Tickets20/19 CINCINNATI (25-4, 14-2) AT 25/RV UCF (22-6, 12-4)
Thursday, March 7 • 7 p.m. (ET) • CFE Arena • Orlando, Fla.
SERIES INFO: 13th meeting; Cincinnati leads 11-1 overall;
Cincinnati leads 4-1 in Orlando;
Cincinnati leads 5-0 at home; Cincinnati leads 2-0 at neutral sites
STREAK: Cincinnati - 3
LAST MEETING: Cincinnati won 60-55 on Feb. 21, 2019
at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio
COACHES: Mick Cronin is in his 13th season at Cincinnati (293-144); 16th season overall (362-168)
Johnny Dawkins is in his third season at UCF (65-31); 11th season overall (221-146)
AP/USA TODAY RANKINGS (MARCH 4): Cincinnati (20/19); UCF (25/RV)
RADIO: 700 WLW; Dan Hoard provides play-by-play with color analyst Terry Nelson
TV: ESPN2; Mike Corey provides play-by-play with color analyst John Thompson
JOIN THE CONVERSATION (TWITTER, FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM): @GoBearcatsMBB or GoBearcatsMBB
The No. 20/19 University of Cincinnati men's basketball team plays its last road game of the 2018-19 regular season Thursday when it travels to No. 25/RV UCF for a 7 p.m. ET tip on ESPN2 and 700 WLW.
Cincinnati (25-4, 14-2 American Athletic Conference) climbed into a first-place tie in the AAC standings with No. 12/12 Houston on Saturday, posting a 71-69 win over Memphis at Fifth Third Arena.
Reserve guard Logan Johnson stole a pass with one second left to secure the hard-fought win, Cincinnati's 10th victory this season in games decided by five points or less.
Jarron Cumberland scored a team-high 26 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and 13-of-16 shooting from the foul line. Nysier Brooks posted a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Keith Williams added 10 points and three steals.
UCF (22-6, 12-4 AAC) snapped Houston's 33-game home-court win streak Saturday with a 69-64 road win that vaulted the Knights to No. 25 in this week's Associated Press poll. Collin Smith led UCF with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Tacko Fall added 13 points and 10 rebounds.
UC owns an 11-1 lead in its series with UCF, having won the last three meetings. The Bearcats rallied for a 60-55 win over the Knights on Feb. 21, 2019 at Fifth Third Arena.
UP NEXT: Cincinnati wraps up the regular season when it hosts No. 12/12 Houston on Senior Day Sunday at Fifth Third Arena. The game starts at noon ET on CBS and 700 WLW. UC seniors Cane Broome and Justin Jenifer will be honored about 20 minutes prior to tip. Fans are encouraged to wear red.
// CINCINNATI STORYLINES
// TIP INS
NATIONAL STATS: Entering Tuesday, UC ranked among the nation's Top 30 in nine categories: scoring defense (9th at 61.3), win-loss percentage (10th at .862), fewest turnovers (14th at 310), turnovers per game (19th at 10.7), rebound margin (23rd at 6.0), turnover margin (24th at +3.4), scoring margin (26th at +11.0), field goal percentage defense (27th .405), offensive rebounds per game (28th at 12.62).
STRETCH OF REMARKABLE SUCCESS: Cincinnati's 86 wins since the start of 2016-17 are the most in any three-year stretch in school history. The previous high was 85 wins compiled from 2000-2002.
LOOKING FOR 26 WINS AGAIN: A win over UCF on Thursday would give Cincinnati at least 26 wins in a season for the sixth time in the last nine campaigns.
FIVE POINTS OR LESS: Cincinnati is 10-1 this season in games decided by five points or less. Ten conference games have been decided within that margin, including each of the last four contests. UC's 10 wins of five points are less this season are tied with the 2011-12 squad (10-5) for most during the Cronin coaching era. The Bearcats led the nation in scoring margin (+16.7) a year ago.
AWAY FROM HOME: Cincinnati is 25-8 (.758) in true road games and 37-13 (.740) in all non-home games (road and neutral site) since the start of the 2016-17 season.
Cincinnati is 7-3 on the road this season, including a 6-2 mark in league road games.
The Bearcats won eight of their nine league road games last season with the lone exception coming at Houston (67-62 loss on Feb. 15, 2018). UC is 21-5 in league road game since the start of 2016-17.
With its 66-55 win at Wichita State (1/19), Cincinnati became the first school since Southern Illinois in 2009 to win back-to-back games at Charles Koch Arena.
Cincinnati's 70-65 overtime comeback win at Tulsa (1/10) snapped the Golden Hurricane's 18-game home win streak.
The Bearcats handed Memphis (2/7) only its second home loss of the season coming from 11 down in the second half to post a 69-64 win. Tennessee is the only other team to beat the Tigers in Memphis this season.
ANOTHER FIRST-ROUND BYE: With the win at SMU (2/27), the Bearcats earned a first-round bye into the 2019 league tournament, March 14-17, in Memphis. Cincinnati is the only AAC team to earn a first-round bye in every conference tournament since league formation. Houston is second with four first-round byes (including 2019).
HOME SWEET HOME VS. AAC: UC has won 25 consecutive AAC home games in Fifth Third Arena. The Bearcats had won 17 straight league home games prior to renovation and are 8-0 against AAC foes at home in 2018-19.
Overall, Cincinnati is 49-4 in AAC home games since league formation (2013-14 campaign).
Cincinnati is 34-2 in AAC home games since the start of 2015-16 with its only losses coming to Temple (77-70 on Dec. 29, 2015 in the AAC opener at Fifth Third Arena) and Wichita State (76-72 on Feb. 18, 2018 at BB&T Arena).
RANKED AGAIN: Cincinnati climbed to No. 20 in the AP poll and No. 19 in the USA Today poll this week. It's highest rankings of the season in both polls.
The Bearcats have been ranked in the AP poll in nine of the last 10 seasons.
Cincinnati was ranked in every AP poll in 2017-18 climbing as high as No. 5 on Feb, 12, 2018.
In all, the Bearcats have been ranked in the AP poll 429 weeks and were ranked No. 10 by the AP in a 2017 listing of schools with the most appearances all-time.
Thursday, March 7 • 7 p.m. (ET) • CFE Arena • Orlando, Fla.
SERIES INFO: 13th meeting; Cincinnati leads 11-1 overall;
Cincinnati leads 4-1 in Orlando;
Cincinnati leads 5-0 at home; Cincinnati leads 2-0 at neutral sites
STREAK: Cincinnati - 3
LAST MEETING: Cincinnati won 60-55 on Feb. 21, 2019
at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio
COACHES: Mick Cronin is in his 13th season at Cincinnati (293-144); 16th season overall (362-168)
Johnny Dawkins is in his third season at UCF (65-31); 11th season overall (221-146)
AP/USA TODAY RANKINGS (MARCH 4): Cincinnati (20/19); UCF (25/RV)
RADIO: 700 WLW; Dan Hoard provides play-by-play with color analyst Terry Nelson
TV: ESPN2; Mike Corey provides play-by-play with color analyst John Thompson
JOIN THE CONVERSATION (TWITTER, FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM): @GoBearcatsMBB or GoBearcatsMBB
The No. 20/19 University of Cincinnati men's basketball team plays its last road game of the 2018-19 regular season Thursday when it travels to No. 25/RV UCF for a 7 p.m. ET tip on ESPN2 and 700 WLW.
Cincinnati (25-4, 14-2 American Athletic Conference) climbed into a first-place tie in the AAC standings with No. 12/12 Houston on Saturday, posting a 71-69 win over Memphis at Fifth Third Arena.
Reserve guard Logan Johnson stole a pass with one second left to secure the hard-fought win, Cincinnati's 10th victory this season in games decided by five points or less.
Jarron Cumberland scored a team-high 26 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and 13-of-16 shooting from the foul line. Nysier Brooks posted a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Keith Williams added 10 points and three steals.
UCF (22-6, 12-4 AAC) snapped Houston's 33-game home-court win streak Saturday with a 69-64 road win that vaulted the Knights to No. 25 in this week's Associated Press poll. Collin Smith led UCF with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Tacko Fall added 13 points and 10 rebounds.
UC owns an 11-1 lead in its series with UCF, having won the last three meetings. The Bearcats rallied for a 60-55 win over the Knights on Feb. 21, 2019 at Fifth Third Arena.
UP NEXT: Cincinnati wraps up the regular season when it hosts No. 12/12 Houston on Senior Day Sunday at Fifth Third Arena. The game starts at noon ET on CBS and 700 WLW. UC seniors Cane Broome and Justin Jenifer will be honored about 20 minutes prior to tip. Fans are encouraged to wear red.
// CINCINNATI STORYLINES
- Jarron Cumberland was named to the Citizen Naismith Trophy Midseason Watch List and tabbed one of 10 candidates for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award ... He has scored 20 or more points 14 times this season and ranks among the AAC's Top 10 in three-point field goal percentage (2nd at .411), scoring (3rd at 18.6), three-pointers made (6th at 2.4) and free throw percentage (7th at .786) ... Cincinnati enjoys an 85-15 record in games played in by Cumberland.
- Justin Jenifer leads the conference in three-point shooting percentage this season at .438 (49 of 112) ... He has made 27 of his last 60 tries (.450) from long range over the past 11 games.
- A win over UCF on Thursday would give Cincinnati at least 26 wins in a season for the sixth time in the last nine years.
- The Bearcats are 10-1 this season in games decided by five points or less. Ten conference games have been decided within that margin, including each of the last four contests.
- Cincinnati's 86 wins since the start of 2016-17 are the most in any three-year stretch in school history and rank as the third most in the nation behind only Gonzaga (98) and Villanova (90) [through March 4].
- Cincinnati is one of six schools in the nation to have appeared in the last eight NCAA Tournaments, joining Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Michigan State and North Carolina.
- The Bearcats are attempting to win back-to-back league titles for the first time since 2001 and 2002 (Conference USA).
- Cincinnati has earned a first-round bye at next week's 2019 American Championship.
// TIP INS
NATIONAL STATS: Entering Tuesday, UC ranked among the nation's Top 30 in nine categories: scoring defense (9th at 61.3), win-loss percentage (10th at .862), fewest turnovers (14th at 310), turnovers per game (19th at 10.7), rebound margin (23rd at 6.0), turnover margin (24th at +3.4), scoring margin (26th at +11.0), field goal percentage defense (27th .405), offensive rebounds per game (28th at 12.62).
STRETCH OF REMARKABLE SUCCESS: Cincinnati's 86 wins since the start of 2016-17 are the most in any three-year stretch in school history. The previous high was 85 wins compiled from 2000-2002.
LOOKING FOR 26 WINS AGAIN: A win over UCF on Thursday would give Cincinnati at least 26 wins in a season for the sixth time in the last nine campaigns.
FIVE POINTS OR LESS: Cincinnati is 10-1 this season in games decided by five points or less. Ten conference games have been decided within that margin, including each of the last four contests. UC's 10 wins of five points are less this season are tied with the 2011-12 squad (10-5) for most during the Cronin coaching era. The Bearcats led the nation in scoring margin (+16.7) a year ago.
AWAY FROM HOME: Cincinnati is 25-8 (.758) in true road games and 37-13 (.740) in all non-home games (road and neutral site) since the start of the 2016-17 season.
Cincinnati is 7-3 on the road this season, including a 6-2 mark in league road games.
The Bearcats won eight of their nine league road games last season with the lone exception coming at Houston (67-62 loss on Feb. 15, 2018). UC is 21-5 in league road game since the start of 2016-17.
With its 66-55 win at Wichita State (1/19), Cincinnati became the first school since Southern Illinois in 2009 to win back-to-back games at Charles Koch Arena.
Cincinnati's 70-65 overtime comeback win at Tulsa (1/10) snapped the Golden Hurricane's 18-game home win streak.
The Bearcats handed Memphis (2/7) only its second home loss of the season coming from 11 down in the second half to post a 69-64 win. Tennessee is the only other team to beat the Tigers in Memphis this season.
ANOTHER FIRST-ROUND BYE: With the win at SMU (2/27), the Bearcats earned a first-round bye into the 2019 league tournament, March 14-17, in Memphis. Cincinnati is the only AAC team to earn a first-round bye in every conference tournament since league formation. Houston is second with four first-round byes (including 2019).
HOME SWEET HOME VS. AAC: UC has won 25 consecutive AAC home games in Fifth Third Arena. The Bearcats had won 17 straight league home games prior to renovation and are 8-0 against AAC foes at home in 2018-19.
Overall, Cincinnati is 49-4 in AAC home games since league formation (2013-14 campaign).
Cincinnati is 34-2 in AAC home games since the start of 2015-16 with its only losses coming to Temple (77-70 on Dec. 29, 2015 in the AAC opener at Fifth Third Arena) and Wichita State (76-72 on Feb. 18, 2018 at BB&T Arena).
RANKED AGAIN: Cincinnati climbed to No. 20 in the AP poll and No. 19 in the USA Today poll this week. It's highest rankings of the season in both polls.
The Bearcats have been ranked in the AP poll in nine of the last 10 seasons.
Cincinnati was ranked in every AP poll in 2017-18 climbing as high as No. 5 on Feb, 12, 2018.
In all, the Bearcats have been ranked in the AP poll 429 weeks and were ranked No. 10 by the AP in a 2017 listing of schools with the most appearances all-time.