Women’s basketball took to the road and began their 2018-19 season this past weekend. The Bucs traveled to the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio, to face the Bearcats.
Earlier this spring women’s basketball ended the 2018 season with a record of 11-3, where they qualified for the SoCon tournament championship but unfortunately lost to Mercer.
Friday started off the season for the Bucs with a loss against the Bearcats of 64-77.
Sophomore guard Erica Haynes-Overton (Nashville, Tennessee) started the game with nine points in the opening minutes with three 3-pointers, sparking the lead that the Bucs would continue throughout the first quarter which would end 22-16.
The Bucs continued to lead the scoreboard for most of the second quarter until the Bearcats tied 27-27. From there, both teams were either tied or ahead by one until the final play, ending the first half tied 34-34.
The first half ended with a team-high of nine points for the Bucs from both Haynes-Overton and red-shirt sophomore guard Micah Scheetz (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Both teams remained in a close contest for the lead after the halftime break. The Bucs started the quarter with the lead, but the Bearcats quickly gained head way. Soon they were leading 41-37. The Bucs came back to lead 46-44, but in the intense back-and-forth it would be the Bearcats who would have the last lead in the third quarter of 59-53.
The fourth and final quarter began with the Bucs falling behind 61-53 but striving to make a comeback.
A 3-pointer made by junior forward Anajae Stepheney (Knoxville, Tennessee) gave the Bucs their chance to tie up the scoreboard with just a one point difference, but the Bearcats would come back with nine points, giving them a ten-point lead on the Bucs that would continue into the final score of 64-77.
Women’s basketball will continue their preseason play against Troy at home on Monday, Nov. 19.
