01-15-2009, 05:53 AM
UC snaps conference skid
Bearcats rally, defeat Rutgers
By Bill Koch • bkoch@enquirer.com • January 14, 2009
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UC freshman Yancy Gates gets the block on Rutgers' J.R. Inman in the first half.
The University of Cincinnati Bearcats’ long Big East Conference losing streak is over.
UC (11-6 overall, 1-3 in the Big East) overcame a 16-point first-half deficit to defeat Rutgers, 71-59, Wednesday night at Fifth Third Arena, ending a string of nine straight defeats in Big East games dating to Feb. 20 of last year.
The Bearcats, who went nine and a half minutes without a field goal in the first half, stopped an overall four-game losing streak.
Rutgers (9-9, 0-5) has lost six in a row, five to Top 25 opponents.
UC also ended a string of three straight games in which its opponent scored more than 80 points and shot better than 50 percent from the field.
Deonta Vaughn led UC with 24 points, a season-high eight rebounds, and five assists. Mike Williams matched his career high with 20 points.
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Rutgers' Gregory Echenique boxes out the Bearcats' Mike Williams in the second half.
After shooting 56.5 percent in the first half, Rutgers made just nine of 31 shots in the second half.
Trailing by seven at halftime, the Bearcats began the second half on a 9-2 run to pull even at 38-38 on Vaughn’s long 3-pointer with 16:05 left in the game.
They went ahead on Williams’ follow shot, then continued on what would become a 21-4 run to take 50-40 lead on a Williams jump shot with 12:36 to go.
Rutgers came back to get within four on three straight baskets by Mike Coburn, but UC answered with a jump shot from Williams and a basket by Vaughn to push the lead back to eight with 6:12 remaining.
Rutgers got no closer than six the rest of the way.
The Bearcats led, 13-10, after a Vaughn basket with 12:46 left in the first half. They would go 8:23 before they would score again on two Steve Toyloy free throws.
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UC's Deonta Vaughn grabs a loose ball in front of Rutgers' Mike Rosario in the second half of the Bearcats' 71-59 win Wednesday night.
During that time, Rutgers scored 19 unanswered points while UC misfired on 18 straight shots and committed two turnovers.
By the time the Bearcats scored again, they trailed, 29-13, with 4:23 left in the half.
Williams ended the field goal drought with a jump shot at the 3:15 mark, leaving nine and a half minutes between baskets for the Bearcats.
If the UC offense was bad – and it was – its much-maligned defense wasn’t much better.
The Scarlet Knights, who entered the game shooting 40.3 percent from the field in their four conference games, helped themselves to 56.5 percent shooting in the first half against the Bearcats, who needed to rally at the end of the half to pull themselves up to 26.3 percent.
About the only thing UC did well in the first half was take care of the ball. The Bearcats committed only three first-half turnovers, unless you count all the missed shots.
UC didn’t make its first 3-pointer until Rashad Bishop sank one with less than a minute to go in the half.
Despite its horrendous shooting, UC recovered late in the half to get within seven at intermission.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090.../301140114
Bearcats rally, defeat Rutgers
By Bill Koch • bkoch@enquirer.com • January 14, 2009
UC freshman Yancy Gates gets the block on Rutgers' J.R. Inman in the first half.
The University of Cincinnati Bearcats’ long Big East Conference losing streak is over.
UC (11-6 overall, 1-3 in the Big East) overcame a 16-point first-half deficit to defeat Rutgers, 71-59, Wednesday night at Fifth Third Arena, ending a string of nine straight defeats in Big East games dating to Feb. 20 of last year.
The Bearcats, who went nine and a half minutes without a field goal in the first half, stopped an overall four-game losing streak.
Rutgers (9-9, 0-5) has lost six in a row, five to Top 25 opponents.
UC also ended a string of three straight games in which its opponent scored more than 80 points and shot better than 50 percent from the field.
Deonta Vaughn led UC with 24 points, a season-high eight rebounds, and five assists. Mike Williams matched his career high with 20 points.
Rutgers' Gregory Echenique boxes out the Bearcats' Mike Williams in the second half.
After shooting 56.5 percent in the first half, Rutgers made just nine of 31 shots in the second half.
Trailing by seven at halftime, the Bearcats began the second half on a 9-2 run to pull even at 38-38 on Vaughn’s long 3-pointer with 16:05 left in the game.
They went ahead on Williams’ follow shot, then continued on what would become a 21-4 run to take 50-40 lead on a Williams jump shot with 12:36 to go.
Rutgers came back to get within four on three straight baskets by Mike Coburn, but UC answered with a jump shot from Williams and a basket by Vaughn to push the lead back to eight with 6:12 remaining.
Rutgers got no closer than six the rest of the way.
The Bearcats led, 13-10, after a Vaughn basket with 12:46 left in the first half. They would go 8:23 before they would score again on two Steve Toyloy free throws.
UC's Deonta Vaughn grabs a loose ball in front of Rutgers' Mike Rosario in the second half of the Bearcats' 71-59 win Wednesday night.
During that time, Rutgers scored 19 unanswered points while UC misfired on 18 straight shots and committed two turnovers.
By the time the Bearcats scored again, they trailed, 29-13, with 4:23 left in the half.
Williams ended the field goal drought with a jump shot at the 3:15 mark, leaving nine and a half minutes between baskets for the Bearcats.
If the UC offense was bad – and it was – its much-maligned defense wasn’t much better.
The Scarlet Knights, who entered the game shooting 40.3 percent from the field in their four conference games, helped themselves to 56.5 percent shooting in the first half against the Bearcats, who needed to rally at the end of the half to pull themselves up to 26.3 percent.
About the only thing UC did well in the first half was take care of the ball. The Bearcats committed only three first-half turnovers, unless you count all the missed shots.
UC didn’t make its first 3-pointer until Rashad Bishop sank one with less than a minute to go in the half.
Despite its horrendous shooting, UC recovered late in the half to get within seven at intermission.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090.../301140114