Dec. 1, 2004

Box Score

The University of Dayton women's basketball team couldn't overcome a slow start and turnover troubles Wednesday night in a 65-54 loss to Cincinnati (3-2) at Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center in Cincinnati. Sophomore forward Jennifer Strong led the Flyers with 11 points, as the Flyers fall to 3-2 on the season.

Eleven different Flyers scored, but only Strong made it to double-figures. Angela Cape pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds. Freshman Nikki Oakland blocked four UC shots

Cincinnati opened the game with an 8-0 run before the Flyers answered with five of their own. The Flyers knocked down all their attempts in the first six minutes, but early turnovers limited them to just three shots as Cincinnati took a 17-7 lead with 12:12 to go in the first half.

The Flyers used a 15-4 run over the next five minutes to take a 22-21 lead. Strong and Katie Butler sparked the run with four points each. After a three-ball gave UC the lead back, the two teams traded buckets and played a scoreless final 2:07 as the Bearcats took a 30-27 lead into the break.

Strong led UD into intermission with nine points. Ashley Brown scored 11 in the first half for UC.

The second half started with an 8-0 run by the Bearcats before Cape stopped the bleeding with an inside deuce. But UC held Dayton to just four free-throws over the next five minutes to push their lead out to 45-33 with 11:39 remaining.

A three by Emily Williams got UD's leading scorer on the board, and a lay-up off a steal by freshman Kiki Lund brought UD within nine at 52-43 with 8:45 to go. A bucket on the inside by Cara Wright pulled UD within six with 3:43 remaining. But the Flyers would get no closer.

Dayton held the Bearcats without a field goal for the final 10:01, but the Bearcats scored their final 13 points from the line to ice the game.

Cincinnati held UD's top two scorers - Williams and Wright - to just five and six points respectively, and forced 29 Dayton turnovers. Brown finished with 15 for the Bearcats while Anne Stephens and Toni Slaughter each added 12.

Butler scored seven points for UD, and is averaging 10 per game in her last three outings.

Dayton hosts No. 10/No. 11 (ESPN-Coaches/AP) Ohio State Saturday at UD Arena. Tip-off between the Flyers and Buckeyes is at 8:00 p.m. The game is the first of two top ten teams to visit UD Arena in a span of six days. After a road game at Wright State Tuesday, the Flyers play host to No. 3 Notre Dame on December 9.