Per GoBearcats:
IImar’I Thomas scored a game-high 23 points and Arame Niang posted 12 points and 13 rebounds but the University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team fell to Florida, 81-58, Saturday.
Jillian Hayes added seven points and a game-high three blocks for UC, who slips to 1-1 on the young season.
Lavender Briggs led four Florida (3-1) players in double figures with 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting.
Playing their first road game of the season, the Bearcats struggled to take care of the ball, committing 25 turnovers that led to 25 Gator points.
Four early miscues created an early 8-0 first-quarter deficit for UC. But the Bearcats battled back to tie the score and later grab a 23-17 lead at 5:50 in the second quarter thanks to a 19-5 run.
Thomas, the American Athletic Conference Co-Preseason Player of the Year, scored 13 of her 23 points in the second frame, making 5 of 6 from the floor and 3 of 3 from the foul line, to keep the Bearcats in the game.
However, UF responded on a 15-4 run of its own to grab a 34-28 lead at intermission.
A 3-pointer from Milan Schimmel, a basket inside from Addaya Moore and two jumpers from Thomas helped UC trim a 10-point deficit to three, 40-37, at 6:11 left in the third quarter. However, the Bearcats could get no closer.
The Gators broke open a 10-point lead to start the final quarter, outscoring UC 26-13 in the fourth frame to pull away.
Thomas registers her 21st career game with 20 or more points. She scored 34 points against Northern Kentucky in UC’s season opener on Nov. 25. With today’s effort, Thomas climbs into 12th place on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,413 points.
Niang’s double-double is the second of her career, first as a Bearcat. With Western Kentucky during the 2018-19 campaign, Niang tallied 15 points and 13 rebounds against Morgan State.
UP NEXT
Cincinnati plays host to Xavier in the annual Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout at Fifth Third Arena on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
