Shocker Radio Postgame: Adams


WICHITA, Kan. – Rangie Bessard scored 24 points and grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to complete the comeback, as Cincinnati held off Wichita State, 75-69, Wednesday night in Charles Koch Arena.

Wichita State (10-15, 5-6) has now dropped three in-a-row and falls to 0-2 all-time vs. Cincinnati. Cincinnati (14-10, 6-5) snapped a three-game skid of its own with the victory.
 
Bessard led the Shockers in points (24) and rebounds (11), while Diamond Lockhart (14) and Angiee Tompkins (14) rounded out the double-figure scorers. For Bessard, it marked her seventh double-double and 11th game with 20 or more points this season.

The Shockers forced 20 Cincinnati turnovers and dished out 21 assists, but the Bearcats made up for it by shooting 51 percent from the floor. The Bearcats finished 8-of-20 from beyond the arc after hitting their first six.

WSU hit just 39.4 percent from the field and missed 12 of its 16 three-pointers.

Nikira Goings paced Cincinnati with a game-high 26 points and Iimar'I Thomas added 14.

1st Quarter
A back-and-forth affair started the game with both teams trading baskets until a barrage of three-pointers from Cincinnati opened a 22-14 lead with less than a minute remaining.

The Bearcats hit all five of their treys in the quarter, with four coming from Nikira Goings. Overall, Cincinnati converted on nine of its 12 field goals (75 percent) to take a 24-15 lead into the second quarter.

Bessard opened with six first quarter points and the Shockers hit 7-of-16 field goals.

2nd Quarter
The very first possession of the quarter resulted in another Cincinnati triple to make it 26-15. UC would start 6-of-6 from beyond the arc before finally missing.

At the midway point, Lockhart drained her second three-pointer to cut the deficit to eight, 35-27. The Bearcats were still shooting 65 percent, but a trio of triples were keeping Wichita State within reach.

A 12-0 Shocker run covering more than three minutes of game time gave the Shockers a one-point lead, 36-35. Bessard, Tompkins and Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage provided the scoring during the run.

Wichita State's lead would be short-lived after Cincinnati scored the final seven points of the quarter to take a 42-36 advantage into the locker room.

Bessard led the Shockers with 11 points in the half, while Goings' 15 points paced all scorers.

Cincinnati missed eight of its last nine three-pointers in the quarter, but still hit 7-of-15 and 54 percent overall. The Shockers hit 14-of-33 (42 percent) in the first 20 minutes.

3rd Quarter
Six straight points from Lockhart followed by a three-pointer from Lozada-Cabbage put Wichita State right back in front barely 2:30 into the third quarter. The Shockers forced three turnovers and hit four of their five shots in the spurt.

Neither team would get much separation the remainder of the quarter with the largest lead being only three for both teams.

Wichita State would enter the final quarter trailing by just one, 56-55, after outscoring Cincinnati 19-14 in the frame.

4th Quarter
Trailing by one, Bessard scored on back-to-back trips to put the Shockers up three with 6:34 remaining, but again Cincinnati would answer. An 8-0 response gave the Bearcats a 68-63 lead at the 4:38 mark.

WSU hit back with six straight to take a one-point lead, but that would be the last time. Cincinnati's Ana Owens drained a three to put the Bearcats in front for good with 43 seconds left.

Free throws in the final 60 seconds capped the win for UC.

Up Next
Wichita State prepares to make the trip north to face No. 1 UConn on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. ET on SNY/ESPN3. The meeting will be the first-ever matchup between the two programs.