TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati men's basketball continued its climb in the national polls Monday, rising to fifth in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls. It marks the program's highest rankings in both polls since the end of the 2001-02 season.
The Bearcats have been ranked in the AP poll for 30 consecutive weeks, the longest streak of the Mick Cronin coaching era (since 2006-07).
Cincinnati (23-2, 12-0 American Athletic Conference) enters the week tied with East Tennessee State for the longest active win streak in the nation at 16 games. The Bearcats are one of three teams in the nation with only two losses on the season, along with No. 1 Virginia (23-2) and No. 3 Villanova (23-2). UC's current 39-game home-court win streak ranks as the nation's longest.
The Bearcats boast one of the country's toughest defenses, ranking first in field goal percentage defense (.361) and second in scoring defense (55.9 points allowed). UC also is posting the best offensive numbers of the Cronin coaching era in points (76.5 per game), three-point percentage (.363) and assists per game (16.6).
UC features four players with more than 1,000 career points, led by junior swingman Jacob Evans III (13.5 points with 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks) and senior forward Gary Clark (12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks). Evans has scored in double figures in 21 of 25 games this season. Clark has 27 career double-doubles, including nine this season, and is one of only five players in school history with at least 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in his career.
Last week Evans was named a finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award while Clark was tabbed a finalist for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.
UC is one of eight schools to appear in the NCAA Tournament in each of the past seven seasons.
// THIS WEEK'S GAMES
After recording a pair of convincing wins last week, posting a 77-40 home victory over UCF (Feb. 6) and a 76-51 road win at SMU (Feb. 11), UC travels to Houston on Thursday (7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network and 700 WLW) and welcomes No. 19 Wichita State on Sunday (4 p.m. ET on ESPN and 700 WLW) at BB&T Arena in Highland Heights, Ky. Sunday also marks the Bearcats' annual "Ring of Red" game as fans are encouraged to wear red inside the arena.
// FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay connected with Cincinnati men's basketball on Facebook (GoBearcatsMBB), Twitter (@GoBearcatsMBB) and Instagram (GoBearcatsMBB).
The Bearcats have been ranked in the AP poll for 30 consecutive weeks, the longest streak of the Mick Cronin coaching era (since 2006-07).
Cincinnati (23-2, 12-0 American Athletic Conference) enters the week tied with East Tennessee State for the longest active win streak in the nation at 16 games. The Bearcats are one of three teams in the nation with only two losses on the season, along with No. 1 Virginia (23-2) and No. 3 Villanova (23-2). UC's current 39-game home-court win streak ranks as the nation's longest.
The Bearcats boast one of the country's toughest defenses, ranking first in field goal percentage defense (.361) and second in scoring defense (55.9 points allowed). UC also is posting the best offensive numbers of the Cronin coaching era in points (76.5 per game), three-point percentage (.363) and assists per game (16.6).
UC features four players with more than 1,000 career points, led by junior swingman Jacob Evans III (13.5 points with 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks) and senior forward Gary Clark (12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks). Evans has scored in double figures in 21 of 25 games this season. Clark has 27 career double-doubles, including nine this season, and is one of only five players in school history with at least 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in his career.
Last week Evans was named a finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award while Clark was tabbed a finalist for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.
UC is one of eight schools to appear in the NCAA Tournament in each of the past seven seasons.
// THIS WEEK'S GAMES
After recording a pair of convincing wins last week, posting a 77-40 home victory over UCF (Feb. 6) and a 76-51 road win at SMU (Feb. 11), UC travels to Houston on Thursday (7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network and 700 WLW) and welcomes No. 19 Wichita State on Sunday (4 p.m. ET on ESPN and 700 WLW) at BB&T Arena in Highland Heights, Ky. Sunday also marks the Bearcats' annual "Ring of Red" game as fans are encouraged to wear red inside the arena.
// FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay connected with Cincinnati men's basketball on Facebook (GoBearcatsMBB), Twitter (@GoBearcatsMBB) and Instagram (GoBearcatsMBB).