TicketsNov. 16, 2009
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CINCINNATI - Deonta Vaughn scored 15 points to lead the University of Cincinnati to a 69-62 come-from-behind victory over Prairie View A&M in the regular-season opener on Monday night at Fifth Third Arena. Vaughn, who only attempted four shots in UC's second exhibition game, was one of three Bearcats to score in double figures, joined by Larry Davis' 13 points and freshman Cashmere Wright's 12 points.
UC won the tip but the Panthers jumped out to a 15-3 lead after three PVAMU 3-pointers and five missed triples for the Bearcats. Larry Davis landed a three-pointer and stopped the Panthers' 13-0 run. Davis connected on an old-fashioned 3-point play to bring UC within six, 15-9, but PVAMU landed two three's, a bucket, and a reverse dunk, to Rashad Bishop's three pointer, going up 12, 25-12, with 10:48 to go in the first half.
Cashmere Wright scored his first career basket by landing a 3-pointer and followed with a fast break layup, but the Panthers responded with another triple and maintained a 28-18 lead with 9:53 on the scoreboard. PVAMU extended its lead with two free throws and another 3-pointer, going up 33-18 with 5:05 left in the period.
Darnell Wilks cleaned up a Lance Stephenson miss with a dunk and grabbed a defensive rebound that Stephenson converted in transition, pulling UC with 11. Yancy Gates banked in his first basket of the game with 56 seconds to go and freshman Jaquon Parker caused a PVAMU turnover that the Bearcats were able to convert with a Stephenson layup and free throw. PVAMU connected on a bank shot with three seconds left to hold a 38-30 halftime advantage.
UC shot 28.6 percent from the floor and 3-for-18 from long range and had eight turnovers in the first period. PVAMU shot a blazing 46.7 percent from three-point land scored 10 points off of UC turnovers.
Dion Dixon and Cashmere Wright hit 3-pointers to start the second half, but the Panthers responded with 3-pointers of their own. The Bearcats stepped up their defensive intensity and went on an 11-0 run over 6:04, capped with a Gates dunk at 9:31 to give UC a 47-46 lead, its first since 18:45 of the first half.
Deonta Vaughn kept the run alive with his second 3-pointer in as many attempts before PVAMU scored with 7:53 remaining. Davis took a beautiful feed from Gates under the hoop and hit a reverse layup to give UC a four-point advantage. Vaughn picked off a pass that led to a Davis 3-pointer and then took a charge that resulted in a Bishop bucket and put UC up, 57-48. Dixon's three put UC up by nine, 61-52, with 4:02 to go and the Bearcats were able to hold off the Panthers for the 69-62 victory.
The Bearcats responded in the second half by shooting 53.8 percent from the floor. Prairie View A&M had four players score in double figures, led by Darnell Hugee's 16 points. Chris Jones was four stats away from a triple-double for PVAMU, scoring 10 points, grabbing nine rebounds and handing out seven assists.
Cincinnati returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m. against Toledo at Fifth Third Arena.