TicketsBy Bill Koch
GoBearcats.com
ORLANDO – Fourteen years is an eternity between conference tournament championships for a program with such a strong basketball tradition, so after the University of Cincinnati Bearcats ended the drought Sunday with a 56-55 victory over Houston in the final of the American Athletic Conference championship, the UC players lingered on the Amway Center court to celebrate for as long as they could.
They meticulously cut down one of the nets, proudly brandished the sign proclaiming their accomplishment, collected their awards and hugged everyone in sight. UC had won 10 previous conference tournament titles, but none since 2004 when it competed in Conference USA.
"It means a lot," said senior forward Kyle Washington. "Gary (Clark) and I have had a lot of conversations, just the two of us talking about how we have all the pieces, how we have the coach to help us, to guide us to this pinnacle, to this benchmark. We want to definitely keep it going."
The victory wasn't secured until Jacob Evans III threw an inbounds pass to Clark to kill the final second after Houston guard Rob Gray had thrown a pass out of bounds as he attempted to connect with Galen Robinson Jr. with the Cougars desperately searching for a last-second shot that could have won the game.
"We were just one more point better than them today," said UC coach Mick Cronin, "but a lot of resolve from our players. I think when I watch the film it's going to be amazing how we won, considering our lack of (making) open shots and our lack of making free throws."
About an hour after the game, UC learned that it had earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will play No. 15 seed Georgia State (24-10), winner of the Sun Belt Conference tournament, at 2 p.m. Friday in Nashville in the South Regional. If the Bearcats win their first-round game, they'll face the winner of the game between No. 7 seed Nevada and No. 10 seed Texas on Sunday.
That gave Cronin another reason to celebrate as he talked outside the UC locker room proudly wearing his white AAC Championship cap.
"We had good karma in Nashville," Cronin said. "The last time we were there (in 2012) we won two and went to the Sweet 16. We're going to try to get these guys back off cloud nine, get them home, get them rested and the coaching staff will lock in on Georgia State. We don't play until Friday. That's big. That helps us."
The Bearcats (30-4) will be making their eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, something only five other schools can claim.
Clark, who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, led the Bearcats with 20 points and 12 rebounds, his third double-double in as many games. Evans scored 12 points – 10 in the first half. And Kyle Washington, who also made the all-tournament team, scored 10 points, including a 3-pointer that tied the game at 55-55 with 58 seconds to play. Gray led Houston (26-7) with 17 points.
Clark scored the winning point when he went to the free throw line with 4.3 seconds left and the score still tied at 55-55. A few minutes earlier he had missed two free throws with the Bearcats clinging to a one-point lead. This time, with the game squarely on the line, he missed his first free throw, giving him three misses in a row. But he gathered himself and calmly knocked down the second to give UC a one-point lead.
"I just focused," Clark said. "I always look over at Coach and he's telling me to calm down and right behind him is his dad. And then I look past my mom and she had this look on her face, like you better calm down. So I was able to just chill and do my routine and try to forget about the other ones I had already missed before then and have a short memory."
UC and Clark wouldn't have been in that position if it weren't for the 6-foot-9 Washington's 3-pointer that tied the game moments after Houston had taken a 3-point lead on a Devin Davis layup with 1:14 left.
"I just had confidence and believing in myself at all times," Washington said. "That's what you have to do. Everyone has to do that."
During the past two years, Clark and Washington have combined to help UC win 60 games. The Bearcats' win Sunday made them the first team in school history to have back-to-back 30-win seasons, and only the third team in school history that reach that milestone. During those two years, Clark has received most of the accolades, including this year's AAC Player of the Year Award. Washington, who received honorable mention recognition, just soldiers on.
"I'm really happy for Kyle," Cronin said. "These guys, they play so well together. Kyle making the 3-point shot to tie the game is really fitting because he puts so much time in in the gym. I would have been shocked if he would have missed it."
In a departure from their first two tournament games when the Bearcats fell behind early, they grabbed an early lead against Houston, claiming a 20-11 advantage midway through the first half. But any thoughts of a UC blowout were quickly dispelled when the Cougars used a 16-2 run to take a 27-22 lead. When halftime arrived, Houston led, 37-35, both teams having shot 50 percent or better in the first half when the Cougars made seven of 13 from long range.
The second half was dominated by defense. For the second straight game, the Bearcats limited their opponent to 18 second-half points. They held Houston to 20 percent shooting, one day after they limited Memphis to 18 percent. The Cougars missed all seven of their 3-point shots.
"I'm giving them the credit," Cronin said, referring to his players, "because as a team, as the game goes on, our guys try to start to lock into that. They play better. We have less breakdowns and we're more committed to getting the job done. I think it's cerebral."
As the second half unfolded, both teams found it harder and harder to score, with UC missing nine straight shots late in the half and Houston missing seven. The two teams combined for only three field goals in the final 5:37, perhaps at least partially because after three games in three days they were physically and mentally exhausted.
"It's hard to get a shot off against a good defensive team," said Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, "and the kids didn't have much legs. That's why the way it ended was so disappointing. Just disappointing, disappointing."
When the Cougars took a 50-44 lead with 6:33 remaining, they looked to be on safe ground, but the Bearcats quickly closed the gap and took a 52-51 lead on two Jarron Cumberland free throws with 4:12 to play. With the score tied after Washington's trey, Houston's Devin Davis missed a 3-pointer. There was a scramble on the floor for the rebound with Robinson gaining possession long enough to call timeout with 34 seconds left.
The Cougars then put the game in Gray's hands. He ran the clock down before launching a 3-pointer with five seconds left, but it was no good. Clark grabbed the rebound and was fouled by Nura Zanna with 4.3 seconds left, setting up Clark to be the hero, but not before his missed free throw caused him so much consternation. Sampson then called timeout to set up a last shot that was never taken.
"We're appreciative of this, but we want to keep it going," Washington said. "It's a representation of how close we are together because we created a great atmosphere of people always caring, people always being accountable."
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 in January 2015.