Tulsa @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 24, 2019 ) Tulsa 64, Cincinnati 88

The first two months of the season have not gone particularly well for Cincinnati, which is hoping to avoid its fifth loss in seven games Wednesday when Tulsa comes to town in American Athletic Conference play. The Bearcats lost at Tulane their last time out, while the Golden Hurricane are coming off an impressive win over Temple.

The Bearcats posted a quality win over Tennessee last month before losing two of their last three, including the loss at Tulane in which the team committed 17 turnovers and missed 20 of its 27 3-pointers. "Listen, we're not a good shooting team," coach John Brannen said. "We probably shouldn't have shot so many 3s. But the bottom line is defense." Cincinnati, meanwhile, allowed Tulane to score nine of the final 11 points and hopes to bounce back against a Tulsa team that held Temple to 44 points its last time out. “It was all about our defense,” coach Frank Haith said. “We did a good job of contesting their shooters and rotating on drives.”

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: ESPNU

ABOUT TULSA (9-5, 1-0 American): The Golden Hurricane limited the Owls to 27.7 percent shooting and 5-of-25 from 3-point range in the dominant defensive performance after allowing an average of 92.7 points over the previous three games. Jeriah Horne and Brandon Rachal combined for 42 points and made seven of the team's eight 3-pointers to fuel things on the offensive end. Horne has posted at least 20 points four times this season, two of which have come in the last three games, and he (11.6) ranks second on the team in scoring behind Rachal (14.8).

ABOUT CINCINNATI (8-6, 1-1): Chris Vogt averages a team-high 13.6 points and has scored in double figures in every game since the season opener, including 40 points over the last two outings. Jarron Cumberland (13.2 points) had 10 points in the last game, set a season high with six assists and matched his season best with six rebounds. Keith Williams (12.4 points) had 18 points versus Tulane after shooting 3-of-19 over the previous two games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. In the last two games, Vogt is 17-of-21 from the field.

2. Nobody on Tulsa has more than the 11 blocks recorded by Rachal, a 6-6 guard.

3. Tulsa has lost eight of the last nine meetings with Cincinnati and is 2-17 all-time on the Bearcats' home court.

PREDICTION: Cincinnati 59, Tulsa 54