TicketsFeb. 24, 2010
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CINCINNATI - Yancy Gates scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds leading the University of Cincinnati (16-11, 7-8 BIG EAST) to a 74-69 victory over visiting DePaul (8-19, 1-14 BIG EAST) on Wednesday night at Fifth Third Arena.
The Bearcats were dominant under the basket, scoring 48 points in the paint and outrebounding the Blue Demons, 47-31. The 48 points matched the Bearcats' season high in the paint, scored against Toledo on Nov. 18, 2009. Lance Stephenson contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds for UC - his first career double-double - and Ibrahima Thomas pulled down 10 rebounds, marking the first time since Vanderbilt (Nov. 23, 2009) that two UC players have each grabbed 10 rebounds in a game.
Cincinnati won the opening tip and went on a 10-3 run; pushing out to a 16-9 lead after a Cashmere Wright fastbreak dunk. DePaul bounced right back with a 14-6 run and took a 23-22 lead. Stephenson hit three consecutive free throws and Gates followed a miss with a bucket to put the Bearcats back up, 27-23. Cincinnati continued its run, ending the half with a 13-3 scoring advantage and taking a 35-26 lead into the locker room.
The Bearcats extended their lead to 13, 43-30, before the Blue Demons bounced back with a 23-12 run - with 11 points coming from Will Walker - pulling within two, 55-53. UC reacted with buckets from Steve Toyloy and Gates but DePaul drained a 3-pointer to stay within three, 59-56. Gates hit a floater in the paint and Stephenson hit a long-range jumper to give the Bearcats a 63-56 advantage with 4:45 to go. Toyloy's basket started a 10-3 run for the Bearcats and the two teams traded baskets over the next 39 seconds. Walker connected on a 3-pointer for DePaul that sparked an 8-4 run to end the game, but Cincinnati held on for the 74-69 win.
Walker finished with a game-high 24 points for DePaul while teammate Mac Koshwal recorded his 25th career double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Cincinnati will play next at No. 8/7 West Virginia on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.