TicketsDec. 10, 2005
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Devan Downey scored 18 points and Cincinnati recorded its biggest win of the season with a 92-83 victory over previously undefeated Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Cincinnati (4-2) snapped Vanderbilt's 28-game non-conference home winning streak and its own two-game losing streak.
Eric Hicks scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Cincinnati, which played its first road game of the season. James White tallied 18, including 16 in the first half. Armein Kirkland scored 15 and Cedric McGowan added 10.
Derrick Byers led Vanderbilt (5-1) with a career-high 25 points. DeMarre Carroll had 16 points of the bench and Julian Terrell had 11 points and 14 rebounds. Alex Gordon chipped in 15 points.
Cincinnati entered the contest shooting just 30 percent from three-point range for the season, but connected on 7-of-18, with White leading by hitting 4-of-5.
The Bearcats proved too quick both on the offensive and defensive ends, forcing 17 turnovers and repeatedly penetrating Vanderbilt's defense.
Cincinnati helped itself at the free throw line, making 25 of 30.
Cincinnati built a 49-41 halftime lead, then pushed that out to 63-46 in the opening minutes of the second half and maintained a steady lead. Vanderbilt was unable to get the deficit under 10 points until less than one minute remained.
Cincinnati built a 16-point lead late in the first half on the strength of a suffocating defense and some strong three-point shooting by White.
Cincinnati hit six of 10 threes in the first half, including a 4-for-4 effort from White. Vanderbilt closed the half with a burst, however, scoring eight points in the final 50 seconds to create a 49-41 Cincinnati lead.
Vanderbilt's last non-conference home loss was to Connecticut, 76-70, on Dec. 1, 2002. It was the worst home non-conference loss in the Kevin Stallings era at Vanderbilt. The Commodores are now 59-4 under Stallings in non-conference home games.