TicketsMarch 1, 2009
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Dion Dixon scored a career-high 18 points, but it wasn't enough as a first-half scoring drought led the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team to an 87-63 loss in BIG EAST Conference action at Syracuse, Sunday in the Carrier Dome.
Dixon knocked down four three pointers, and also added five rebounds, and three assists
The Bearcats (18-11, 8-8 BIG EAST) were just 6-for-30, including a 1-for-15 effort from behind the line, in the first half, finishing with a season-low 17 points and trailing the Orange 40-17.
UC missed its first four field goal attempts, trailing 6-0 early. Larry Davis and Steve Toyloy tallied buckets to pull within two at 6-4 but the UC offense went cold, missing six-straight shots, while Syracuse rattled off 13-straight points to lead 19-4 with 10:47 remaining in the half.
Dixon scored five points in a mini-run for hte Bearcats, cutting the lead to 10 with 9:11 remaining in the half, but it was as close as UC would be the rest of the afternoon.
A 16-6 Orange run out of the locker room at halftime pushed the lead to 33 points, 59-26, six minutes into the second stanza. UC came right back to score 11-straight points, including three triples, to bring the margin down to 22 with 12:21 to go.
The Bearcats fired at a .552 (16-of-29) clip from the field in the second half including a .500 (8-of-16) effort from beyond the arc. Syracuse outscored the Bearcats 48-18 in the paint and 21-2 in fastbreak situations.
UC's 46 second-half points were its third-best second half output of the season, behind Notre Dame (56), and UAB (49).
Deonta Vaughn scored all 11 of his points in the final five minutes of the game, while Yancy Gates added eight second-half points.
Steve Toyloy finished with 10 points, and Alvin Mitchell grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.