Mocs women come close, can’t close against Cincinnati
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The Chattanooga women’s basketball team battled back to within one point twice before falling 63-52 to Cincinnati Wednesday night at The McKenzie Arena.
The Mocs couldn’t buy a bucket to start the game and trailed 24-3 with 6:00 to play in the second quarter. Destiny McClendon connected on one of two free throws at the 5:21 mark of the period, starting a 20-0 run that would pull UTC to within a point, 24-23, with 7:54 to go in the third.
“The first half was just a killer,” Mocs head coach Katie Burrows said. “We couldn’t hit the necessary shots to get over the hump. We couldn’t score and we were turning it over. It was just a killer to have to dig out of that hole, but my kids fought.”
Dena Jarrells fueled the run with four 3-pointers including two to start the second half. She ended the game with a career-high five treys and matched her scoring total with a team-best 17 in the game.
Cincinnati retook control of the game to close out the third leading 40-29. The Bearcats added four free throws to start the fourth but an Addie Grace Porter 3-pointer brought the crowd to its feet and sparked a 23-9 UTC scoring advantage over the next 6:07 to get the Mocs to within a point yet again, 53-52 with 3:12 to play.
Porter scored eight points in the run, joined by six from Abbey Cornelius. The Mocs were 8-of-10 in the spree and 3-of-4 from the 3-point line and had two steals and no turnovers while Cincinnati had four miscues.
Cincinnati closed out the game with a 10-0 run behind six points from Akira Levy who was one of three Bearcats in double digits with 14 points.
Jarrells led three Mocs in double figures and was 5-of-11 from the 3-point line. Cornelius added 12 points and was 6-of-6 from the free throw line while Porter chipped in 10, making 2-of-4 from deep.
Chattanooga was 16-of-56 for the game after missing all 12 attempts in the opening period and shot 44.4 percent (8-18) in the fourth quarter. UTC was 7-of-23 from the 3-point line and 13-of-16 from the free throw line.
The Mocs scored 19 points on 18 Cincinnati turnovers while the Bearcats had 11 on Chattanooga’s 15 errors.
Cincinnati’s Braylyn Milton led all scorers with 18 points. Akira Levy added 14 with five assists and three steals and Caitlyn Wilson chipped in 10. Malea Williams just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. The Bearcats shots 43.1 percent (22-51) for the game and was 5-of-16 from the 3-point line. In the paint, Cincinnati outscored the Mocs 24-18.
Chattanooga, in the midst of a three-game home stand, will host North Alabama Saturday afternoon with a 2:00 p.m. tip. Tickets are on sale at the McKenzie Arena box office or online at GoMocs.com.
SERIES RECORD
Cincinnati leads 3-0
TEAM RECORDS
Chattanooga: 1-10
Cincinnati: 6-4
BY THE NUMBERS
– Dena Jarrells matched her career-high with 17 points.
– Dena Jarrells dropped in a career-high five 3-pointers.
– Abbey Cornelius drew seven fouls including an intentional … she made both free throws.
– Sigrun Olafsdottir matched her season-high with five assists.
– Three UTC players scored in double figures: Jarrells, 17; Cornelius 12; Porter 10.
– UTC had four turnovers in the third quarter and none in the fourth.
