Tickets Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery 
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati men's basketball team built on a six-point halftime lead, controlled the boards, blocked six shots and earned a gritty 59-50 win over North Carolina Central in the second game of the Emerald Coast Classic, Tuesday in Fifth Third Arena.
UC (4-0) played a solid defensive game while answering several offensive challenges from the Eagles (1-3) in the second half. NC Central used a 4-0 run to pull the margin back to three at 40-37 with 11:12 to go.
On the next possession, Jermaine Sanders (Far Rockaway, N.Y./Rice) tipped in a missed jumper to put UC up by five and a three pointer by Farad Cobb (West Palm Beach, Fla./NW Florida State College) a minute later pushed the lead back to eight at 45-37 with 9:35 to go.
The Eagles would get within four with 6:16 left, but UC answered with a triple from Sanders which made things 50-43 with 5:40 to go. NCCU would get no closer than six the rest of the way and the Bearcats won their 14th-straight home nonconference game.
The Bearcats held a 33-15 rebounding lead, including a 14-4 advantage on the offensive glass. UC tallied 18 second-chance points and got 22 points of production off the bench.
Gary Clark (Clayton, N.C./Clayton) set career highs with 12 points and four blocks, also tying a career best with eight rebounds. Octavius Ellis (Memphis, Tenn./Trinity Valley CC) also found double figures, tallying 11 points, eight rebounds and a pair of blocks.
Cobb and Kevin Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day) combined to drain six of UC's seven three-pointers made, tallying nine points apiece. Sanders (Far Rockaway, N.Y./Rice) had a career-high four assists.
Tuesday's game marked the 25th anniversary of the first men's basketball game played inside Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center. UC knocked off Minnesota 66-64 on Nov. 25, 1989 with a Steve Sanders three-pointer with eight-tenths of a second left giving UC the win. Since that time, the Bearcats have welcomed over 4.3 million college basketball fans to the home court, winning 83 percent of its home games (343-73). Members of the Shoemaker family were on hand and recognized with a jersey presentation during the game from UC President Dr. Santa Ono.
The Bearcats held a six-point advantage going into the locker room, leading 31-25 at the break. UC dominated on the boards, owning an 18-8 rebounding edge, including nine offensive rebounds converted into 12 second-chance points.
UC trailed by three early, but took its first lead of the game with 14:05 left in the half on a Coreontae DeBerry (Holland, Mich./Hutchinson CC) layup. The teams traded buckets over the next few minutes with the Bearcats breaking out a 9-2 run over almost three minutes that pushed the margin to seven at 20-13 UC with 6:18 to go. Ellis had a pair of dunks during the rally while Cobb had his first three of the night.
UC led for the final 9:10 of the half, with the lead hovering between four and seven points the entire way. UC's eight trips to the line resulted in five made free throws, which proved to be the difference in the half as both teams had similar shooting lines, UC making 11 field goals and four triples while NC Central made 10 field goals and four three pointers, but only went 1-of-2 from the charity stripe.
The Bearcats continue their four-game swing in the Emerald Coast Classic this weekend, traveling to Niceville, Fla. to face Middle Tennessee State on Friday, Nov. 28 at 6 p.m. ET and either Creighton or Ole Miss on Saturday, Nov. 29.
To purchase season tickets, mini plans or single-game tickets for all UC home men's basketball games, visit BearcatsBasketball.com or call 1-877-CATS-TIX for more information about all ticket options.