Cincinnati Bearcats wish to get again on observe in opposition to SMU on Thursday in Dallas

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• Cincinnati Bearcats want to get back on track against SMU on Thursday in Dallas

Cincinnati Bearcats want to get back on track against SMU on Thursday in Dallas

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University of Cincinnati Bearcats Athletics

basketball

January 07, 2021

Cincinnati (2-6, 0-3 AAC) travels to Dallas on Thursday, Jan. 7 to battle SMU (6-1, 2-1). The Bearcats continue their quest for their first league win of the 2020-21 season after dropping a 70-67 decision against Tulsa on Saturday. Keith Williams (18 points) and Zach Harvey (16 points) led the Bearcats, which were neglected in a comeback offer. Brandon Rachal led the Hurricane with 25 points and 13 rebounds.

The SMU suffered their first loss of the season, falling at home to then No. 5 Houston on Sunday, 74-60. Kendric Davis led the Mustangs with 23 points in 8-of-12 shooting with eight rebounds. UC has a 14-5 advantage on their streak with SMU after winning the last seven meetings.

NEXT: UC stays on the move, playing at Wichita State on Sunday, January 10th. Tipoff is 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

CINCINNATI HEADLINES

• Senior Guard Keith Williams finished eighth in the league on Tuesday (15.5 points). He has led the Bearcats on points in five of eight games this season. He has hit double digits in the last four games, averaging 16.5 points while shooting 19 of 24 off the free-throw line.
• Second security guard Jeremiah Davenport averages 11.8 points in the last five games and shoots 50.0 percent (21 of 42) off the field. He ranks among the AAC leaders for percentage of field goals (9th on .509) and 3 point percentage (12th on .414).
• The Bearcats’ first league win this season marks Cincinnati’s 100th win at the American Athletic Conference. UC has won more AAC games than any other league member since the conference leading up to the 2013-14 campaign.
• Williams received the award for the First Team All-AAC in the preseason, while the senior center Chris Vogt received a selection for the Second Team All-AAC, according to league coaches.
• John Brannen is one of six active coaches in the nation to have won a regular season conference championship for the past three seasons (Northern Kentucky) [2018, 2019], Cincinnati [2020]).
• In November, CBS Sports named Cincinnati the tenth largest college basketball program since the NCAA emerged in 1939.

BEARCATS TIP-INS

• CLOSE BUT NOT ALL: Despite six losses this season, UC have played closely against their opponents in almost all competitions. The Bearcats were within three points or less of five of their six losses this season in the last 100 seconds.
• UC followed Xavier (70-67 with 1:04 left) and then no. 12 Tennessee (59-56 with 1:36 left) by three points, USF (73-71 with 41 seconds left) by two points, UCF (71-70 with 1:04 left) by one point and was with Tulsa (63 -63 with 1:30 left).
• LOOK FOR AAC 100TH WINNING: The Bearcats’ first league win this season marks Cincinnati’s 100th win at the American Athletic Conference. UC has won more AAC games than any other league member since the conference leading up to the 2013-14 campaign.
• The UC men’s basketball program has been a member of nine leagues (excluding three stations as an independent player) in its 120-year history. The Bearcats have 100 or more conference wins in two other leagues: 128 in the Missouri Valley Conference (1957-58 to 1969-70) and 123 in Conference USA (1995-96 to 2004-05).
• WILLIAMS ADDS SCORING EFFORT: Keith Williams, last season’s AAC First Team winner, finished eighth in the league on Tuesday with an average of 15.5 points.
• Williams has led the Bearcats in five of eight games this season. He scored 27 points in 10-of-17 with five rebounds against Furman (December 9th) and 18 points with six rebounds and three assists against city rival Xavier (December 6th). .
• Williams has scored double digits in the last four games, averaging 16.5 points, while shooting 19 of 24 off the free-throw line.
• DAVENPORT TRENDING: Second security guard, Jeremiah Davenport, has averaged 11.8 points, 50.0 percent (21 of 42) off the field in the last five games.
• He scored a career high of 18 points in the 6-of-13 shooting in Georgia (December 19). He hit four 3-pointers and scored 14 points at the then No. 12 Tennessee (12/12) and 16 points with seven rebounds and three threes against Tulsa (1/2).
• Davenport went into the game on Tuesday and was among the AAC leaders in percentage of field goals (9th at 0.509) and 3 percent (12th at 0.414).

SCOUTING HIGH SCHOOL

• SMU offers an even attack with four players averaging double-digit points, led by Kendric Davis (19.7 points, 54.3 FG%, 50.0 3FG%) and Feron Hunt (12.0 points, 8.1 Rebounds, 55.7FG%).
• Davis, a selection from the AAC Preseason First Team, tackled Tuesday with points (19.7), assists (6.7), 3-point percentage (0.500) and assist-to-turnover ratio (3.4) the top of the league.
• The SMU takes first or second place in the AAC in nine categories: hit rate (1st at 80.7), percentage of field goals (1st at 0.471), 3-point points (1st at 8.3), defensive Rebounds (1st at 28.3), 3-point percentage (2nd at 0.369), score (2nd at +15.0), blocks (2nd at 5.4), assists (2nd at 17.3) and support to sales ratio (2nd at 1.3).
• The Mustangs fired six out of seven enemies below 40 percent from the ground.