Offensive woes haunt Tulane once again in 78-61 loss to No. 20 Cincinnati

Posted on January 21, 2017 at 5:06 PM
William Guillory


The Tulane men's basketball team's inconsistencies on the offensive end came back to bite them once again in a 78-61 loss to 20th-ranked Cincinnati at Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.

"I was pretty disappointed with our first half," Tulane coach Mike Dunleavy said. "Turnovers and second-chance points in the first half really buried us. A lot were unforced, a lot were careless."

Baton Rouge native Jacob Evans led the way for Cincinnati with 15 points and four rebounds, while Quadri Moore was also able to add 14 points and six rebounds off the bench.

The Bearcats handed Tulane (4-15, 1-6 in AAC) its eighth loss in the past nine games.

(Cincinnati is) the toughest team in the league," Tulane forward Cam Reynolds said. "They bring the hit to you first on box outs every single time they go to the offensive rebounds, so you've gotta make sure that you're always on point. You can't ever relax whenever you're playing them on offense or defense."

Despite playing in front of a crowd that was packed with mostly Cincinnati (17-2, 7-0 in AAC) fans, the Green Wave came out with a ton of energy to begin the game and found themselves trailing, 13-12, midway through the first half.

But once that energy wore off, the Bearcats began to settle in and built up their lead with an 18-4 run that gave them a 31-16 advantage despite dealing with quite a bit of foul trouble early on.

Tulane only made five field goals as a team by the end of the half, shooting 26 percent from the field, and went into halftime with Cincinnati holding a 38-22 lead.

"We had some good shots, but we were just missing them," Tulane center Ryan Smith said. "We got to spots where we think we can make opportunities happen, we just weren't connecting."

The Green Wave picked things up on offense in the second half, but they were unable to get enough stops on defense to work their way back into the game.

While Tulane kept things relatively close in the first half by forcing the Bearcats into 11 turnovers, Cincinnati tightened things up after halftime and only turned the ball over seven times in the second half.

After eliminating those self-inflicted mistakes, the Bearcats were able to pull away from the Green Wave by shooting 59 percent from the field as a unit in the final 20 minutes, which helped them hold on to a sizable lead the rest of the way.

Reynolds finished with a game-high 20 points and five rebounds. Ryan Smith also added 15 points and three rebounds.

"I think we brought the intensity that we needed and we executed whatever (Dunleavy) drew up," Reynolds said. "Every time he drew up a play, 90 percent of the time we ran it correctly. We've just gotta get it fixed on the defensive end.

"We played great stretches (on defense), but once we get that figured it out we're gonna scare a lot of teams."

http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/201...iver_index

No. 20 Cincinnati rolls past Tulane 78-61

NEW ORLEANS -- Jacob Evans scored 15 points and No. 20 Cincinnati's defense stifled Tulane in the first half as the Bearcats won their 10th consecutive game, 78-61 on Saturday.

Cincinnati (17-2, 7-0 American Athletic Conference) shot 56 percent from the field and the Green Wave (4-15, 1-6) shot 45 percent and made just five first-half field goals as it lost for the eighth time in its last nine games.

The Bearcats overcame 23 fouls that enabled the Green Wave to have a nine-point advantage at the free throw line.

Evans was joined in double figures by three teammates who scored 14 points apiece -- Quadri Moore, Troy Caupain and Kevin Johnson.

Cameron Reynolds led Tulane with 20 points, Ryan Smith scored 15 and Melvin Frazier had 11.

Moore, averaging 2.8 points in 7.8 minutes per game, had 11 points in nine first-half minutes as the Bearcats overcame a slow start to take a 38-22 halftime lead.

BIG PICTURE

Cincinnati: The Bearcats were sloppy at times, but took care of business to remain the only undefeated team in AAC play.

Tulane: The Green Wave were outmanned and it showed just as it did in a 36-point loss to the Bearcats in Cincinnati three weeks earlier.

UP NEXT

Cincinnati will try to keep its streak going Thursday in a non-conference home game against cross-town rival Xavier, which is lurking right behind it in the Top 25.

Tulane will try to end its losing streak as it takes to the road, visiting Houston on Tuesday and Connecticut on Saturday.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketb...=400916593

No. 20 Cincinnati rolls past Tulane 78-61 (Jan 21, 2017)
AP
Jan 21, 2017 at 7:35p ET

NEW ORLEANS (AP) No. 20 Cincinnati found itself in first-half foul trouble, but junior forward Quadri Moore came off the bench to help the Bearcats pull away in a 78-61 victory against Tulane on Saturday at Devlin Fieldhouse.

Moore, averaging 2.8 points in 7.8 minutes per game, had 11 points in nine first-half minutes as the Bearcats (17-2, 7-0 in the American Athletic Conference) overcame a slow start to take a 38-22 halftime lead and coasted to their 10th consecutive victory.

”Obviously, Quadri Moore was the start of the game,” Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said. ”To have a winning streak you’re not going to win the same way every time. Every game is different and today was very different.”

Moore was one of four Bearcats to score in double figures. Troy Caupain and Kevin Johnson matched Moore’s 14 points and Jacob Evans had a team-high 15.

”I’m probably not part of any team’s scouting report,” Moore said. ”That probably makes my life easier.”

The Bearcats overcame 23 fouls that enabled the Green Wave (4-15, 1-6) to have a nine-point advantage at the foul line. Tulane, losing for the eight time in nine games, made just five field goals in the first half.

Moore tied for the game-high with six rebounds as Cincinnati had a 31-25 advantage.

”He came up big for us today,” Evans said. ”He not only was knocking down shots, but he gave us strong defensive play and was rebounding on both ends.

”He’s one of the better perimeter shooters on the team. He can come up with a big basket when we need one and that’s what he did today.”

Cameron Reynolds led Tulane with 20 points, Ryan Smith scored 15 and Melvin Frazier had 11.

”(The Bearcats) are the toughest team in the league,” Reynolds said. ”They bring the hit to you first, so you can’t ever relax on offense or defense.”

BIG PICTURE

Cincinnati: The Bearcats were sloppy at times, but took care of business to remain the only undefeated team in AAC play.

Tulane: The Green Wave were outmanned and it showed just as it did in a 36-point loss to the Bearcats in Cincinnati three weeks earlier.

TURNING POINT

With starters Jacob Evans and Kyle Washington on the bench because of two fouls apiece, Moore made a jumper, then back-to-back 3-pointers as Cincinnati extended a 23-16 lead to 31-16 late in the first half. The lead never shrunk to fewer than 10 points after that.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

At least half the crowd was comprised of Cincinnati fans. A large group of boosters accompanied the team on its flight, a busload of students rolled into New Orleans on Saturday and Evans had numerous friends a family from his hometown of nearby Baton Rouge. ”It felt like a home game,” Moore said. ”I think that made us feel more comfortable than we usually feel on the road.”

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Cincinnati has a chance to move up a spot after No. 19 Florida lost to Vanderbilt 68-66 on Saturday.

UP NEXT

Cincinnati will try to keep its streak going Thursday in a non-conference home game against cross-town rival Xavier, which is lurking right behind it in the Top 25.

Tulane

Tulane will try to get back in the win column as it takes to the road, visiting Houston on Tuesday and Connecticut on Saturday.

http://www.foxsports.com/college-basketb...-61-012117

Moore comes up big to help UC over Tulane
Tom Groeschen , tgroeschen@enquirer.com Published 6:12 p.m. ET Jan. 21, 2017 | Updated 1 hour ago


NEW ORLEANS – More than 150 University of Cincinnati RallyCats, boosters and donors found themselves cheering for an unlikely Bearcats basketball hero here Saturday.

Junior forward Quadri Moore came off the bench to score a career-high 14 points, and the No. 20 Bearcats easily beat the outmanned Tulane Green Wave 78-61 at Devlin Fieldhouse.

Moore made his points count, with 11 coming during a game-changing juncture of the first half. The 6-foot-8 Moore made 3-of-3 three-point attempts in that span, as UC built its lead from 13-12 to 31-16.

“Quad-ri Moore! Quad-ri Moore!” the black-shirted UC RallyCats student section chanted. The students, who numbered 100-plus for a special bus trip to New Orleans, also held up a “Quad Squad” sign. UC also had 50-plus boosters/donors in attendance, with most flying down on the team charter Friday.

Sophomore wing Jacob Evans led UC with 15 points. Baton Rouge native Evans had his own rooting section, with about 25 family members attending. Baton Rouge is about 80 miles northwest of New Orleans.

Senior guards Troy Caupain and Kevin Johnson each had 14 points for UC, which overcame foul trouble to win handily. UC had 23 fouls in the tightly officiated game. The Bearcats entered the game tied for No. 9 nationally in fewest fouls per game (15.3).

UC (17-2, 7-0 American Athletic Conference) won its 10th straight game. The Bearcats next play No. 22 Xavier in the annual Crosstown Shootout on Thursday at Fifth Third Arena (7 p.m., ESPN2).

Tulane (4-15, 1-6 AAC) lost for the eighth time in nine games, and second time in two meetings against UC this season. UC beat the Green Wave 92-56 on Jan. 1 at Fifth Third Arena.

The Bearcats were picked by AAC coaches to win the league in a preseason poll, while Tulane was a unanimous choice to finish last in the 11-team league.

UC was never in trouble after building a 16-point halftime lead. The Tulane defense entered the day ranked last in the league in scoring defense (79 per game), and showed why. UC shot 56.4 percent for the game, while Tulane hit 45.7 percent.

EARLY GOING: UC led 38-22 at halftime, despite several players getting into early foul trouble.

Usual top scorers Jacob Evans and Kyle Washington both drew two fouls within the first five minutes, with both sitting out the rest of the first half. Gary Clark, Moore and Nysier Brooks also all drew two fouls before halftime.

Moore came in to score 11 points in the first half, surpassing his career single-game high of 10. They were important points as well. All of Moore’s 11 first-half points came during an 18-4 scoring surge, which lifted UC from a 13-12 lead to a 31-16 lead.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/c.../96891276/

Playing against Cincinnati will make every NCAA team have "offensive woes."

Thanks ctip! I derive such pleasure in our foe's media trying to desperately put some positive spin on the loss while often being more complementary of the bearcats than our own media.

Moore comes up big to help UC over Tulane
Tom Groeschen , tgroeschen@enquirer.com Published 6:12 p.m. ET Jan. 21, 2017 | Updated 12 minutes ago


NEW ORLEANS – More than 150 University of Cincinnati RallyCats, boosters and donors found themselves cheering for an unlikely Bearcats basketball hero here Saturday.

Junior forward Quadri Moore came off the bench to score a career-high 14 points, and the No. 20 Bearcats easily beat the outmanned Tulane Green Wave 78-61 at Devlin Fieldhouse. It was the 10th straight win for UC (17-2, 7-0 American Athletic Conference).

Moore made his points count, with 11 coming during a game-changing juncture of the first half. The 6-foot-8 Moore made 3 of 3 three-point attempts in that span, as UC built its lead from 13-12 to 31-16. Moore was in the game because UC had several players in early foul trouble, in a tightly officiated game.

“Any time I go in the game, I’m just trying to get my shots off of what we’re running in our offense,” Moore said. “Usually when I go in it’s just spread out, so it makes things easier on me because I can step out, and the other team doesn’t expect that I’m going to be able to do that. So, I get a bunch of easy shots.”

The 6-foot-8 Moore also had a season-high six rebounds and played a career-high 20 minutes. Moore entered the game averaging 2.8 points, in 7.8 minutes per game.

“Quad-ri Moore! Quad-ri Moore!” the black-shirted UC RallyCats student section chanted several times. The students, who numbered 100-plus for a special bus trip to New Orleans, also sometimes displayed a “Quad Squad” sign. UC also had 50-plus boosters/donors in attendance, with most flying down on the team charter Friday.

“It felt like a home game, really,” Moore said. “I think that’s what made us more pumped up than we would usually be on the road. It was a great thing to have.”

The UC contingent took over the arena with sheer noise, as a total of 2,001 fans watched at the 4,100-seat arena. Appreciative UC players walked up into the stands afterward and stood shoulder to shoulder with the RallyCats, as all sang the school alma mater.

“We brought a lot of boosters on our plane, so we appreciate them,” UC coach Mick Cronin said. “Obviously the RallyCats students, they’re the best. Tremendous energy from them.”

Sophomore wing Jacob Evans led UC with 15 points, and senior guards Troy Caupain and Kevin Johnson joined Moore with 14 points each.

Baton Rouge native Evans had his own rooting section, with about 25 family members watching. Baton Rouge is about 80 miles northwest of New Orleans.

“A lot of family and friends came out to watch us play,” Evans said. “They wanted to come cheer on the team. It’s been a while since I’ve been back home to play in front of them.”

Evans took an early seat with two fouls, as did junior forward Kyle Washington. Washington eventually fouled out in just nine total minutes, after he scored four points. Evans and freshman center Nysier Brooks each had four fouls, among a total of 23 for UC. The Bearcats entered the game tied for No. 9 nationally in fewest fouls per game (15.3). Tulane finished with 14 fouls.

Cronin got on the officials several times. As always, to no avail.

“You’ve got to adjust,” Cronin said. “I was telling them when you go to block shots, block it as soft as you can. When they’re calling a foul on everything we do, you’ve got to find a way to play defense without fouling. It made us gun-shy I think, definitely in the second half. Then late in the game we changed defenses, because I was sick of it. So, we played a little zone.”

Tulane (4-15, 1-6 AAC) lost for the eighth time in nine games, and second time in two meetings against UC this season. UC beat the Green Wave 92-56 on Jan. 1 at Fifth Third Arena. Junior guard Cameron Reynolds led Tulane with 20 points Saturday.

The Bearcats were picked by AAC coaches to win the league in a preseason poll. Tulane was a unanimous choice to finish last in the 11-team league.

UC was never in trouble after building a 38-22 halftime lead. The Tulane defense entered the day ranked last in the league in scoring defense (79 per game), and showed why. UC shot 56.4 percent for the game, while Tulane hit 45.7 percent.

TURNING POINT: Moore had 11 points in the first half, surpassing his career single-game high of 10 points. They were important points, too. All of Moore’s 11 first-half points came during an 18-4 scoring surge, which lifted UC from a 13-12 lead to a 31-16 lead.

“Obviously Quadri Moore was the star of the game for us, with our foul trouble in the first half,” Cronin said. “Usually you’re trying to survive with Jacob and Kyle on the bench, your two leading scorers. Instead, we pulled away because (Moore) played an unbelievable game. And not just his scoring, I thought his defensive rebounding was excellent. He did a good job on both ends.

“That was really the key to the game. That’s when we pulled away, when he was in there.”

MORE MOORE: The soft-spoken Moore often is the first Bearcat to report for practice, for extra shooting. Moore has spent most of his career on the bench, but said games such as Saturday made it all worth it.

“It feels good,” Moore said, smiling. “I’m part of the team too. I’m probably not on a bunch of people’s scouting report, so it makes my life much easier. It feels good to have a day like this every once in a while.”

SHOOTOUT LOOMS: UC next plays No. 22 Xavier in the annual Crosstown Shootout on Thursday at Fifth Third Arena (7 p.m., ESPN2). XU has won the last three games in the series, and seven of the last nine.

“The next game is the next game,” Cronin said. “We need to win. The game is played on the floor. Everything surrounding the game is for everybody else. The game is decided by players. If our players play better than their players, we’ll win. Everything else is just noise.”

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/c.../96891276/

Quotes like this make me cheer that much harder for quad squad

Quote:“It feels good,” Moore said, smiling. “I’m part of the team too. I’m probably not on a bunch of people’s scouting report, so it makes my life much easier. It feels good to have a day like this every once in a while.”