Can the Cincinnati Bearcats Bounce Back After Narrow Loss at Foster Pavilion?
The Cincinnati Bearcats faced a tough challenge against the Baylor Bears, with both teams ending their previous game with a score of 59-62. The Bearcats now stand at an even record, while the Bears improved their season performance.
In a closely contested battle at Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas, the Cincinnati Bearcats fell just short against the 14th-ranked Baylor Bears. Despite a strong start that saw them tied at 27 points each by halftime, the Bearcats couldn't maintain their momentum into the second half. The home team edged ahead to secure a three-point victory.
The Bearcats showcased resilience throughout the game, particularly in their scoring within paint where they racked up 32 points. Their defense was also noteworthy; they managed to block one shot and steal seven times from their opponents. However, it was not enough to overcome Baylor's precision on two-point attempts which stood at an impressive 61 percent success rate.
Cincinnati's offensive efforts were led by aggressive play that resulted in 20 successful two-point shots out of 40 attempts – achieving a solid conversion rate of 50 percent. From beyond the arc though, they struggled with only four out of twenty-one three-pointers finding their mark – translating to just 19 percent accuracy.
Free throws were another area where improvement could be made for Cincinnati; they made seven out of twelve attempts which amounted to only about half (58 percent) being successful. In contrast, Baylor capitalized on these opportunities with an efficient free throw percentage of around three-quarters (72 percent).
On top of this offensive output, Cincinnati also fought hard for rebounds grabbing a total of thirty-two boards - equally split between defensive and offensive rebounds - demonstrating tenacity on both ends of the court.
Despite these efforts and maintaining an assists-to-turnover ratio above one (1.57), personal fouls proved costly for Cincinnati as sixteen infractions allowed Baylor additional chances to score from free throws.
Looking ahead after this close encounter and learning from it will be crucial for Cincinnati as they prepare to host TCU Horned Frogs at Fifth Third Arena in Ohio on January 16th at around six o'clock local time (Eastern). Fans eager to follow this matchup can tune into ESPN+ over internet streaming services for live coverage.