TicketsDec. 3, 2005
CINCINNATI, Ohio---Antonio Anderson scored a career-high 32 points and Memphis shot 52 percent from three-point range as the ninth-ranked Tigers took a 91-81 win over Cincinnati in a match-up of former Conference USA rivals.
Memphis, ranked No. 9 nationally in both major polls, improves to 6-1 on the year, handing Cincinnati its first back-to-back home losses in the 17-year history of Fifth Third Arena. The Bearcats' record now stands at 3-2
Five Bearcats reached double figures in scoring but it wasn't enough to overcome a Tiger attack that was paced by Anderson. Jihad Muhammad came off the Bearcat bench to score a season-high 17 points, matching the total turned in by James White. Eric Hicks had his second double-double of the year, knocking down 9 of 14 free throws en route to a 15-point, 14-rebound outing. Devan Downey had 14 points for UC and Armein Kirkland 10.
Anderson, a freshman, had a previous high of eight points this year prior to today's breakout performance. Another talented freshman, Shawne Williams, scored 19, with Darius Washington (12) and Chris Douglas-Roberts (11) also tallying double figures.
Trailing by nine at halftime, the Bearcats made a game of it in the second half, drawing within one point on several occasions and taking a one-point lead on a Muhammad jumper with 11:34 to play. Trailing by five with just under six minutes to go, Muhammad split a pair of free throws to cut the Memphis lead to 78-74. But a scoring drought of nearly three minutes spelled disaster for the Bearcats as Memphis pulled away.
The afternoon got off to a fast start for Cincinnati as White connected on a three and a field goal by Hicks pushed the Bearcats in front by an early 7-2 count. After Memphis fought back to tie the score at nine, UC exploded on a 7-1 run to take its largest advantage of the day at six.
Just over a minute and a half later, UC would see its lead at three following an explosive dunk by Hicks. Leading 18-15 with 12:17 to play, Cincinnati would find itself still stuck at 18 five minutes later, but trailing by 12 after a 15-0 Memphis run.
With its three-point shooting running red hot, Memphis drew its lead to 13 with under five minutes remaining as Anderson knocked down another triple. UC would then get six points from Downey and five from Hicks over the next three-plus minutes as a 13-4 run drew the Bearcats back within four.
The early stages of the second half saw the Bearcats cut into their deficit as a Kirkland three made it a 47-43 ballgame with 18:13 to play. But Memphis would again stymie the Bearcats, this time with a 9-0 spurt, pushing the Bearcats into a double digit deficit once more.
The Bearcats responded to that run with one more of their own, scoring 15 of the next 18 to claw within one point with 12:09 to go. Cincinnati hung close for the next few minutes, tying the score at 72 when White converted a pair of free throws following a technical foul on the Memphis bench. That set the stage, though, for UC's scoring drought, drawing to a conclusion the Bearcats' hopes for an upset.
In addition to Hicks' 14 rebounds, Cedric McGowan and White each pulled down six rebounds for UC. Hicks blocked three shots to move into third place on UC's career list with 154.
Washington added to his 12-point performance with a game-high eight assists, while also tallying six rebounds. Robert Dozier and Joey Dorsey each pulled down a team-best seven boards for the Tigers.
Cincinnati will work to get back on the winning track, hitting the road for the first time this season when it travels to Vanderbilt next Saturday (Dec. 10). Tip-off from Nashville is set for 6 p.m. ET.