TicketsJan. 12, 2011
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery
Postgame video of head coach Mick Cronin
Postgame video of Sean Kilpatrick and Darnell Wilks
CINCINNATI (AP) - Redshirt freshman Sean Kilpatrick scored 18 points to lead the Bearcats in its 74-66 win over South Florida on Wednesday night.
Cincinnati (16-1, 3-1 Big East) was coming off a 72-61 loss at Villanova that ended its 15-0 start, tied for second-best in school history.
The Bearcats trailed until Kilpatrick came off the bench and scored 12 in the first half, putting them ahead to stay. His 3-pointer with 12 minutes left gave Cincinnati an 11-point lead.
South Florida (6-12, 0-5) made several runs and cut the deficit to four twice, but faded and lost its seventh in a row. Ron Anderson Jr. had a team-high 13 points.
Senior forward Darnell Wilks made six free throws and a dunk to keep Cincinnati ahead down the stretch, matching his career high with 12 points.
UC forced 18 USF turnovers and allowed just eight assits, making the Bearcats 17-for-17 this year when forcing more turnovers than assists allowed.
Kilpatrick came off the bench and brought the Bearcats some energy. He got a rebound and drove the length of the floor for a layup, then hit a long 3-pointer that completed a 10-point run and put Cincinnati ahead to stay 29-25. Kilpatrick had 12 points in 12 minutes during the half, which ended with the Bearcats up 37-32.
Another 3 by Kilpatrick gave Cincinnati a 52-41 lead with 12:15 to go, the Bearcats' biggest lead of the game. When South Florida trimmed it to six, Kilpatrick hit another 3 to blunt the comeback. He finished 4 of 5 behind the arc.
UC closed out the by hitting 14 of its last 16 free throws to close out the victory.