Per GoBearcats:
Home-court advantage was the only thing separating the Cincinnati men’s basketball team and Memphis on Sunday afternoon as the Tigers prevailed in an 87-80 shootout.
Cincinnati (11-5, 1-2 AAC) went 16-for-30 from deep, matching a FedExForum collegiate record for made threes (Savannah State went 16-for-48 against Memphis in 2016). It was also the fourth-most by Cincinnati in school history, matching Chicago State on Dec. 23, 2011. Jeremiah Davenport made his first seven attempts, a career-high, to finish with a game-high 21 points.
The Bearcats refused to quit when trailing 72-65 with 5:31 left, as Mika Adams-Woods sank a three and David DeJulius followed with five-straight points to regain a 73-72 lead at 3:17. The teams jockeyed back-and-forth as Adams-Woods sandwiched two layups around a Tiger triple for an 80-79 edge with 55 ticks left. The Tigers’ ensuing paint jumper followed by two missed Bearcat shots and a foul were too much for UC to overcome.
UC made six of eight field goals to move ahead, 60-59, at 10:20. The burst was capped off by Newman’s stare-down trey while the Tigers were in transition after an emotional two-pointer that gave them a lead.
The Bearcats nailed their first four deep attempts of the second half (three by Davenport, one by Newman), to take a 43-42 lead. It was UC’s first time ahead since it was 1-0.
Memphis (9-5, 3-1 AAC) made four of its first eight deep attempts to take a 19-12 lead, but Davenport, who sat for two early fouls, responded with a pair of triples himself to pull UC within 21-20 at 9:15.
FROM WES MILLER
“I’m not disappointed in the performance; I’m disappointed in the outcome. I wish we were one possession better. As I replay it in my head, we messed up a dribble-handoff about six feet from the sideline and (Tyler Harris) makes a real deep three. They hit some real contested shots over the top, and you have to tip your cap and give Memphis credit. Our defense needs to continue to grow and sustain it. I thought we had real good offensive possessions and at least made them make plays to win the game. Our offensive execution has gotten so much better, and we have spent so much time working on that.”
NOTABLE
-UC leads the all-time series 47-36.
-Cincinnati is 27-for-59 (45.8 percent) over its last two games. The 16 makes were five more than the previous season-highs (Alabama A&M, SMU).
-UC’s 80 points were its second-most this season.
-Davenport’s 21 points marked his 12th double-figure scoring game of the year and second of 20-plus (third of career).
-John Newman III scored 12 points, his third double-figure game and second in a row.
-David DeJulius and Mika Adams-Woods each had six assists, the latter a season-high. Adams-Woods entered the game third nationally in assist-turnover ratio, committing only one in the game.
-Ody Oguama was the team’s leading scorer at the half with eight points. His only double-figure scoring game was 13 points against Alabama A&M on Nov. 16.
