UCF erases late 8-point deficit to edge Cincinnati in Big 12
Riley Kugel scored 15 points that included two baskets that helped send the game into overtime and John Bol added four huge free throws in the extra period as UCF outlasted Cincinnati, 66-65, in a Big 12 tournament second-round game on Wednesday afternoon in Kansas City.
The eighth-seeded Knights (21-10) advanced to the quarterfinals and a matchup with top-seeded Arizona on Thursday afternoon. Cincinnati (18-15), which took an 8-point lead with 2:17 left in regulation, suffered a crushing blow to its NCAA Tournament hopes.
Jamichael Stillwell led the Knights with 17 points and 15 rebounds while Bol added 13 points.
Moustapha Thiam paced Cincinnati with 18 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks. Day Day Thomas added 15 points, Jalen Celestine scored 11 and Keyshuan Tillery hit for 10.
Cincinnati led by 12 midway through the second half, but Kugel's layup cut the margin to 53-50 with 2:57 play. Celestine canned a 3-pointer and Thomas added a pair of free throws with 2:17 to go to build the Bearcats' advantage back to eight points.
But UCF ruled the final stretch, scoring the final eight points as the Bearcats committed three consecutive turnovers. Kugel forged a 58-58 tie with his driving layup with 1:02 to go.
Cincinnati missed two shots in the final minute, including Thomas' 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Bol canned his four free throws over the first 3:02 of the overtime, with the final pair giving the Knights a 66-62 lead. Thomas responded with a ringing 3-pointer to cut the margin to 66-65, but the Bearcats were doomed by a turnover (their 19th of the game) with 40 seconds to play as UCF held on.
Cincinnati used an early 11-0 run, capped by Thomas' jumper at the 15:22 mark, to seize an 11-2 lead. The Bearcats expanded their advantage to 19-9 after a jumper by Tillery with 8:34 remaining in the half.
UCF reeled off 13 of the next 15 points to take a 22-21 lead when Stillwell converted a layup with 4:12 to play until halftime. Thiam's 3-pointer with 2:55 remaining leapfrogged the Bearcats to the top again, then Thiam's 3-point play helped Cincinnati carry a 27-26 edge intto the break.
Thiam led all scorers with 11 points before halftime while Bol's seven points paced the Knights.