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02-26-2018, 07:07 AM
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. â Tulsa shredded the University of Cincinnati's defense in the first half like no one else had all year.
The Golden Hurricane shot 59.3 percent and made nine of 14 shots from long range to take a 47-44 halftime lead, producing the largest point total of any UC opponent in any half this season. And remember, the Bearcats statistically have the second-best defense in the country.
But that all changed in the second half when UC held Tulsa to a more customary 34.4 percent shooting and 27 points. Then the Bearcats used a 19-2 run to erase an eight-point deficit and pulled away for an 82-74 Senior Day victory before 8,911 in the Bearcats' last game at BB&T Arena before they return to a freshly renovated Fifth Third Arena next season. Seniors Gary Clark, Kyle Washington and Jackson Bart were honored in a pre-game ceremony.
"With their small lineup it's a tough matchup for us," said UC coach Mick Cronin. "We were searching for different ways to play defense. None of them were working, obviously, until we went with Tre Scott. We had to go to a no-center lineup to be able to stop them, the way they were making shots."
The victory enabled the 11th-ranked Bearcats (25-4 overall, 14-2 in the American Athletic Conference) to finish with a 15-1 record at their home away from home and kept them one game ahead of second-place Wichita State for first place in the American Athletic Conference with two games remaining â at Tulane on Thursday and at Wichita State next Sunday.
Tulsa, which was led by Junior Etou's 21 points, played without injured point guard Sterling Taplin, who averages 12.0 points and 4.4 assists. The Golden Hurricane saw its six-game winning streak come to an end and fell to 17-11, 10-6.
"We were down a man," said Tulsa coach Frank Haith. "I thought everybody understood before the game that one of our soldiers was down and we had to pick up and do a little bit more. I'm really proud of our kids' effort, how hard we played and how we competed."
Clark picked up two quick fouls and went to the bench with 12:15 left in the first half, but he returned with a vengeance in the second half when he scored 15 of his 17 points. He was 7-for-10 from the field. Jarron Cumberland also scored 17, getting all but two of his in the first half when he made four of six shots from long range. He also had a career-high eight assists.
Cane Broome came off the bench to score 15 and Jacob Evans III scored 15 points, making four of five from long range. Evans also pulled down six rebounds, recorded a career-high seven assists and did not commit a turnover in 35 minutes. Scott grabbed seven rebounds, giving him 16 in his last two games.
As a team, the Bearcats made 15 of 22 3-point shots for 68.2 percent, setting season highs for both 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage, with both Evans and Cumberland pulling out of shooting slumps. Cronin said the hot shooting was not an accident.
"I had a meeting with the staff Friday early and we talked about each guy and what they needed to do as a shooter to shoot the ball better," Cronin said. "And it's going to start happening. Period. It's not arbitrary. You want to make shots, you've got to get your feet apart. You've got to get lift and get your hips down, your hips back and your head forward. We've been sloppy with our fundamentals There's a reason the ball goes in. We've got good kids because they made the adjustment. Guys worked hard at it Friday and Saturday. Each shooter had to watch film of their makes and their misses. I give those guys credit."
Both teams came out hot in the first half. UC made its first five shots from long range while Tulsa made five of its first six.
The Bearcats appeared to be pulling away when they built a 42-35 lead after a Washington basket with 5:04 left in the half. They still led, 44-38, after a Keith Williams basket, but were outscored 9-0 the rest of the half, helped by five straight UC turnovers. Tulsa outscored UC, 12-4, in points off turnovers before intermission.
"Taking care of the ball is huge," Clark said. "That's one position where we don't have a chance to get a rebound or score. It just takes the life out of you, especially when teams get offensive rebounds and second opportunities and we're not even getting a shot up."
Cronin was called for his second technical foul in as many games when he vehemently protested a foul call on Scott's block of a Martins Igbanu dunk attempt with 55.6 seconds remaining in the first half. The Golden Hurricane made three of the resulting four free throws to take their 3-point lead. Tulsa then scored the first five points of the second half for a 52-44 lead.
But Tulsa's eight-point lead was extremely short-lived. The Bearcats came right back with a 19-2 run to take a 68-56 lead with 11:32 left, Tulsa going 1-for-7 during that span. UC increased its lead to 13 with 9:05 left on a Clark three. Tulsa knocked down two treys to get back within seven before Broome's three made it 74-64 with 7:41 remaining. The Golden Hurricane got no closer than six points the rest of the way.
"They played exceptionally well," Washington said of Tulsa. "They were making shots, but we knew that coming in. We have to be more accountable, especially myself, on defense and just be aware of all of our assignments. I think we showed resilience today, so I'm proud of our team as a whole."
During the last two years, Clark and Washington - who transferred to UC after two years at North Carolina State - have formed a low-post combination that has enabled the Bearcats to go 55-10. Both were showered with affection by UC fans as they were introduced before the game with their families.
"It was a moment where finally it was staring to approach me that this was my last time playing in front of our fans at home," Clark said. "I didn't think about it leading up today, but today it was special. To go out with a guy like this, it's special. I just kept looking and I was like, this is it right here. It's the last home game here where we get to wear our white uniforms and be in front of our student body and our fans."
Said Washington: "When I was a little kid, I used to watch college basketball every chance I could and I'd say I can't wait until I'm in that position where I'm on a great team. The fact that God has been able to grant that for me in my life, I'm extremely grateful for that."
Clark saved the best quote of the day for last when he was asked by a guest youth questioner what he would miss the most about playing at UC.
"People may not believe me," he said, "but it's that moment when I mess up and I purposely don't look at Coach and he's over there just throwing a fit because he's trying to get my attention and I purposefully don't look at him. I'll be like what if I look at him? What is he doing right now?"
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The Golden Hurricane shot 59.3 percent and made nine of 14 shots from long range to take a 47-44 halftime lead, producing the largest point total of any UC opponent in any half this season. And remember, the Bearcats statistically have the second-best defense in the country.
But that all changed in the second half when UC held Tulsa to a more customary 34.4 percent shooting and 27 points. Then the Bearcats used a 19-2 run to erase an eight-point deficit and pulled away for an 82-74 Senior Day victory before 8,911 in the Bearcats' last game at BB&T Arena before they return to a freshly renovated Fifth Third Arena next season. Seniors Gary Clark, Kyle Washington and Jackson Bart were honored in a pre-game ceremony.
"With their small lineup it's a tough matchup for us," said UC coach Mick Cronin. "We were searching for different ways to play defense. None of them were working, obviously, until we went with Tre Scott. We had to go to a no-center lineup to be able to stop them, the way they were making shots."
The victory enabled the 11th-ranked Bearcats (25-4 overall, 14-2 in the American Athletic Conference) to finish with a 15-1 record at their home away from home and kept them one game ahead of second-place Wichita State for first place in the American Athletic Conference with two games remaining â at Tulane on Thursday and at Wichita State next Sunday.
Tulsa, which was led by Junior Etou's 21 points, played without injured point guard Sterling Taplin, who averages 12.0 points and 4.4 assists. The Golden Hurricane saw its six-game winning streak come to an end and fell to 17-11, 10-6.
"We were down a man," said Tulsa coach Frank Haith. "I thought everybody understood before the game that one of our soldiers was down and we had to pick up and do a little bit more. I'm really proud of our kids' effort, how hard we played and how we competed."
Clark picked up two quick fouls and went to the bench with 12:15 left in the first half, but he returned with a vengeance in the second half when he scored 15 of his 17 points. He was 7-for-10 from the field. Jarron Cumberland also scored 17, getting all but two of his in the first half when he made four of six shots from long range. He also had a career-high eight assists.
Cane Broome came off the bench to score 15 and Jacob Evans III scored 15 points, making four of five from long range. Evans also pulled down six rebounds, recorded a career-high seven assists and did not commit a turnover in 35 minutes. Scott grabbed seven rebounds, giving him 16 in his last two games.
As a team, the Bearcats made 15 of 22 3-point shots for 68.2 percent, setting season highs for both 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage, with both Evans and Cumberland pulling out of shooting slumps. Cronin said the hot shooting was not an accident.
"I had a meeting with the staff Friday early and we talked about each guy and what they needed to do as a shooter to shoot the ball better," Cronin said. "And it's going to start happening. Period. It's not arbitrary. You want to make shots, you've got to get your feet apart. You've got to get lift and get your hips down, your hips back and your head forward. We've been sloppy with our fundamentals There's a reason the ball goes in. We've got good kids because they made the adjustment. Guys worked hard at it Friday and Saturday. Each shooter had to watch film of their makes and their misses. I give those guys credit."
Both teams came out hot in the first half. UC made its first five shots from long range while Tulsa made five of its first six.
The Bearcats appeared to be pulling away when they built a 42-35 lead after a Washington basket with 5:04 left in the half. They still led, 44-38, after a Keith Williams basket, but were outscored 9-0 the rest of the half, helped by five straight UC turnovers. Tulsa outscored UC, 12-4, in points off turnovers before intermission.
"Taking care of the ball is huge," Clark said. "That's one position where we don't have a chance to get a rebound or score. It just takes the life out of you, especially when teams get offensive rebounds and second opportunities and we're not even getting a shot up."
Cronin was called for his second technical foul in as many games when he vehemently protested a foul call on Scott's block of a Martins Igbanu dunk attempt with 55.6 seconds remaining in the first half. The Golden Hurricane made three of the resulting four free throws to take their 3-point lead. Tulsa then scored the first five points of the second half for a 52-44 lead.
But Tulsa's eight-point lead was extremely short-lived. The Bearcats came right back with a 19-2 run to take a 68-56 lead with 11:32 left, Tulsa going 1-for-7 during that span. UC increased its lead to 13 with 9:05 left on a Clark three. Tulsa knocked down two treys to get back within seven before Broome's three made it 74-64 with 7:41 remaining. The Golden Hurricane got no closer than six points the rest of the way.
"They played exceptionally well," Washington said of Tulsa. "They were making shots, but we knew that coming in. We have to be more accountable, especially myself, on defense and just be aware of all of our assignments. I think we showed resilience today, so I'm proud of our team as a whole."
During the last two years, Clark and Washington - who transferred to UC after two years at North Carolina State - have formed a low-post combination that has enabled the Bearcats to go 55-10. Both were showered with affection by UC fans as they were introduced before the game with their families.
"It was a moment where finally it was staring to approach me that this was my last time playing in front of our fans at home," Clark said. "I didn't think about it leading up today, but today it was special. To go out with a guy like this, it's special. I just kept looking and I was like, this is it right here. It's the last home game here where we get to wear our white uniforms and be in front of our student body and our fans."
Said Washington: "When I was a little kid, I used to watch college basketball every chance I could and I'd say I can't wait until I'm in that position where I'm on a great team. The fact that God has been able to grant that for me in my life, I'm extremely grateful for that."
Clark saved the best quote of the day for last when he was asked by a guest youth questioner what he would miss the most about playing at UC.
"People may not believe me," he said, "but it's that moment when I mess up and I purposely don't look at Coach and he's over there just throwing a fit because he's trying to get my attention and I purposefully don't look at him. I'll be like what if I look at him? What is he doing right now?"
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