Houston @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 10, 2019 ) Cincinnati 58, Houston 65

No. 12 Houston has clinched at least a share of the American Athletic Conference regular-season title and the Cougars look to keep it all to themselves when they visit second-place Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon. Houston assured itself the top seed in next week’s league tournament with a 90-79 win over SMU, along with 19th-ranked Cincinnati’s loss at Central Florida, on Thursday and tied the program record of 28 wins in the regular season (1967-68).

“It means everything,” Cougars senior guard Corey Davis Jr. told reporters after scoring 17 points in Thursday’s win. “We worked very hard and have been so determined. We fought every game. … It’s a testament to how hard we’ve worked and how bad we really want this.” Houston earned its first regular-season crown since sharing the 1991-92 Southwest Conference championship, while the Bearcats can get a piece of a title in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2001 and 2002 in Conference USA on Sunday by improving to 17-0 at home all time against the Cougars. Cincinnati had won 13 of 14 contests, losing only to Houston 65-58 on Feb. 10, before shooting just 37.1 percent from the field in the 58-55 loss at UCF. “We had too many breakdowns,” Bearcats coach Mick Cronin told reporters. “. … We got what we deserved.”

TV: Noon ET, CBS

ABOUT HOUSTON (28-2, 15-2, American): Davis is ending his career with a flourish, averaging 20.6 points and draining 24-of-47 from behind the arc over the last five games to improve his team-best scoring mark to 16.2. Junior guard Armoni Brooks (13.7 points, team-high 6.5 rebounds) registered his first double-double of the season Thursday by scoring 20 and hauling in 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard DeJon Jarreau is averaging 12.3 points and has connected on 16-of-25 from the field the last four games while senior forward Breaon Brady scored 16 against SMU after totaling the same amount the previous seven contests.

ABOUT CINCINNATI (25-5, 14-3): Junior guard Jarron Cumberland is third in the league in scoring (18.3) and tops the team in assists (3.6), but has made just 21-of-65 from the field - 2-of-17 from 3-point range - over his past five games. Junior forward Tre Scott, who leads the team in rebounding (6.6), stepped up with 20 points - more than 11 above his average - along with nine boards and three assists in the loss to UCF. Sophomore guard Keith Williams (10.6) is the only other player averaging in double figures scoring while senior guard Justin Jenifer (8.4 points) is among the national leaders in assist-turnover ratio (3.82).

TIP-INS

1. Cincinnati junior C Nysier Brooks has averaged nine rebounds in the last three games and had 10 boards at Houston last month.

2. Houston senior G Galen Robinson Jr., who leads the team in assists (5.3), will move into second in club history with his 130th appearance Sunday.

3. Cumberland scored 27 points in the first matchup this season, but the Bearcats lost for just the fourth time in 35 meetings with the Cougars.

PREDICTION: Cincinnati 68, Houston 66