Wes Miller’s team came out with plenty of energy but failed to sustain that level of play as Houston eventually took control and extended its 5-game win streak over the Bearcats.
There’s no shame in losing to the nation’s top ranked team but it was another disappointing outcome as Cincinnati couldn’t score for long stretches and committed too many turnovers.
Even though Houston led 35-28 at halftime, the Bearcats were within striking distance before going scoreless for more than six minutes as the deficit grew to as much as 20 points.
Cincinnati ranks among the best offenses in the AAC this season but can’t score consistently against high level defenses and Houston has the most complete defense in the country.
There’s no shame in losing to one of the nation’s best teams but it was another disappointing outcome as the #Bearcats committed 17 turnovers against Houston.https://t.co/arCIxPRvux pic.twitter.com/7LXEDeIe2e
— Cincy on the Prowl (@CincyOnTheProwl) January 9, 2023
Cincinnati Basketball: Takeaways from the Bearcats sluggish showing against Houston
In the recent loss against top ranked Houston, the Bearcats struggled to keep pace as David DeJulius, Jeremiah Davenport and Daniel Skillings Jr shot a combined 3/25 from the field.
Davenport was coming off a season-high 22 points in the win at Wichita State but couldn’t get anything to fall on Sunday either, shooting 1/9 from the field and 0/7 from beyond the arc.
Houston was able to create easy looks by getting out in transition, finishing with 26 points off turnovers and 22 fastbreak points as Cincinnati committed an alarming 17 turnovers.
The Bearcats will travel to Houston later this month with another opportunity to grab a marquee victory. Tip off is scheduled for 2:15 PM on Saturday, January 28 at the Fertitta Center.
Miller continued to discuss the loss: “It’s league play and we’re going to have to learn from it. We’ve taken so many steps forward in the last six weeks and this felt like a little step backwards.” #Bearcats return to action Wednesday.https://t.co/arCIxPQXEZ pic.twitter.com/8biRTz5kMy
— Cincy on the Prowl (@CincyOnTheProwl) January 9, 2023
Cincinnati Basketball: Houston becomes top ranked team in the country after win over Bearcats
Houston continued to dominate the Bearcats with a 72-59 win on Sunday evening to stay atop the AAC standings with a 4-0 record and move to #1 in the latest Associated Press Top 25.
Kelvin Sampson’s team showed why it’s a legitimate national championship contender at Cincinnati with great decision making, multiple scoring threats and physical defense.
Even though it’s still early in the conference slate, the Cougars appear to be on track for a second straight AAC championship, while Cincinnati currently sits in sixth place with a 2-2 record.
Both teams will return to action on Wednesday night as the Bearcats take on East Carolina with a chance to bounce back at Fifth Third Arena, while top ranked Houston hosts South Florida.