CINCINNATI, OH – Siena Women's Basketball ended the 2023 calendar year with its second high major opponent in the month of December on Thursday afternoon. The Saints (4-6), fell at the hands of Big 12 opponent Cincinnati (8-3), 71-51, at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati to end non-conference play.

Facing off for the first time in program history, the Bearcats took off with a 25-10 lead after a quarter of play, but the Saints battled back in the second quarter with 18 points to cut the deficit to 12 with 2:38 left. Redshirt-freshman Nikola Zdenkova came in off the bench and recorded five first-half points for her first collegiate scoring after missing last season due to injury.

En-route to a substantial rebound advantage and holding Siena to its lowest offensive output of the season to-date, the Bearcats held the Saints to eight third quarter points and paved the way for reserve action for both teams in the fourth quarter. The final ten minutes of the game featured the first collegiate minutes for freshman Constance Ogbeide, who finished with an assist and a steal.

Cincinnati rolled to its sixth straight win via a 53-27 rebound advantage and a 42.2 percent shooting day. Siena shot 32.3 percent from the field and 4-21 from three-point range, with sophomore Teresa Seppala leading the way with 11 points and six rebounds in 33 minutes. Zdenkova and junior Anajah Brown each added nine points, while sophomore Elisa Mevius turned in three steals.

Ten different Cincinnati players scored a bucket, with Brianna Byars and Clarissa Craig each finishing with 11 points and Byars completing a double-double with ten boards.

Siena will have a season-long 14-day stretch without a game before plunging into MAAC play full-time to begin 2024. The Saints will complete a season-long three-game road trip at Manhattan on Thursday, January 4 at 11 AM inside Draddy Gymnasium.