TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati men's basketball entered the national polls for the first time this season Monday, listing No. 25 on the Associated Press ranking and No. 23 on the USA Today Coaches ranking.
Cincinnati (19-3, 8-1 American Athletic Conference) has won seven consecutive games and enters the week tied with No. 12 Houston atop the league standings.
Junior guard Jarron Cumberland, a preseason first team all-conference selection, has led the offensive charge for the Bearcats this season, averaging 18.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He has scored 20 or more points in a league-best 11 games. He has led UC in scoring in eight of nine AAC games, including three times when he led the Bearcats in points, rebound and assists.
Cumberland leads all conference scorers averaging 22.2 points during league action. For the season, Cumberland ranks among the league leaders in eight categories: three-point field goal percentage (second at .423), points (second at 18.7), three-pointers made (sixth at 2.5), assist-to-turnover ratio (10th at 1.3), assists (11th at 3.5), free throw percentage (12th at .768), steals (tied for 15th at 1.3) and minutes played (17th at 31.2).
Senior guard Justin Jenifer (8.8 points, 3.4 assists) ranks third in the nation with a 5.1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Sophomore guard Keith Williams (11.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals), redshirt junior forward Trevon Scott (9.3 points, 6.3 rebounds) and junior center Nysier Brooks (8.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.5 blocks) have stepped up from reserve roles in 2017-18 to starting roles and key contributors this season following the graduation of 2018 AAC Player of the Year Gary Clark (now with the Houston Rockets), NBA Draft early entry Jacob Evans III (now with the Golden State Warriors) and the graduation of current NBA G-League performer Kyle Washington.
The 2018-19 Bearcats rank among the nation's Top 35 in win-loss percentage (ninth at .864), scoring defense (10th at 61.5), fewest turnovers (17th at 236), turnovers per game (18th at 10.7), scoring margin (19th at +13.5), rebounding margin (19th at +6.7), turnover margin (23rd at +3.7), blocks per game (30th at 4.8), assist-to-turnover ratio (32nd at 1.35), total blocks (32nd at 105) and field goal percentage defense (34th at .404).
// CINCINNATI IN THE AP POLL
Cincinnati has been listed in the AP poll for at least one week in nine of the last 10 seasons. The Bearcats listed in every AP poll in 2017-18 climbing as high as No. 5 on Feb, 12, 2018. That squad tied the school record for wins while finishing 31-5 overall and 16-2 in the AAC while claiming the conference regular-season and tournament championships.
In all, the Bearcats have been ranked in the AP poll 427 weeks in program history and were ranked No. 10 by the AP in a 2017 listing of schools with the most appearances all-time.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati plays a pair of road games this week, beginning Thursday, Feb. 7 at Memphis. Tipoff at the FedExForum is slated for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and 700 WLW. The Bearcats travel to 12th-ranked Houston on Sunday, Feb. 10 for a 4 p.m. ET contest on ESPN and 700 WLW.
// FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay connected with Cincinnati men's basketball on Facebook (GoBearcatsMBB), Twitter (@GoBearcatsMBB) and Instagram (GoBearcatsMBB).
Cincinnati (19-3, 8-1 American Athletic Conference) has won seven consecutive games and enters the week tied with No. 12 Houston atop the league standings.
Junior guard Jarron Cumberland, a preseason first team all-conference selection, has led the offensive charge for the Bearcats this season, averaging 18.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He has scored 20 or more points in a league-best 11 games. He has led UC in scoring in eight of nine AAC games, including three times when he led the Bearcats in points, rebound and assists.
Cumberland leads all conference scorers averaging 22.2 points during league action. For the season, Cumberland ranks among the league leaders in eight categories: three-point field goal percentage (second at .423), points (second at 18.7), three-pointers made (sixth at 2.5), assist-to-turnover ratio (10th at 1.3), assists (11th at 3.5), free throw percentage (12th at .768), steals (tied for 15th at 1.3) and minutes played (17th at 31.2).
Senior guard Justin Jenifer (8.8 points, 3.4 assists) ranks third in the nation with a 5.1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Sophomore guard Keith Williams (11.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals), redshirt junior forward Trevon Scott (9.3 points, 6.3 rebounds) and junior center Nysier Brooks (8.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.5 blocks) have stepped up from reserve roles in 2017-18 to starting roles and key contributors this season following the graduation of 2018 AAC Player of the Year Gary Clark (now with the Houston Rockets), NBA Draft early entry Jacob Evans III (now with the Golden State Warriors) and the graduation of current NBA G-League performer Kyle Washington.
The 2018-19 Bearcats rank among the nation's Top 35 in win-loss percentage (ninth at .864), scoring defense (10th at 61.5), fewest turnovers (17th at 236), turnovers per game (18th at 10.7), scoring margin (19th at +13.5), rebounding margin (19th at +6.7), turnover margin (23rd at +3.7), blocks per game (30th at 4.8), assist-to-turnover ratio (32nd at 1.35), total blocks (32nd at 105) and field goal percentage defense (34th at .404).
// CINCINNATI IN THE AP POLL
Cincinnati has been listed in the AP poll for at least one week in nine of the last 10 seasons. The Bearcats listed in every AP poll in 2017-18 climbing as high as No. 5 on Feb, 12, 2018. That squad tied the school record for wins while finishing 31-5 overall and 16-2 in the AAC while claiming the conference regular-season and tournament championships.
In all, the Bearcats have been ranked in the AP poll 427 weeks in program history and were ranked No. 10 by the AP in a 2017 listing of schools with the most appearances all-time.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati plays a pair of road games this week, beginning Thursday, Feb. 7 at Memphis. Tipoff at the FedExForum is slated for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and 700 WLW. The Bearcats travel to 12th-ranked Houston on Sunday, Feb. 10 for a 4 p.m. ET contest on ESPN and 700 WLW.
// FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay connected with Cincinnati men's basketball on Facebook (GoBearcatsMBB), Twitter (@GoBearcatsMBB) and Instagram (GoBearcatsMBB).