TicketsFeb. 19, 2011
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Rashad Bishop scored a career-high 23 points as the Cincinnati Bearcats beat the Providence Friars in overtime 93-81 Saturday night.
Yancy Gates added 21 points and eight rebounds, and Dion Dixon managed 16 points, including 14 in the first half. A 14-4 run by the Bearcats (21-6, 8-6 Big East) midway through the second-half, keyed by two Sean Kilpatrick 3-pointers, created a 16-point lead.
The Friars (14-13, 3-11) put together an 19-5 run of their own, marked by an emphatic, two-handed dunk by Ron Giplaye to bring the margin down to two with just under 3 minutes to play.
With a minute left, a Marshon Brooks floater gave the Friars their first lead, 73-72, but Bishop hit a free throw to tie it. A 3-point miss by Brooks kept the score tied at the end of regulation.
Cincinnati scored 10 unanswered points to start overtime, and Providence was unable to recover.
The win snaps UC's four-game overtime losing skid and was the Bearcats first overtime win on the road since beating Minnesota in the extra period on Dec. 16, 1998.
The Bearcats were paced by four players in double figures, led by Bishop's 23, Gates' 21, 16 from Dixon, and 11 from Cashmere Wright.
Wright added 11 assists to go with his 11 points, earning his first career double-double at UC.
UC's 20 overtime points was just off the school record of 21 and the BIG EAST Conference record of 23.
The Bearcats return to action on the road at Georgetown on Wed., Feb. 23, 2011. Tipoff from the Verizon Center is set for 9 p.m. ET.