TicketsDec. 22, 2008
CINCINNATI - University of Cincinnati forward Yancy Gates (Cincinnati, OH/Withrow) was named BIG EAST Conference Rookie of the Week, following his performances last week vs. Charleston Southern, Mississippi State, and Eastern Kentucky.
The Cincinnati, Ohio native averaged 15.7 points and eight rebounds as the Bearcats went a perfect 3-0 and improved to 9-2 on the season.
Gates scored a season-high 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the Bearcats nabbed a 74-55 victory over Charleston Southern on Dec. 15 to start the week.
At Thursday night's SEC/BIG EAST Invitational match-up vs. Mississippi State, he finished with 12 points vs. the Bulldogs and added nine rebounds. Gates helped Cincinnati jump out to an early lead in the contest, scoring six of UC's first seven points during the opening 3:03 of the first half.
Gates closed out the week in dramatic fashion vs. Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, Dec. 20. With Cincinnati trailing Eastern Kentucky, 73-71, Gates and junior Deonta Vaughn hooked up on an alley-oop dunk that tied the game at 73 with 0.1 seconds left in regulation. The Bearcats went on to an 85-77 victory over EKU thanks in part to 17 points and eight rebounds from Gates.
The team's second-leading scorer (10.5 ppg), Gates has tallied double-figure scoring contests in each of his last three games and five of his last six. He is also second on the team in rebounding (6.1 rpg).
UC returns to the court tonight for its last home game before the new year as it hosts the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 7:30 p.m. in Fifth Third Arena.