UCF vs. Cincinnati in Big 12 Tourney: Knights get another shot at Bearcats with NCAA stakes rising
UCF’s path in the Big 12 Tournament is now set.
No. 8 seed UCF will face No. 9 seed Cincinnati on Wednesday at 3 p.m. EST on ESPN at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City after the Bearcats knocked off No. 16 seed Utah, 73-66, in Tuesday’s first-round game. Cincinnati improved to 18-14 with the win.
It will be the third meeting between the two teams this season. UCF edged Cincinnati, 73-72, on Jan. 11 in Orlando, then the Bearcats answered with a convincing 92-72 win on Feb. 8 in Cincinnati.
From UCF’s perspective, a win would go a long way toward removing any suspense on Selection Sunday. The Knights entered the tournament with a 20-10 record, a 9-9 Big 12 mark, five Quad 1 wins and metrics that represented the best stretch of the program’s Big 12 era.
Entering the day, UCF was No. 48 in the NET and No. 38 in Wins Above Bubble (WAB). The latest compilation from Bracket Matrix projects the Knights as a No. 10 seed based on current metrics.
For Cincinnati, the equation appears tougher. The Bearcats took care of the first step Tuesday, but their overall résumé still looks more fragile. They rank ahead of UCF in the NET (No. 46) with three wins vs. Quad 1 teams, but No. 62 in WAB. Cincinnati must beat UCF and No. 1 Arizona on Thursday to have a chance to be considered, and it would still not be a sure thing.
The Bearcat headliners vs. Utah were Baba Miller, Jalen Celestine and former Knight Moustapha Thiam. Miller posted 11 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Celestine scored 19 points and hit 5 of 8 from beyond the arc. Thiam added 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Keyshuan Tillery chipped in eight points off the bench, while Sencire Harris had five points in limited minutes.
Over the full season, Cincinnati averages 73.4 points per game and allows 67.6, while shooting 43.4 percent from the floor and 33.7 percent from 3.
Miller leads the team in scoring at 13.3 points per game and rebounding at 10.3, Thiam averages 12.6 points and 6.8 rebounds with 45 blocks, Day Day Thomas scores 11.4 per game and Jizzle James adds 11.1 while shooting 43.0 percent from 3. Celestine is another major perimeter threat at 40.9 percent from deep.
In conference games, Thiam has actually been Cincinnati’s most productive scorer at 14.0 points per game.
After their win, Cincinnati coach Wes Miller was asked about facing UCF for a third time.
“I think they’re deep. They’re old. They’re tough,” Miller said of Johnny Dawkins’ Knights. “They’re very dynamic offensively. They have a ton of guys that can shoot it over the top. They can play it through the post. Their guard play is good. But that’s like any Big 12 game. Great players. Depth. They’re a two-way team. They defend, they play offense. We’re going to have to be good on the boards.”
Rebounding is usually the Knights’ clearest path to victory. The Knights are 17-1 when they win the rebounding battle and 10-1 when they grab at least 40 rebounds. Jamichael Stillwell, who has been nursing a sprained ankle in recent weeks, has been central to that formula, entering postseason play with seven double-doubles while ranking third in the Big 12 in offensive rebounds at 3.14 per game and seventh in the league in overall rebounding at 7.6 per game.
UCF point guard Themus Fulks enters the tournament ranked second in the Big 12 and 10th nationally in assists per game at 6.8, and he has already broken the program’s single-season assist record.
Riley Kugel leads the team in scoring at 14.7 points per game, while Fulks is at 14.4 and Stillwell at 13.3.
