Cincinnati holds off UConn 64-60 to keep pace in AAC race
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Cane Broome grew up dreaming of hitting a big shot at the XL Center.
The local kid did that on Sunday, draining a late 3-pointer that helped Cincinnati to a 64-60 road win over UConn.
''I grew up watching UConn,'' said Broome, a senior transfer from Sacred Heart who starred at East Hartford High School. ''We don't have no NBA teams here, so all I knew was UConn. To be able to hit a shot like that against them, it's big.''
Keith Williams scored 12 points and Justin Jennifer and Broome each added 10 points for the Bearcats, who have won 11 of their last 12. The only loss during that stretch came at No. 9 Houston, which leads Cincinnati (23-4, 12-2 American) by a game in the race for the AAC title.
Christian Vital had 14 points and Alterique Gilbert had 13 to lead UConn (13-14, 4-10).
The Bearcats took a three-point lead at the halftime when Tre Scott followed a missed Jarron Cumberland 3-pointer with a layup. The stretched that into a 16-3 run in second half, going up by 15 points and seemingly taking control of the game.
''We got that lead and I'm looking up and I'm just thinking, `Why is there so much time on the clock,''' said Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin.
UConn came all the way back, using a 16-0 run to turn a 50-35 deficit into a one-point lead on a pair of free throws by Vital with just over five minutes to play.
The teams went back and forth before the 3-pointer from the top of the key by Broome, which came at the shot-clock buzzer and gave Cincinnati a 62-58 lead with 12 seconds to play.
A pair of free throws from Williams with five seconds left sealed it.
''That's what a program looks like that's fully formed and has been together and understands what it is,'' said UConn coach Dan Hurley. ''It's about winning.''
The Bearcats are attempting to win back-to-back conference titles for the first time since capturing the Conference USA crown in 2001 and 2002.
UConn dropped below .500 for the first time this season. They need one more win to match their total from a year ago.
BIG PICTURE
Cincinnati: The Bearcats have won seven straight over the Huskies and nine of their last 10 meetings.
UConn: Jalen Adams, UConn's leading scorer at 17 points a game, has not played since suffering a knee injury early in the Huskies loss at Temple on Feb. 6. The Huskies are 0-5 since his injury.
HONORING HISTORY
UConn's 1999 team was honored at halftime on the 20th anniversary of the program's first national title. Former coach Jim Calhoun told the crowd that those players showed Connecticut what a real basketball team looked like.
WINNING STATS
Cincinnati outrebounded UConn 40-30 and made 15 of 16 free throws. UConn was just 13 of 21 from the line.
OFF NIGHT
Cincinnati's Jarron Cumberland, who came in averaging 19 points a game, finished with just eight. Cronin said teams have been knocking his star around, making it hard for him to get his shot.
''If we could guard everybody in our league the way Jarron was guarded the last two games, we'd give up about 22 points a game, as good as we are on defense,'' he said. ''If we were allowed to be as physical as the last two teams have been against Jarron.''
UP NEXT
Cincinnati: The Bearcats travel to Dallas to face SMU on Wednesday.
UConn: The Huskies travel to Kansas to take on Wichita State on Thursday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Â | Jumpball received by Connecticut | Â | |
19:31 | Â | Brendan Adams missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â | |
19:29 | Â | Defensive rebound by Jarron Cumberland | Â | |
19:29 | +3 | Justin Jenifer made 3-pt. jump shot, assist by Jarron Cumberland | 3-0 | |
18:46 | Â | Personal foul on Keith Williams | Â | |
18:30 | Â | Tarin Smith missed jump shot | Â | |
18:28 | Â | Defensive rebound by Justin Jenifer | Â | |
18:06 | Â | Nysier Brooks missed jump shot | Â | |
18:05 | Â | Offensive rebound by Nysier Brooks | Â | |
18:05 | Â | Personal foul on Eric Cobb | Â | |
18:00 | +2 | Keith Williams made floating jump shot | 5-0 | |
17:34 | Â | Personal foul on Nysier Brooks | Â | |
17:21 | Â | Personal foul on Justin Jenifer | Â | |
17:11 | +2 | Tarin Smith made jump shot | 5-2 | |
17:11 | Â | Shooting foul on Nysier Brooks | Â | |
17:11 | Â | Tarin Smith missed free throw | Â | |
17:11 | Â | Defensive rebound by Tre Scott | Â | |
17:07 | Â | Jarron Cumberland missed 3-pt. jump shot, blocked by Tarin Smith | Â | |
17:05 | Â | Defensive rebound by Josh Carlton | Â | |
17:01 | Â | Tarin Smith missed dunk, blocked by Tre Scott | Â | |
16:59 | Â | Offensive rebound by Connecticut | Â | |
16:56 | +2 | Josh Carlton made layup, assist by Tarin Smith | 5-4 | |
16:37 | Â | Personal foul on Tarin Smith | Â | |
16:26 | Â | Keith Williams missed turnaround jump shot | Â | |
16:24 | Â | Defensive rebound by Josh Carlton | Â | |
16:17 | +3 | Tyler Polley made 3-pt. jump shot, assist by Alterique Gilbert | 5-7 | |
15:51 | Â | Jarron Cumberland missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â | |
15:49 | Â | Offensive rebound by Tre Scott | Â | |
15:48 | Â | Jumpball received by Cincinnati | Â | |
15:47 | Â | Traveling violation turnover on Justin Jenifer | Â | |
15:21 | Â | Tyler Polley missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â | |
15:19 | Â | Defensive rebound by Keith Williams | Â | |
15:07 | Â | Out of bounds turnover on Keith Williams | Â | |
15:07 | Â | Lost ball turnover on Josh Carlton | Â | |
14:49 | Â | Traveling violation turnover on Keith Williams | Â | |
14:44 | Â | Personal foul on Trevor Moore | Â | |
14:25 | Â | Personal foul on Eliel Nsoseme | Â | |
14:17 | Â | Lost ball turnover on Josh Carlton, stolen by Tre Scott | Â | |
14:11 | +2 | Cane Broome made floating jump shot | 7-7 | |
13:40 | +2 | Alterique Gilbert made driving layup | 7-9 | |
13:24 | Â | Shooting foul on Josh Carlton | Â | |
13:24 | +1 | Eliel Nsoseme made 1st of 2 free throws | 8-9 | |
13:24 | +1 | Eliel Nsoseme made 2nd of 2 free throws | 9-9 | |
12:57 | Â | Alterique Gilbert missed layup, blocked by Eliel Nsoseme | Â | |
12:55 | Â | Defensive rebound by Rashawn Fredericks | Â | |
12:41 | +3 | Trevor Moore made 3-pt. jump shot, assist by Cane Broome | 12-9 | |
12:22 | Â | Christian Vital missed jump shot | Â | |
12:20 | Â | Defensive rebound by Eliel Nsoseme | Â | |
12:13 | Â | Offensive foul on Eliel Nsoseme | Â | |
12:13 | Â | Turnover on Eliel Nsoseme | Â | |
11:58 | Â | Sidney Wilson missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â | |
11:56 | Â | Defensive rebound by Mamoudou Diarra | Â | |
11:53 | Â | Personal foul on Christian Vital | Â | |
11:47 | Â | Cane Broome missed jump shot | Â | |
11:45 | Â | Offensive rebound by Mamoudou Diarra | Â | |
11:45 | Â | Mamoudou Diarra missed dunk | Â | |
11:43 | Â | Defensive rebound by Sidney Wilson | Â | |
11:32 | +3 | Christian Vital made 3-pt. jump shot, assist by Alterique Gilbert | 12-12 | |
11:12 | +2 | Logan Johnson made driving layup | 14-12 | |
10:53 | Â | Tarin Smith missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â | |
10:51 | Â | Defensive rebound by Cincinnati | Â | |
10:29 | +2 | Mamoudou Diarra made dunk, assist by Keith Williams | 16-12 | |
9:59 | +2 | Eric Cobb made layup, assist by Christian Vital | 16-14 | |
9:45 | Â | Logan Johnson missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â | |
9:43 | Â | Offensive rebound by Cane Broome | Â | |
9:39 | +2 | Logan Johnson made layup, assist by Cane Broome | 18-14 | |
9:24 | Â | Traveling violation turnover on Sidney Wilson | Â | |
9:08 | Â | Keith Williams missed jump shot | Â | |
9:06 | Â | Defensive rebound by Christian Vital | Â | |
8:53 | Â | Alterique Gilbert missed jump shot | Â | |
8:51 | Â | Offensive rebound by Connecticut | Â | |
8:27 | Â | Christian Vital missed layup | Â | |
8:25 | Â | Offensive rebound by Josh Carlton | Â | |
8:25 | Â | Shooting foul on Tre Scott | Â | |
8:25 | +1 | Josh Carlton made 1st of 2 free throws | 18-15 | |
8:25 | Â | Josh Carlton missed 2nd of 2 free throws | Â | |
8:25 | Â | Defensive rebound by Mamoudou Diarra | Â | |
8:00 | Â | Justin Jenifer missed floating jump shot | Â | |
7:58 | Â | Offensive rebound by Mamoudou Diarra | Â | |
7:58 | +2 | Mamoudou Diarra made tip-in | 20-15 | |
7:32 | +2 | Alterique Gilbert made floating jump shot | 20-17 | |
7:05 | Â | Shooting foul on Sidney Wilson | Â | |
7:05 | +1 | Mamoudou Diarra made 1st of 2 free throws | 21-17 | |
7:05 | +1 | Mamoudou Diarra made 2nd of 2 free throws | 22-17 | |
6:46 | Â | Josh Carlton missed layup | Â | |
6:45 | Â | Defensive rebound by Mamoudou Diarra | Â | |
6:46 | Â | Personal foul on Josh Carlton | Â | |
6:27 | Â | Bad pass turnover on Cane Broome, stolen by Christian Vital | Â | |
6:24 | +2 | Christian Vital made driving dunk | 22-19 | |
6:06 | Â | Mamoudou Diarra missed jump shot | Â | |
6:04 | Â | Defensive rebound by Eric Cobb | Â | |
5:55 | Â | Bad pass turnover on Alterique Gilbert, stolen by Jarron Cumberland | Â | |
5:35 | Â | Mamoudou Diarra missed jump shot | Â | |
5:33 | Â | Offensive rebound by Jarron Cumberland | Â | |
5:33 | +2 | Jarron Cumberland made tip-in | 24-19 | |
5:20 | Â | Christian Vital missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â | |
5:18 | Â | Offensive rebound by Alterique Gilbert | Â | |
5:14 | Â | Jumpball received by Connecticut | Â | |
5:12 | Â | Traveling violation turnover on Christian Vital | Â | |
4:59 | Â | Bad pass turnover on Tre Scott | Â | |
4:38 | +2 | Eric Cobb made turnaround jump shot | 24-21 | |
4:38 | Â | Shooting foul on Mamoudou Diarra | Â | |
4:38 | Â | Eric Cobb missed free throw | Â | |
4:38 | Â | Defensive rebound by Mamoudou Diarra | Â | |
4:22 | Â | Bad pass turnover on Mamoudou Diarra, stolen by Alterique Gilbert | Â | |
4:18 | Â | Alterique Gilbert missed layup | Â | |
4:16 | Â | Defensive rebound by Cincinnati | Â | |
4:01 | Â | Keith Williams missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â | |
3:59 | Â | Defensive rebound by Tarin Smith | Â | |
3:52 | Â | Alterique Gilbert missed 3-pt. jump shot, blocked by Keith Williams | Â | |
3:50 | Â | Defensive rebound by Cane Broome | Â | |
3:43 | Â | Offensive foul on Keith Williams | Â | |
3:43 | Â | Turnover on Keith Williams | Â | |
3:18 | +2 | Alterique Gilbert made jump shot | 24-23 | |
3:00 | Â | Shooting foul on Alterique Gilbert | Â | |
3:00 | +1 | Cane Broome made 1st of 2 free throws | 25-23 | |
3:00 | +1 | Cane Broome made 2nd of 2 free throws | 26-23 | |
2:33 | Â | Alterique Gilbert missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â | |
2:31 | Â | Offensive rebound by Eric Cobb | Â | |
2:28 | +2 | Eric Cobb made dunk | 26-25 | |
2:01 | +2 | Justin Jenifer made driving layup | 28-25 | |
1:52 | +2 | Tarin Smith made jump shot, assist by Alterique Gilbert | 28-27 | |
1:28 | +2 | Justin Jenifer made jump shot | 30-27 | |
1:02 | +2 | Eric Cobb made driving layup | 30-29 | |
37.0 | Â | Lost ball turnover on Mamoudou Diarra, stolen by Alterique Gilbert | Â | |
34.0 | Â | Traveling violation turnover on Sidney Wilson | Â | |
4.0 | Â | Jarron Cumberland missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â | |
2.0 | Â | Offensive rebound by Tre Scott | Â | |
1.0 | +2 | Tre Scott made dunk | 32-29 | |
0.0 | Â | End of period | Â |