TicketsMaxiell Dominant in First Round Win
Contact: Brian Teter
3/17/2005
Jason Maxiell recorded 22 points, 9 rebounds and 6 blocks against Iowa. |
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. ? Jason Maxiell might have felt a sense of urgency. That could explain the senior forward?s dominating play in Cincinnati?s 76-64 win over Iowa in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Maxiell finished with 22 points, making 8-of-11 field goal tries. He polished off an 18-point second half by hitting his first two 3-point field goals of his career.
He gathered nine rebounds, narrowly missing his 23rd career double-double.
It was the 6-7 senior?s defensive play that set paved the way for UC?s victory, its 25th of the season and 10th first round NCAA Tournament win in the past 11 seasons. Max blocked six shots, pounding a couple of Iowa attempts off the backboard and seemingly into the next area code. His presence no doubt altered other Hawkeye shots as Iowa was limited to .339 shooting from the field.
?Max is not a very vocal leader, but he was more vocal this week,? head coach Bob Huggins noted after the contest. ?He?s been in that locker room and seen other seniors play their last games. He knows what it?s all about.?
The victory sends UC into a much-ballyhooed second round matchup on Saturday with Kentucky, 72-64 winners over Eastern Kentucky in the first game of the Thursday afternoon session. The game time will be 8:10 p.m. or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Illinois vs. Nevada game starting at 5:40 p.m.
Defense Sets the Tone
UC?s defense set the tempo in the first half while both teams started slowly?they were a combined 1-of-10 by the first TV time-out?the Bearcats eventually built a 23-5 lead, aided by a 15-1 scoring run. After making only one of their first 14 shots, the Hawkeyes found the range, scoring on four straight possessions to close the gap to 10 points, 32-22, by intermission.
Maxiell?s inside play was key to UC?s defense. The 6-7 senior blocked four Iowa shots and grabbed seven rebounds.
Iowa opened the second half with a 10-2 run and cut UC?s margin to three, 35-32, less than two minutes into the second period.
Nick Williams, who returned to the starting lineup after fully recovering from the foot injury suffered in the March 2 Tulane game, responded with a pair of treys. James White set up both baskets, the first with an offensive rebound and the second with a steal.
UC went on a 12-0 run to put its lead back at double figures and never was ahead by fewer than 10 points the remainder of the game.
Four Bearcats reached double figures in scoring: Maxiell, White (15 points), Williams (13), and Hicks (10). It was the 15th game this season in which UC had four or more double digit scorers. The Bearcats are 13-2 in those contests.
UC had 18 assists, six by Jihad Muhammad, who returned to the starting lineup after a five-game role as a sixth man.
Notes
? Maxiell became the ninth Bearcat to top the 900 mark in career rebounds, finishing the game with a career total of 904.
? Maxiell upped his season blocks total to 89, the second-highest by a Bearcat.
? Maxiell played in his 128th consecutive game as a Bearcat, the second-longest streak in UC history to Keith Gregor?s 131 (1992-96). It was Maxiell?s 76th consecutive start.
? Maxiell upped his career point total to 1,557, 11th on UC?s career scoring list.
? The Bearcats won the opening tip for only the 25th time this season.
? The victory ups UC?s record to 25-6 and marks the ninth time in the past 10 seasons that the Bearcats have reached the 25-win mark.
? The win gives Cincinnati a 59-26 record in games played in the month of March over the past 14 years. Cincinnati has compiled a 182-61 ledger in the month of March since the 1957-58 season, when UC first qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
? The win was Bob Huggins? 399th in his 16 seasons at Cincinnati. It upped his career coaching record to 567-197, and moving him into sole possession of 34th place among all Division I coaches, active and inactive.