39 Points from Atkinson Not Enough as WBB Falls at Cincinnati

Saturday, January 13

Cincinnati, Ohio

1:00 p.m.

Temple University

9-7, 1-3AAC

Cincinnati

11-7, 3-2AAC

Temple

Cincinnati

Photo by: Mark Burch

39 Points from Atkinson Not Enough as WBB Falls at Cincinnati

1.13.18 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

CINCINNATI -- Temple senior Tanaya Atkinson scored a career high 39 points, but the Owls fell 80-72 on the road at Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon. The Owls dip to 9-7 (1-3) with the loss, while the Bearcats improved to 11-7 overall (2-2).

KEYS TO THE GAME
> Cincinnati out-scored Temple 42-31 in the second half, including a 22-15 advantage in the fourth quarter.
> The Bearcats shot 52.6% (30-57) from the field, while Temple finished at 41.7% (30-72).
> Cincinnati also held a 40-24 advantage on the glass.
> Temple got the Cincinnati advantage down to three points late in the game, but the Bearcats closed things out with an 8-3 run to seal their first win over the Owls since the 2013-14 season.

INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
> Atkinson finished the game shooting 62.9% (17-27), tying a career high with six assists, while also pulling down a team-high nine rebounds.
> The 39 points is the third best single game total in Temple history, behind Kristen McCarthy's 42 (2009-10), and Marilyn Stephens' 41 (1983-84), while tying Nancy Kelly's 39 (1957-58).
> Junior Lena Niang and sophomore Shantay Taylor each added eight points, with Taylor pulling down five boards.
> Senior Khadijah Berger had six points, three assists, three steals, and six rebounds.
> Graduate student Mykia Jones finished with six points and four assists, while freshman Emani Mayo had five points.

FIRST QUARTER
> Trailing 10-5, Atkinson scored three-straight buckets to give the Owls their first lead of the game at 11-10.
> Temple and Cincinnati traded leads once more before the score was tied 14-14 with 3:54 on the clock.
> From there, the Owls went on a10-3 to close the half, including a buzzer-beating three from Jones that made it 24-17 after one.

SECOND QUARTER
> Cincinnati opened the frame with an 11-4 run to tie the game at 28-28 with 4:34 to play.
> Temple increased its lead back to five points on a jumper from Emani Mayo, but Cincinnati again rallied to tie things, using an 8-3 surge to make it 38-38.
> The Owls got the last bucket of the frame, a three from Lena Niang, to head to the locker room with a 41-38 advantage.

THIRD QUARTER
> Cincinnati took over the lead with a 20-16 advantage in the third quarter.
> After three ties in the opening minutes, Cincinnati had the advantage.
> Temple battled back to take a brief 57-56 lead on an Atkinson jumper with 24 seconds remaining.
> Cincinnati then got the final score of the frame to lead 58-57 after three.

FOURTH QUARTER
> Atkinson opened the fourth with a bucket to put Temple on top, 59-58.
> From there, Cincinnati took charge, pushing the lead to as many as seven points, before another Atkinson score cut the deficit to 72-69 with 2:30 to play.
> Cincinnati then sealed the win with an 8-3 run over the final minutes.

UP NEXT
> Temple returns home to face Houston on Tuesday on ESPN3.
> The Owls and Cougars will tip off at 7:00 p.m. at McGonigle Hall.