Wes Miller’s team continued to show progress in a 75-69 loss at Houston yesterday but it felt like another wasted opportunity as the Bearcats dropped to 14-8 and 5-4 in AAC play.
Cincinnati jumped out to a 43-36 lead at halftime after a hot shooting start but it wasn’t enough to secure a huge win after falling to 0-4 against ranked opponents this season.
In order to remain in contention for a bye in the upcoming AAC Tournament, the Bearcats need to get back on track with matchups against Tulsa and Central Florida up next.
Despite coming up short, Cincinnati played well on both ends of the floor and should be able to pick up a pair of wins this week if the team can keep the same level of intensity.
#Bearcats can’t complete the upset after leading most of the game in 75-69 loss against Houston. Landers Nolley II scored a team-high 24 points in the loss. Cincinnati led by 11 points in the second half before allowing a late run. pic.twitter.com/9MBfBDIFru
— Cincy on the Prowl (@CincyOnTheProwl) January 28, 2023
Cincinnati Basketball: Takeaways from the Bearcats second half collapse against Houston
After leading for a majority of the game, the Bearcats failed to close out first place Houston on Saturday afternoon and suffered a sixth straight loss against the conference rival.
Even though it appeared Cincinnati was in position to secure a season-defining win, Houston was able to stay within striking distance and eventually fend off the Bearcats.
It was another disappointing loss for Cincinnati after leading by as much as 13 points in the first half before allowing the Cougars to go on a 26-9 run to close the game on top.
The Bearcats return to action against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Wednesday with a chance to improve to 15-8 and keep pace in the AAC standings after suffering back to back losses.