The Cincinnati Enquirer

Valerie King scored 22 points and grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds to help the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team overcome an 0-for-10 shooting start and beat Rice 68-54 Thursday.

The victory was UC's 13th straight at Shoemaker Center, a women's record at the facility. The Bearcats' longest home winning streak is 15 straight in 1981, when they played at Armory Fieldhouse.

King scored 13 points in the second half, including two 3-pointers that snapped an 0-for-13 slump from behind the arc.

Debbie Merrill and K.B. Sharp each had 13 points for the Bearcats (5-2), who held the Owls to 28-percent shooting (8-of-29) in the first half. UC led 27-16 at halftime.

"I thought we played pretty well defensively in the first half," said Bearcats coach Laurie Pirtle. "We gave them too many offensive rebounds in the second half, and they got some easy scores."

Carolyn Alexander had eight points and eight rebounds for UC, which finished with a 43-30 advantage on the boards.

Kate Beckler led Rice (2-5) with 12 points. Elisa Inman had seven rebounds for the Owls and Kim Lawson added six assists.

UC will host its annual Bearcat Invitational this weekend. The Bearcats will face Bowling Green at 4 p.m. Saturday, after Savannah State and Louisiana-Lafayette play at 2 p.m. Play continues Sunday with the consolation game at 2 p.m. and the championship at 4 p.m.

CINCINNATI 68, RICE 54

RICE (2-5) - James 1-4 0-0 2, Inman 3-6 0-0 6, Hayes 3-7 1-2 7, Maynard 3-10 0-0 6, Lawson 1-6 0-0 2, Peck 1-4 0-2 2, Beckler 5-7 1-1 12, Jeffries 3-7 0-0 7, Liggett 0-4 0-0 0, Elder 0-3 0-0 0, Cunningham 1-2 0-0 2, Florus 4-5 0-0 8. Totals: 25-65 2-5 54.

CINCINNATI (5-2) - Alexander 3-8 2-2 8, Young 0-2 0-0 0, Merrill 3-10 7-12 13, Sharp 5-11 3-5 13, King 7-16 6-8 22, Dozier 1-3 0-0 3, Harvey 1-5 0-0 2, Piepho 0-0 0-0 0, Hillman 0-0 2-2 2, Stevensno 0-0 1-2 1, Stephens 2-4 0-0 4. Totals: 22-59 21-31 68.

Halftime: UC 27, R 16. 3-pointers: R 2-9 (James 0-1, Lawson 0-2, Beckler 1-3, Jeffries 1-1, Liggett 0-2), UC 3-13 (Merrill 0-1, Sharp 0-1, King 2-8, Dozier 1-3). Rebounds: R 30 (Inman 7), UC 43 (King 13). Assists: R 13 (Lawson 6), UC 8 (Alexander 2, Young 2, Sharp 2).