Cincinnati 65, DePaul 52

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Valerie King scored 22 points to offset DePaul star Lenae Williams, leading Cincinnati to a 65-52 victory over the Blue Demons in Sunday's semifinals of the Conference USA Tournament.

The fifth-seeded Bearcats (22-9) play in the championship game Monday at 7 p.m. CDT.

Williams led DePaul (17-13) with 23 points but didn't get the support that King was accorded. Although King was the only Cincinnati player in double figures, six teammates contributed five or more points.

DePaul's Molly Watson added 14 points, but none of the other Blue Demons managed more than four points.

Williams, who may be one of the country's top reserves, sat out the first 4:22, then scored 10 points in six minutes before being replaced. She finished the first half with 12 points in 12 minutes as the Blue Demons built an 11-point lead before the first half ended 30-21.

The second half belonged to the Bearcats, who scored the first nine points to tie at 30 with 16:01 to play. After another tie at 32, the Bearcats took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by Brittani Young just before the shot clock expired at 13:30. That was followed by a 3-point play by King for a 38-32 lead.

When DePaul closed within one on five straight points by Williams, the Bearcats answered with three straight 3-pointers, two by King and another by Katrina Merriweather for a 47-39 lead at 9:44. DePaul didn't threaten again.