Bearcats Face Bowling Green in Paradise Jam Semifinals

CINCINNATI (3-1) vs. BOWLING GREEN (4-1)
PARADISE JAM // ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
Sunday, Nov. 24 // 7:45 p.m. ET
Virgin Islands Sports & Fitness Center
SERIES INFO: 11th Meeting; Cincinnati leads 9-1 overall; Cincinnati leads 5-1 in Cincinnati and 4-0 in Bowling Green 
The teams have never met at a neutral site.
LAST MEETING: Cincinnati won 85-56 on Dec. 4, 2016 at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati
STREAK: Cincinnati - 2
COACHES: John Brannen is in his first season at Cincinnati (3-1); Sixth season overall (85-53)
Michael Huger is in his fifth season at Bowling Green (71-66); fifth season overall (71-66)
AP/USA TODAY RANKINGS (NOV. 18): Cincinnati (--/RV); Bowling Green (--/--)
RADIO: 700 WLW; Mo Egger provides play-by-play with color analyst Terry Nelson
TV: FloHoops; Danny Lee provides play-by-play with color analyst Kevin Lehman
JOIN THE CONVERSATION (TWITTER, FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM): @GoBearcatsMBB or GoBearcatsMBB

// GAME PREVIEW

• The University of Cincinnati (3-1) men's basketball team battles Bowling Green (4-1) in the semifinals of the Paradise Jam on Sunday, Nov. 24 at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. 
• The game tips at approximately 7:45 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on 700 WLW and available via an online stream at FloHoops.com (subscription required). 
• UC advanced to Sunday's semifinals by rallying for a 66-65 win over Illinois State on Friday. The Bearcats trailed by 10 points at 59-49 with 7:48 remaining before outscoring the Redbirds 17-6 the rest of the way. 
• Jarron Cumberland's layup with eight seconds left proved to be the difference. He finished with a game-high 23 points. Three other Bearcats scored in double figures as Trevon Scott had 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks. Chris Vogt notched his second consecutive double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Keith Williams scored six of his 12 points during the final eight minutes of the game.  
• Bowling Green won with similar dramatics Friday in its 77-75 win over Western Kentucky. Justin Turner's floater with 3.8 seconds left lifted the Falcons to victory. Turner led all scorers with 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting. Teammate Dylan Frye added 19 points thanks in part to five 3-pointers. 
• The winner of the Cincinnati-Bowling Green game will face the victor of the Valparaiso-Nevada contest in the tournament championship game on Monday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. ET. The losers Sunday will meet each other in the third-place game Monday at 5:45 p.m. 

// SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN

• Bowling Green enters Sunday's matchup 4-1  for the third time since the 2005 campaign. 
• The Falcons are led by redshirt-junior guard Justin Turner, who averages 20.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.0 steals through five games. He is also shooting a team-best 52.6 percent (40 of 76) from the floor and 50.0 percent (10 of 20) from 3-point range.
• Senior guard Dyland Frye (13.0 points, 3.6 assists) and junior swingman Trey Diggs (9.6 points) lead the team with 11 3-pointers each.   
• Sophomore center Tayler Mattos (5.0 points, 8.4 rebounds) and junior swingman Daeqwon Plowden (8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.2 blocks) leads the Falcon effort inside. 
• Bowling Green was picked to finish first in the MAC's East Division in a preseason poll of the league's coaches. The Falcons received nine of 12 possible first-place votes. Turner and Frye was named to the league's East Division preseason team. 

// BOWLING GREEN SERIES HISTORY

• Cincinnati leads the Bowling Green series 9-1 overall. The Bearcats  won the last meeting, 85-56, on Dec. 4, 2016, in Cincinnati. Bowling Green's only win came by a 69-67 result on Nov. 11, 2007, at UC's Fifth Third Arena. UC leads the series 5-1 in Cincinnati and 4-0 in Bowling Green. The teams have never met on a neutral court.
• VS. THE MAC: Cincinnati is 197-117 all-time against current members of the Mid-American Conference: Akron (11-8), Ball State (4-1), Bowling Green (9-1), Buffalo (2-0), Central Michigan (1-0), Eastern Michigan (1-0), Kent State (6-1), Miami [Ohio] (94-53, Northern Illinois (4-0), Ohio (39-38),Toledo (10-14) and Western Michigan (16-1).
• While a member of the MAC from 1946-47 through 1952-53, Cincinnati compiled a 117-60 (.661) overall record and 53-14 (.791) league mark while finishing first in the conference each of its first five seasons.
• UC head coach John Brannen is 4-1 against current members of the Mid-American Conference during his head coaching career, with contests against Miami (Ohio) [2-0], Northern Illinois [2-0] and Toledo [0-1]. 

// SERIES HISTORY AGAINST FUTURE FOES

• NEVADA: Nevada won the only previous meeting with Cincinnati, 75-73, on March 18, 2018, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Nashville, Tenn.
• VALPARAISO: Cincinnati leads 4-1 overall. Cincinnati won the last meeting, 69-63, on Nov. 19, 2004, in Valparaiso, Ind. Valparaiso won the series opener, 75-69 in overtime on Jan. 10, 1948 at UC's Music Hall. The teams have never met at a neutral site. 

// TIP-INS

• CUMBERLAND'S 20-POINT GAME: Senior guard Jarron Cumberland scored a game-high 23 points in the Bearcats' win over Illinois State on Friday. It marks his 21st career game with 20 or more points. He has scored in double figures in 36 of his last 38 games dating back to last season. He scored seven of UC's final 17 points during the Bearcats' rally from a 10-point deficit to Illinois State with 7:48 remaining.  
• CUMBERLAND CLIMBS CHART: Cumberland's 23 points Friday against Illinois State gave the senior 1,410 points for his career, moving him ahead of former Bearcat great Paul Hogue (1,391 points from 1960-62) for 18th place on the UC scoring list. Dwight Jones (1,451 points from 1980-83) ranks No. 17.   
• SCOTT ON THE BOARDS: Redshirt-senior forward Trevon Scott has grabbed 38 rebounds through four games this season. It marks the highest four-game total of his career. He is averaging a team-best 9.5 for the Bearcats this season. Scott led UC, averaging 6.9 rebounds a year ago. 
• VOGT DOUBLE-DOUBLES: Junior center Chris Vogt has registered double-doubles in consecutive games after posting 13 points and 13 rebounds against Illinois State (11/22). He is one of six players in The American with multiple double-doubles this season. He is averaging 11.8 points and 7.5 rebounds through four games.   
• Entering Saturday's action, Vogt also led The American, shooting 73.1 percent (19 of 26) from the field. 
• WILLIAMS' SHOOTING TOUCH: Junior guard Keith Williams has started the new season shooting the ball well from the floor, beyond the arc and at the foul line. He has shot 15 of 29 from the field (51.7 percent), 4 of 8 from 3-point range (50.0 percent) and 10 of 12 from the free-throw line (83.3 percent) - all career bests. 

// CINCINNATI STORYLINES

• Cincinnati has won seven consecutive regular-season tournament games since dropping a 76-71 decision to Rhode Island in the semifinals of the 2016 Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off  in Uncasville, Conn. The Bearcats won each of their last two regular-season tournament events, claiming the 2018 Cayman Islands Classic and the 2019 Emerald Coast Classic. 
• Jarron Cumberland registered his 21st career game with 20 or more points, netting a game-high 23 points against Illinois State (11/22). He has scored in double figures in 36 of his last 38 games. 
• Chris Vogt has registered double-doubles in consecutive games after posting 13 points and 13 rebounds against Illinois State (11/22). He is one of six players in The American with multiple double-doubles this season. He is averaging 11.8 points and 7.5 rebounds through four games.
• Trevon Scott has grabbed 38 rebounds through four games this season. It marks the highest four-game total of his career.