PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (Women's Basketball) – The Shawnee State women's basketball team turned a halftime tie into an 11 point advantage in the third quarter, and Ali Zieverink (SR/West Chester, Ohio) scored a game-high 25 points, as the Bears knocked off No. 19 Cumberland University, 69-55, on Saturday afternoon at Frank & Janis Waller Gymnasium.
The Bears (17-2, 5-0 Mid-South) were not especially great from the floor, connecting on just 27-of-59 attempts in the game, but put forth a staunch defensive effort, limiting the Phoenix to 25-of-63 shooting from the field and 2-of-17 from three point range.
Along with Zieverink's 25 points, the senior tallied 12 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. Ashton Lovely (FR/Jamestown, Ohio) and Jonessa Moore (JR/Cincinnati, Ohio) each added 12 points for the Bears, and Madison Ridout (SO/Jackson, Ohio) connected for 10.
The opening stanza was a back and forth affair which saw the two teams exchange leads on three separate occasions, while drawing even on another three. A 7-2 spurt from Cumberland (11-7, 2-5 Mid-South) in the final 2:11 left the Phoenix leading 20-15 after one.
In the second, Shawnee State began to pound the interior, as Lydia Poe (FR/Jackson, Ohio), Moore and Feucther each connected on big baskets. A layup from Ridout at the 7:42 mark brought the score even for the fourth time. It would lock two more times in the half – including one as the final buzzer sounded – sending the game to the break at 33-all.
The third period featured a steady diet of Zieverink and Lovely, as the latter connected on a triple to give the Bears their first lead of the second half with 8:21 to go. Zieverink totaled seven points in the frame, while Lovely finished with eight, as SSU headed into the final frame boasting a 58-47 advantage.
Over the final ten minutes, SSU was simply reduced to holding strong, as the two squads both struggled on the offensive end. Each team scored just 11 points in the first, leading to Shawnee State's 69-58 victory.
The Bears won the battled on the glass, 43-37, but did commit one more turnover than the Phoenix. Along with 12 from Zieverink, Ridout grabbed eight caroms and Moore grabbed six.
Shawnee State returns to action in its first road contest in two weeks, facing off against the University of the Cumberlands on Thursday, Jan. 21. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m.
