TicketsFORT WORTH, Texas -- The University of Cincinnati men's basketball team will begin its AAC Championship chase Thursday when it battles ECU at 1 p.m.
ESPNU | 700 WLW | Live Stats | Tourney Central
Cincinnati will have a clean slate when it enters the AAC Tournament, where it has made each of the last four title games. This year marks the first in its nine seasons that UC will not have a bye. The Bearcats most recently dropped a 76-71 heartbreaker at SMU on Thursday. They led by 10 in the second half, but the Mustangs had 40 free-throws (their most since 2010) to UC's 17 to complete the rally. All-AAC guard David DeJulius (21) produced his ninth 20-point game of the season, a team-best 22nd double-figure scoring game as well.
As depth becomes a factor in tournament play, UC will need Viktor Lakhin and Jarrett Hensley to continue their expanded roles. Lakhin went 5-for-7 from the field in 13.0 mpg at Houston and SMU, his most minutes and scoring over a two-game stretch since the first two AAC games. Hensley's 34 minutes have been the most of any two-game stretch this year, and he also threw down a posterizing dunk against the Mustangs, his biggest shot of the year. Mike Saunders Jr. was also 4-for-6 from deep (11.5 ppg) last week, keying his 13.9-percent jump from last season. The Bearcat bench has outscored its last two foes 55-7.
Mika Adams-Woods has two turnovers his last five games (137 minutes) to 13 assists. In his previous five, he had 16 to 11 dimes. He is 16th nationally with a 2.74 ratio. UC has fared well in neutral courts this season, routing Big Ten champ Illinois by 20 and having a lead with two minutes left against No. 12 Arkansas back in November. Wes Miller is 8-3 in his last four conference tournaments, including a 2021 SoCon sweep.
SERIES HISTORY
Cincinnati leads the all-time series 17-2, including an 10-2 mark in AAC play. The Bearcats are also 8-2 on the road, winning each of the last three meetings as well. ECU went 4-0 against Wes Miller while he was at UNCG, but all of them predated Joe Dooley's tenure which began in the 2018-19 season.
UC's 60-59 road win on Jan. 30 was highlighted by DeJulius' put-back off his own miss with 3.7 seconds left. Adams-Woods also scored 16 of his career-high 21 points in the first half. The Bearcats allowed a season-low five field goals in the first half as well. In the Jan. 12 meeting, UC exploded for a 20-point halftime lead and withstood a furious ECU rally to win 79-71. Jeremiah Davenport (8-for-16) led with 22 points, while John Newman III added 10 points for his third of four-straight double-figure scoring games.
The Bearcats took a 49-29 lead into half time after shooting 17-29 (58.6 percent) in the first 20 minutes of the game. The 49 points and 58.6 percent shooting percent age both remain season-highs for a half this season. The two teams met just once last year, an 82-69 Bearcat win on March 7. Mason Madsen (career-high) and Davenport scored 19 points apiece. It was one of Madsen's three double-figure scoring games in his two years at UC.
ESPNU | 700 WLW | Live Stats | Tourney Central
Cincinnati will have a clean slate when it enters the AAC Tournament, where it has made each of the last four title games. This year marks the first in its nine seasons that UC will not have a bye. The Bearcats most recently dropped a 76-71 heartbreaker at SMU on Thursday. They led by 10 in the second half, but the Mustangs had 40 free-throws (their most since 2010) to UC's 17 to complete the rally. All-AAC guard David DeJulius (21) produced his ninth 20-point game of the season, a team-best 22nd double-figure scoring game as well.
As depth becomes a factor in tournament play, UC will need Viktor Lakhin and Jarrett Hensley to continue their expanded roles. Lakhin went 5-for-7 from the field in 13.0 mpg at Houston and SMU, his most minutes and scoring over a two-game stretch since the first two AAC games. Hensley's 34 minutes have been the most of any two-game stretch this year, and he also threw down a posterizing dunk against the Mustangs, his biggest shot of the year. Mike Saunders Jr. was also 4-for-6 from deep (11.5 ppg) last week, keying his 13.9-percent jump from last season. The Bearcat bench has outscored its last two foes 55-7.
Mika Adams-Woods has two turnovers his last five games (137 minutes) to 13 assists. In his previous five, he had 16 to 11 dimes. He is 16th nationally with a 2.74 ratio. UC has fared well in neutral courts this season, routing Big Ten champ Illinois by 20 and having a lead with two minutes left against No. 12 Arkansas back in November. Wes Miller is 8-3 in his last four conference tournaments, including a 2021 SoCon sweep.
SERIES HISTORY
Cincinnati leads the all-time series 17-2, including an 10-2 mark in AAC play. The Bearcats are also 8-2 on the road, winning each of the last three meetings as well. ECU went 4-0 against Wes Miller while he was at UNCG, but all of them predated Joe Dooley's tenure which began in the 2018-19 season.
UC's 60-59 road win on Jan. 30 was highlighted by DeJulius' put-back off his own miss with 3.7 seconds left. Adams-Woods also scored 16 of his career-high 21 points in the first half. The Bearcats allowed a season-low five field goals in the first half as well. In the Jan. 12 meeting, UC exploded for a 20-point halftime lead and withstood a furious ECU rally to win 79-71. Jeremiah Davenport (8-for-16) led with 22 points, while John Newman III added 10 points for his third of four-straight double-figure scoring games.
The Bearcats took a 49-29 lead into half time after shooting 17-29 (58.6 percent) in the first 20 minutes of the game. The 49 points and 58.6 percent shooting percent age both remain season-highs for a half this season. The two teams met just once last year, an 82-69 Bearcat win on March 7. Mason Madsen (career-high) and Davenport scored 19 points apiece. It was one of Madsen's three double-figure scoring games in his two years at UC.