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By Bill Koch
GoBEARCATS.com Columnist
ORLANDO, Fla. - During every timeout of every game, the University of Cincinnati coaching staff makes sure to emphasize defense and rebounding, the two staples of the Bearcats' basketball program since Mick Cronin became the head coach in 2006.
It was no different Sunday afternoon when UC knocked off Central Florida, 56-46, before 3,874 fans at CFE Arena, but perhaps never before has the constant repetition of that mantra paid such obvious dividends.
With their offense struggling to score as the Bearcats tried to hold off the Knights in the closing minutes, the defense held UCF scoreless over the final 4:38 to secure UC's first conference road win of the season.
"Shots weren't falling," said sophomore guard Troy Caupain. "The coaches just kept repeating to us that defense is going to win this game. The only way you win games if you're not hitting shots is with defensive stops and rebounding."
The victory was the third straight for UC (14-5 overall, 5-2 in the American Athletic Conference). UCF (9-10, 2-6) lost for the fourth time in five games. The Knights were led by Kasey Wilson, who had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
UC trailed by six early in the first half and led by as many as nine twice in the second half, but every time it appeared as if the Bearcats were going to pull away, the Knights would come back. The key defensive play for UC came when sophomore guard Kevin Johnson, who led the Bearcats with 13 points, stole the ball from Brandon Goodwin with 38 seconds left and UCF trailing by four.
Goodwin then fouled Johnson, who made both ends of the one-and-one to give UC a six-point lead. The Bearcats closed the game with four more free throws - two by Johnson and two by Caupain.
"I just wanted to come up with the ball so we could secure the game and get to the free throw line and get back to Cincinnati," Johnson said. "UCF gave us a tough game. That's a good team and they've definitely improved from last year. We're just trying to find a way. We're young. It's just persevering through some of those turnovers we had late."
Johnson's 3-point shot with 6:21 to go was the last field goal of the game for UC, which shot 40.4 percent from the field and made only 5 of 18 from 3-point range. But UCF had an even worse shooting night. The Knights shot 32.7 percent from the field and made 4 of 17 from long range.
"It was a struggle, but when you're on the road you've got to stay together and figure out a way to win somehow," said associate head coach Larry Davis. "We did just enough offensively to get the job done. Overall, I was proud of how the guys hung in there. They didn't fold up when they could have and they kept defending."
UC committed nine turnovers to 12 for UCF and outscored the Knights, 15-7, in points off those turnovers. Junior forward Octavius Ellis had a productive afternoon for the Bearcats with eight points and 10 rebounds.
For UC, it was another instance of balanced - if minimal - scoring. Only Johnson scored in double figures. Caupain scored nine points, seven in the second half, and made two clutch drives to the basket for layups while UCF was making its late run.
UC's Johnson and Jermaine Sanders both failed to convert 3-point shots on open looks in the final 3:32 and Gary Clark missed two free throws with 1:15 to play as the Bearcats went nearly six minutes without scoring before Johnson knocked down those free throws. But with each missed shot, the Bearcats' defensive determination seemed to grow stronger.
"We had two or three opportunities point blank at the rim and we didn't get them in the basket," Davis said. "Instead of being deflated, instead of them giving in at the other end, we were able to defend."
There was a palpable sense of relief over the road victory for the UC players, who were 1-3 on the road this season, their only victory coming against Atlantic Coast Conference foe North Carolina State.
"Getting the first (conference) road win a young team is great," Caupain said. "Now we know how it feels to win on the road, how it feels to grind out a win without getting up early. We decided we were going to lock in and focus on defense."
// NOTES
Caupain's nine points means the Bearcats still don't have a player who averages in double figures. He needed 11 to reach 10.0 for the season. He remains at 9.9 points per game ... UC has held its last 23 opponents to less than 70 points ... Up next for the Bearcats is defending national champion Connecticut on Thursday at 8 p.m. at Fifth Third Arena. UC lost to the Huskies, 62-56, on Jan. 10 in Hartford, committing 15 turnovers and shooting 39.6 percent.
Bill Koch covered UC Athletics for 27 years - 15 at The Cincinnati Post and 12 at The Cincinnati Enquirer - before joining the staff of GoBEARCATS.com as featured columnist in January, 2015.
The Bearcats return home on Thursday, Jan. 29, when UConn visits Fifth Third Arena. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. and the game is the team's annual White Out. For tickets, call 877-CATS-TIX or visit BearcatsBasketball.com.