Tulsa Loses Heartbreaker to Cincinnati in The American Championship Quarterfinals, 66-65

Sunday, March 4

Uncasville, Conn.

7:30 pm

Tulsa

10-21

Cincinnati

19-11

Tulsa

Cincinnati

Tulsa Loses Heartbreaker to Cincinnati in The American Championship Quarterfinals, 66-65

3/4/2018 10:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Game Box (.pdf) | Game Box (html) | Season Stats (.pdf)

There were nine lead changes and four tied scores in the fourth quarter, but it was Cincinnati that came out on top, 66-65, on Sunday night in the American Athletic Conference Championship quarterfinals at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. TU concluded the season with a 10-21 mark, while UC moved to 19-11 overall.

"We had more three's and more field goals, and we shot a better percentage, but we didn't get the win tonight," Head Coach Matilda Mossman said. "Our kids fought their tails off to get us in this game and they fought their tails off tonight. We look at how hard we played at the end of the season and the fact that we never quit playing, and that is something that we can use in the offseason and heading into next year."

Shug Dickson led TU with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Alexis Gaulden and Jasmine Butler each totaled 12 points, and Kendrian Elliott posted 10 points. Senior Erika Wakefield contributed eight points, five rebounds and three assists, while Gaulden led TU with six assists and Crystal Polk earned two steals.

"My career has meant a lot to me," Wakefield said. "It has helped me grow into the person I am. I've learned to never stop fighting, and that carries into life. When life throws things at you never give up and keep moving."

Tulsa shot 45-percent from the field, including 60-percent from three-point range, and 66-percent (4-of-6) from the free throw line, while Cincinnati shot 41-percent from the field, 40-percent from behind the arc and 83-percent (10-of-12) from the charity stripe.

Tulsa had a 15-14 edge in assists and a 4-3 lead in steals, while Cincinnati had a 37-31 lead in rebounds and a 4-2 advantage in blocks.

Cincinnati jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, but Tulsa battled back to take a 7-6 advantage at the 6:03 mark. There were two more lead changes and two tied scores, but TU came out ahead after the first frame, 18-14. At that point, all seven Golden Hurricane players that had been in the game had scored.

Both teams struggled to score in the second quarter with each having just nine points and TU took a 27-23 lead into the break. After shooting 53-percent from the field in the first 10 minutes, TU shot just 30-percent in the second, while the UC shot 53-percent in the first and 23-percent in the second.

Cincinnati outscored Tulsa, 7-2, to take a 30-29 lead with 8:04 on the clock in the third quarter, and the teams battled it out with six scoring changes in the next 2:08 off the clock. TU climbed to a 42-36 advantage at the 3:36 mark and owned a 50-46 lead with one quarter to play.

Cincinnati had a 30-20 lead in points in the paint, an 18-5 advantage in second chance points and a 10-3 lead in points off turnovers, while Tulsa's bench outscored Cincinnati, 22-12.

The Bearcats took a 55-52 lead with 6:49 remaining in the contest, outscoring Tulsa 9-2 to start the final frame.

The Bearcats were led by Shanice Johnson with 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, while Angel Rizor added 15 points, and Nikira Goings and Iimar'i Thomas each tallied 10 points.