Dec. 22, 2005
Box Score
DAYTON, Ohio - Senior forward Cara Wright grabbed a career-high 22 rebounds and recorded her fifth double-double of the year with 18 points, but the Dayton women's basketball team saw its four-game win streak snapped by Cincinnati, 65-55, Thursday evening at UD Arena. The Flyers (6-3) erased a 14-point deficit, but the Bearcats (9-1) extend their own win streak to six.
Wright's 22 rebounds exceeded her total of 20, set last year against Detroit, the two highest single-game rebounding totals in UD history since the Flyers went to Division I in 1984-85. The reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Week for the past two weeks continues to lead the conference in double-doubles.
"She is amazing. We were on the bench watching some of her rebounds as she just kept going. I was really impressed with her. She plays with great heart."
Jennifer Strong added 15 points and six rebounds, while Kiki Lund chipped in 13 points and a career-high five assists. The Bearcats were led by Treasure Humphries' 21 points and eight rebounds from Shelly Bellman. Anne Stephens and Jill Stephens each chipped in nine points.
"We are getting better. We played a BIG EAST caliber team today and once we got the nerves out I thought we did some very good things. We played well in the beginning of the second half and took the lead, but we need to keep learning and we will."
The Bearcats opened the game with a 6-0 run in the first 1:16, prompting head coach Jim Jabir to call a timeout. The Flyers responded out of the TO with a jumper from Lund, but Humphries knocked down a three for UC.
Lund hit a three from the corner and Wright converted am `and-one' opportunity to cut the deficit to 15-10, with just over 13 minutes to go in the first. But UC went on a 13-3 run before Jennifer Strong slashed to the hoop for a bucket.
Amber Peterink hit three free throws as the Flyers climbed within a dozen with 6:37 to go before half. Dayton held the Bearcats without a field goal for the final 4:42 of the first half and Wright scored three-straight buckets in the paint. The Flyers closed the half with an 8-0 run to pull within 32-26 at the half.
Wright and Humphries led all scorers at the break with 14 points each. Eleven of Wright's rebounds came in the first half.
Humphries opened the second half with a three as UC started with a 5-0 run. But Strong responded with a runner and a lay-up off a steal. After a stop, Lund rattled home a three-point from the wing which cut the lead to 37-33 at the 16:16 mark and forced UC coach Laurie Pirtle to call for a time out in response to the 7-0 Flyers' run.
Strong's floater stretched the run to 9-0 before Nikki Oakland's inside deuce tied the game at 37-37. Terri Ramsey picked off a pass at mid-court and then knocked down a free throw to give UD its first lead of the game. The 20-5 run over extended over 13 minutes.
But the Bearcats exploded for a 13-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back threes and forced UD to try and claw back again. Karah Cloxton's lay-up off a break brought UD within nine at 52-43 with seven minutes to go and the Flyers would get no closer as Cincinnati matched Dayton shot for shot and hit seven of eight free throws down the stretch.
Despite 22 rebounds from Wright, Cincinnati held a 39-38 edge in rebounding. The Flyers were held to 36.4 shooting from the field, but held the Bearcats to 40.4 percent. Dayton falls for the first time at home, having won its first four at UD Arena.
UC now holds a 22-21 edge in the all-time series and has won the last six meetings.
The Flyers will be off until after Christmas, when the team travels to New Orleans for the Tulane Basketball Classic, Dec. 28-29. On Wednesday, UD meets Toledo at 9:00 p.m. ET (approximate tip) and the Flyers will face either Samford or Tulane on Thursday, at either 7:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. ET. Dayton will open Atlantic 10 play after the New Year on the road, before returning home January 8, to face Saint Louis.
