shot 21.4 percent (6-28) in the opening half compared to the Bearcats’ 39.4 percent (13-33). The Orange’s 43 points was the least this season, and lowest total in a game since Dec. 19, 2004, when it scored 35 in a loss against Auburn. SU also shot a season-low 26.9 percent (14-52) from the floor in the contest.

SU shot 91.7 percent (11-12) from the free throw line in the game, its highest percentage this season.

For Cincinnati (12-5, 2-4), Treasure Humphries scored a team-high 12 points while Angel Morgan tallied nine. Anne Stephens brought down a game-high 13 rebounds.

The Orange (7-11, 0-7) returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 28, when it travels to Seton Hall for a 7:00 p.m. conference clash.