TicketsFeb. 12, 2006
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The University of Cincinnati suffered its worst loss of the 2005-06 basketball season, and in the process, drew concern from its head coach regarding the team's effort.
No. 13 Pittsburgh (19-3, 8-3) shot 56 percent from the field in defeating the Bearcats, 89-69, to move into the thick of the fight in the BIG EAST Conference race, and push UC a little further out of the picture.
"I am disappointed with our overall effort," head coach Andy Kennedy stated on his postgame radio show following his team's setback. "When you play the whole game with your head down, you're going to get what you get."
The Bearcats, who fell to 16-9 overall and 5-6 in league play, failed to take advantage of some opportunities the Panthers provided, and at other times, appeared to be out-played by the hosts.
"There were six times in the second half that we put them in the red zone--where there were under 10 seconds on the shot clock--and they scored on five of them," Kennedy observed. "Pitt found a way to make plays and we didn't."
Jihad Muhammad scored 21 points, the fourth straight game in which he had 15 or more points. The 5-11 senior was only 3-of-8 from 3-point range, but was 9-of-16 from the field overall.
Eric Hicks added 15 points. Playing against Pitt 7-foot junior Aaron Gray, the 6-6 Hicks managed only four rebounds and one block, far under his season averages, and was 4-of-12 from the field.
The afore-mentioned Bearcat pair did not get much help from their teammates, however. The other three starters combined for 16 points, and Pittsburgh won the bench scoring stat battle for the 17th time this season, with its subs getting 33 points to the 17 by UC.
"We didn't get production from our core group," lamented Kennedy. "Devan Downey had that deer-in-the-headlights look out there. We need James White to provide leadership and he is not doing it right now."
It looked like Pittsburgh would make quick work of the Bearcats. The Panthers jumped out to a 12-point lead in the first eight minutes of the game, during which UC managed just one field goal. Sparked by Muhammad, who scored eight points, Cincinnati cut that lead to four points over the next five minutes.
Pittsburgh stretched a four-point lead to 10 in the final three minutes of the first half. UC cut that margin to single digits over the first four minutes of the second half before letting the game get out of hand.
In addition to being nicked by Pittsburgh's .561 shooting percentage, the highest by a UC foe this year, the Bearcats were out-rebounded, 43-25. Carl Krauser led four Pitt double-figure scores with 18 points.
"The goal that we had when we walked into this building this afternoon will be the same goal that we will have as we leave," Kennedy concluded. "We need to win three of our last games."
The Bearcats have just two days to prepare to face that goal. UC visits Syracuse on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
NOTES:
- Jihad Muhammad, with his 21 points, has averaged 18.3 points over his last four games, the Bearcats' most productive scorer during this span.
- Though the Bearcats saw their string of consecutive free throws snapped a 31--UC had been perfect from the field over its last two games and made its last four free throws vs. USF--UC finished with an 11-of-13 effort from the foul stripe to boost their season percentage to .763. The Bearcats are on pace to smash the season record free throw percentage of .717 set in 1979-80.
- Eric Hicks was a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line to extend his streak of consecutive free throws to 16. He tied a UC single game record with a 10-of-10 performance in his previous game vs. Louisville.
- Cincinnati tied a season low with 25 rebounds. Pitt's 32 field goals tied a season high by a UC opponent.
- Connor Barwin scored a career-high six points. Branden Miller played a career-high four minutes.