TicketsNov. 19, 2011
Final Stats | Notes | AP Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery
CINCINNATI - No. 20 Cincinnati fell to Presbyterian 56-54 Saturday afternoon at Fifth Third Arena.
Early in the second half, UC sophomore forward Sean Kilpatrick (White Plains, N.Y./Notre Dame Prep) caught fire from downtown, connecting on four consecutive three-pointers in a span of 4 minutes, 10 seconds to help UC extend its lead to 15 points at 47-32.
With Cincinnati (2-1) leading 49-34, the Blue Hose simply would not go away as they went on an 11-0 run to cut UC's lead to four points with 5:05 remaining in the second half.
A three-point play by PC forward Jay Reynolds with 38 seconds left made it a one-point game, 54-53.
Senior forward Yancy Gates (Cincinnati, Ohio/Withrow) was fouled with 17.6 seconds, but missed the front end of a one-and-one. However, the ball went out of bounds off Presbyterian.
On the ensuing inbounds play, Kilpatrick received the ball underneath the basket and missed an unbalanced layup near right side of the paint that was recovered by the Blue Hose.
Presbyterian (3-2) guard Khalid Mutakabbir, who produced a game-high 25 points, rushed down court and drilled a three from the left wing to give PC a two-point lead, 56-54, with 7.6 seconds left.
Junior guard Cashmere Wright's (Savannah, Ga./Urban Christian Academy) desperation three-pointer from the left wing in the final seconds bounced off the back of the rim to end the game.
Kilpatrick paced the UC offense with 19 points, followed by Gates, who produced 17 points and eight rebounds.
Senior guard Dion Dixon (Chicago, Ill./Crane Technical Prep Common)and sophomore forward Justin Jackson (Cocoa Beach, Fla./Arlington Country Day) both recorded career highs in rebounds with totals of 10 and nine, respectively. Jackson added a career-best nine points before fouling out in the final minute.
Cincinnati went on a 23-7 scoring run to close out the first and went into halftime leading 26-19. The run featured eight points from Gates, who hit a three-pointer with 17 seconds remaining in the half - his second three just prior to halftime in as many games.
UC was slow to find its offensive rhythm in the opening minutes of the game and fell behind early. A layup by Mutakabbir at the 11:25 mark of the first half put Presbyterian ahead 12-3 before UC turned on its offensive into high gear.
Cincinnati plays Northwestern State at 7 p.m. Monday at Fifth Third Arena, which be televised live on FOX Sports Ohio.