If you had told any AAC basketball fan before the season that Cincinnati and Wichita State would be a combined 10-12 in conference play, they would’ve thought you were crazy. Unfortunately for both teams, they have done little to prove they are anything more than middle-of-the-pack this year. With both teams needing to win the AAC Tournament this March to have any chance to make the NCAA Tournament, seeding for that tournament is key.
With an 85-76 win, Cincinnati basketball was able to keep pace with the rest of the middle of the pack. The Bearcats jumped on the Shockers early and were able to sit on the lead for the rest of the game. With time running out for both teams to get a late-season push, this game held plenty at stake. The Bearcats have a chance to get a solid seed in the AAC Tournament while the Shockers continue to look for answers on how to turn their season around.
Cincinnati Basketball Takes Care of Wichita State, 85-76
Bearcats Jump Shockers Early
The main problem for the Shockers this season has been in giving up too many big runs to their opponents. In the first meeting between these two teams, Wichita State held the lead for most of the game until they fell flat late. The Bearcats did just enough to push past them and steal a win on the road. On Thursday night, the game couldn’t have started worse for the Shockers.
The Bearcats went on a 23-4 run early in the first half to push their lead to 32-11. Wichita State has also struggled with getting consistent offense all season, so at this point, the game was all but Cincinnati’s to lose. It was clear from the body language of Wichita State that they too believed the game to be over. While they made a little push at the end of the first half to cut the lead to seven, the run took too much energy out of them and Cincinnati made sure to close them out.
Bearcats’ Balanced Offense
One of the problems that Cincinnati has faced this season has stemmed from their struggles getting multiple guys going. Cincinnati can get plenty of scoring from John Newman III, Jeremiah Davenport, and David DeJulius, but rarely do they all play well at the same time. Against Wichita State, multiple guys stepped up, and more importantly, didn’t try to take over the game.
While it’s admirable and sometimes necessary for one player to take over a game. At times it can also take their teammates out of their rhythm, turning it into a one-man offensive attack. On Thursday night, the Bearcats shared the ball and got it to teammates in their spots. Not one Cincinnati player scored more than 17 points, but that didn’t matter as three players scored in double figures. If the Bearcats can continue to have success with a more spread out offensive attack, they can measure up against any other team in the AAC.
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