Feb. 18, 2009

Box Score |  Quotes

CINCINNATI - Sophomore Angel Robinson's game-high 17 points led three Marquette players in double figures as the Marquette women's basketball team earned the program's 500th victory, defeating Cincinnati Wednesday night, 67-61. With the win the Golden Eagles improve to 15-11 overall, 6-6 in BIG EAST play, while Cincinnati drops its eighth straight game and falls to 13-12, 3-9 in the BIG EAST.

With 47 seconds to play after UC had cut a 15-point deficit to one point, Cincinnati native Jessica Pachko hit a jumper and Robinson made a layup to give MU a six-point lead. Senior Krystal Ellis and Robinson sealed the win by making all four of their free throw attempts in the final 14 seconds.

For the game, Marquette shot 41.4 percent from the floor and connected on 12-of-15 free throws. Along with Robinson's 17-point performance, Ellis poured in 15 points and Pachko contributed 14 points, five rebounds and two assists in front of a lively hometown crowd.

The Golden Eagles picked up where they left off in their game against West Virginia, knocking down six 3-pointers in the first half against the Bearcats and seven for the game. MU nailed a season-high 10 treys on Sunday against the Mountaineers.

Coming out of halftime ahead, 30-33, Cincinnati got the first bucket of the second stanza but Marquette quickly answered with a 10-0 run to take an 11-point lead, 43-32. Marquette pushed that lead to 15 points, 50-35, with 13:48 to play, but the Bearcats rallied and came within one point, 53-52, with 7:41 to play following a 17-2 run.

Ellis scored back-to-back layups to take a five-point lead, 57-52, with 4:08 remaining but Shanasa Sanders drilled a long-range bucket to cut MU's lead to two, 57-55.

The Bearcats used a 7-3 run over the last 1:38 of the first half to come within three points of the Golden Eagles at halftime, 33-30.