A game-winning shot from Cincinnati Bearcats forward Simas Lukosius secured a thrilling win over the San Francisco Dons in the NIT opener!
Cincinnati was on the edge of having the season come to a disappointing ending before Lukosius connected on a last-second triple to stay alive.
Lukosius finished with a team-high 28 points on 8/10 shooting from beyond the arc, highlighted by a buzzer-beating jumper in the final seconds.
Wes Miller's team improved to 21-14 with a win and will advance to meet the Bradley Braves in the NIT second round on Saturday afternoon!
#Cincinnati survives with a 73-72 overtime win to take down San Francisco in the 2024 NIT first round! 😳
— Cincy on the Prowl (@CincyOnTheProwl) March 21, 2024
Simas Lukosius connected on a game-winning triple in the final seconds to keep the #Bearcats season alive!https://t.co/g8ANs8kcVu pic.twitter.com/PQLY5xo08s
Cincinnati Basketball: Bearcats survive thrilling overtime win in NIT opener
Cincinnati forward Daniel Skillings Jr posted 16 points and eight rebounds, and freshman guard Jizzle James added 11 points in the narrow win.
During a postgame press conference tonight, Miller broke down the game-winning shot and reacted to the 73-72 win over San Francisco!
“Another big time shot. Having somebody at the end of games that you know wants the ball and has come through. I'm really proud of this dude."
It appeared the Bearcats were going to be taken out in the NIT opening round but Lukosius saved the day with an unforgettable postseason finish!
Cincinnati Bearcats host Bradley Braves in NIT |
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Date: March 23 at 2:00 PM |
Location: Fifth Third Arena |
Series: Bearcats lead 19-14 |