Postgame Notes: Cincinnati 60, UCF 55

2018-19 Cincinnati Men's Basketball Postgame Notes
rv/25 Cincinnati (22-4, 11-2 AAC) 60, UCF (19-6, 9-4 AAC) 55
February 21, 2019 • Fifth Third Arena (Cincinnati)

Starting Five: G Keith Williams • G Justin Jenifer • F Trevon Scott • C Nysier Brooks • G Jarron Cumberland

The Turning Point: Justin Jenifer drove the lane and sent his shot high off the glass out of the reach of 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall, hitting the shot and giving UC a 50-48 lead with 3:12 remaining. Jenifer's bucket was part of a 13-2 run that helped the hosts back into the lead with the Knights getting no closer than three on three occasions. With less than 30 seconds remaining, Jenifer stepped up once again as he drained a three-pointer and a pair of free throws with Keith Williams connecting on both of his free throws to close out Cincinnati's 15 consecutive home win.

Leaders: Justin Jenifer and Keith Williams, both of whom stepped up in a big way down the stretch, finished the game with a team-high 12 points each while Jarron Cumberland scored 11 as the Bearcats placed three in double figures on the night. Cane Broome and Nysier Brooks each finished nine as well, just missing the double-digit plateau. The Knights were led in scoring by Aubrey Dawkins and his 15 points while BJ Taylor also scored in double figures with 12.

// TEAM NOTES

• With the win, Cincinnati improves to 22-4 overall and 11-2 in the American Athletic Conference while UCF fell to 19-6 overall and 9-4 in league action.
• IN THE SERIES: Cincinnati moved to 11-1 against UCF in the all-time series, including 5-0 at home. 
• The Bearcats are now 48-2 at home since the start of the 2016-17 season. They entered the game today tied for the national lead in home wins (47) with Texas Tech and held the highest winning percentage (.959) since the start of the 2016-17 season. When including all games played since the start of the 2016-17 season, the Bearcats now hold an 83-15 record, which moves UC ahead of both Michigan (82-23) and Kansas (82-19) for the third-most wins in that span. Gonzaga (94) and Villanova (88) are the only two schools with more victories in that span.
• With the win, Cincinnati holds an overall record of 48-4 in home AAC games since joining the league when it began in the 2013-14 season. In the previous five seasons, UC posted records of 8-1, 8-1, 8-1, 9-0 and 8-1 before starting this year at 7-0 with tonight's win. Cincinnati also holds a 33-2 record in home AAC games since the start of the 2015-16 season with losses coming to Temple (77-70, 12/29/15, at Fifth Third Arena) and Wichita State (76-72, 2/18/18, at BB&T Arena).
• Following tonight's victory, Cincinnati has now won 24 consecutive home AAC games inside Fifth Third Arena, winning 17 straight before the renovation of FTA and now 7-0 this year in the return to campus after playing at BB&T Arena last year. 
• Tonight's victory marked the 400th all-time win in Fifth Third Arena since it originally opened the Shoemaker Center prior to the start of the 1989-90 campaign. 
• HALFTIME REPORT: After trailing 11-3 in the early going of the half, the Bearcats clamped down on defense and held the Knights to just seven more points the rest of the way while Cincinnati scored 23 points, including nine from Jarron Cumberland and five from Cain Broome, to build a 26-18 advantage at the break. Following the first media time out in which the Bearcats trailed, 11-3, UC forced 13 UCF turnovers, including a stretch in which the Knights turned the ball of 10 times without scoring. The 18 points scored by UCF – three more than its turnover total in the opening half – stands as the second-fewest points the Bearcats have allowed in the opening half this year, surpassed only by the 16 scored by South Carolina State.
• This season, the Bearcats have held opponents to 25 or fewer points in the first half of a game nine times, including two in row with tonight's 18 points allowed. UCF's first half scoring also stands as the third time UC has held a foe under 20 points in any half with the 16 allowed to South Carolina State and the 19 to North Carolina Central being the other two instances.
• Despite 7-foot-6 center Tacko Fall in the middle of the lane, the Bearcats won the battle for points in the paint tonight, 16-14. The 14 points for the Knights are the fewest they have scored in the paint this year, surpassing the 18 they were limited on the road at both Missouri and Wichita State.
• Cincinnati also won the battle on the boards as the Bearcats outrebounded the Knights, 28-24. Both teams pulled down 17 defensive rebounds, but the Bearcats won the battle on the offensive glass with an 11-7 tally.

// PLAYER NOTES

• Keith Williams finished the game with a team-high-tying 12 points, marking the 17th time he has scored in double figures this season and third time he has led UC in scoring. Williams added a pair of rebounds and three assists while playing 35 minutes. He also was a perfect 2-of-2 from the free throw line with both attempts coming with just over six seconds remaining.
• Jenifer also scored 12 points to tie for team-high honors, marking just the second time he led UC in that category. The senior, like Williams, went 2-of-2 from the free throw line with his attempts coming with 12 seconds remaining. One of the top assist-to-turnover ratio leaders in the NCAA, Jenifer finished the game with three assists and zero turnovers.
• While Jarron Cumberland might not have scored as many points as fans are accustomed, he did lead the way in assists with six. It marks the 13th time this season Cumberland has led the team in assists and was one shy of his season high (7 vs. UConn) Cumberland also tied his season high and was one off his career high with two blocks while also recording one steal.
• ON THE LIST: With his 11 points tonight, Jarron Cumberland moved up one position on the UC all-time scoring ledger as he now sits 33rd overall with 1,199 points. His scoring tonight pushed him past Rick Roberson, who scored 1,196 points (1967-69).
• GOING DEEP: Cumberland was 1-for-1 from three tonight, giving him 68 made threes on the season, the 10th-most in a single year under Mick Cronin. With one more triple, he will tie Jacob Evans III for ninth after he made 69 three-pointers during the 2016-17 season.