Field Level Media
Feb 1, 2020
Cincinnati wiped out a 15-point deficit in the second half, taking advantage of visiting Houston's inability to make a field goal for almost 11 minutes in a 64-62 upset over the No. 21 Cougars in an American Athletic Conference game Saturday.
The Bearcats (14-7, 7-2 AAC) outscored Houston 22-7 in the last 11:30 of the game. They increased their winning streak to four games and snapped a five-game winning streak for Houston (17-5, 7-2).
Keith Williams helped fuel the comeback with 10 of his 12 points in the second half. Jarron Cumberland led the Bearcats with 17 points and seven assists. Tre Scott had 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Marcus Sasser led Houston with 17 points, and Nate Hinton had 16 points and eight rebounds.
In the midst of Houston's collapse at the end, guard DeJon Jarreau was ejected from the game with 6:16 remaining in regulation for a flagrant-2 foul of biting Williams on the leg during a tussle for a loose ball.
Cumberland made one of the two technical free throws to cut Cincinnati's deficit to 57-56, capping an 11-0 stretch by the Bearcats.
Hinton made two free throws with 5:01 left to give Houston a 59-56 lead and snap a scoreless streak of 4:47 for the Cougars.
But Cincinnati scored eight straight points to take a 64-59 lead with 1:00 left.
A jumper by Caleb Mills with 43 seconds left snapped Houston's stretch of 10:47 without a made field goal. The shot cut Cincinnati's lead to 64-61.
After a turnover by Cincinnati, Houston's Brison Gresham was fouled with nine seconds left, and he made one of two free throws to cut the lead to 64-62.
The miss on the second attempt was rebounded by Houston's Cedrick Alley Jr. Mills then attempted a jumper at the buzzer, and it fell short.
The Bearcats trailed by as many as 13 in the first half, including 40-30 at halftime.
--Field Level Media