Bearcat of the Week: Yancy Gates

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Gates was on the cusp of winning this prestigious award last week but Sean Kilpatrick’s game-winning three against UConn sealed the deal for him. Plus, Cash could have easily won this one as he put up great numbers against West Virginia and Syracuse but what sets Gates apart is his performance on the defensive end. Not only was he a general thorn in the side of anyone going against him under the basket but he was swallowing up defensive rebounds like his life depended on it. In those games against the Mountaineers and Orange, Gates collected 18 defensive rebounds. He notched 23 total rebs over the two game span and his overall aggressiveness in the paint earned him a double-double in both games as well. He’s been one of the most consistent Bearcats since the suspensions and appears to be getting better and better as the Big East games go on. Cincinnati will certainly need him in the final month or so as they make a run for the NCAA tournament.