Jan. 6, 2003

Box Score

Cincinnati, Ohio (www.lafayette.edu) - Senior center Jennifer Bayer tallied her second double-double in as many games, but Lafayette dropped an 85-41 decision to the nationally respected Cincinnati Bearcats at the Shoemaker Center on Monday.

The Bearcats spent a majority of the 2002-03 season in the top-25, reaching as high a ranking as 18 in December, and are currently receiving votes in the rankings.

Cincinnati asserted its post game early as center Debbie Merrill scored 12 of the Bearcats first 16 points.

Lafayette countered with an inside presence of its own spearheaded by Bayer. The senior single handedly chipped away at Cincinnati's aggressive man-to-man defense, scoring 10 of Lafayette's 21 first-half points while grabbing six rebounds.

Bayer did a majority of her work from the free throw line, converting on all six of her attempts in the first-half, and 10-for-10 for the game.

Lafayette stayed within striking distance for most of the opening half, before Cincinnati used a 24-8 scoring run in the closing seven minutes to take a 48-21 lead into intermission. All-American guard Valerie King fueled the Bearcats' run, hitting three three-point field goals in a five-minute stretch.

Bayer continued to work the glass in the second-half, and freshman Kristin Doherty added eight points in the final 20 minutes, but Lafayette could not overcome 12 Bearcat scorers, including three players who finished in double-figures. King led Cincinnati with 22 points, K.B. Sharp tallied 15, and Merrill finished with 14.

For Lafayette, along with Bayer's 16 points and 10 rebound effort, Colleen Fitzpatrick netted nine points, ending her string of double-figure scoring games at 10.

The Leopards return home for their final non-conference tune-up against Ivy League rival Penn on Wednesday at 7 p.m.