Cougars Claw Past Bearcats in a Nail-Biter at Fifth Third Arena

In a closely contested battle at Fifth Third Arena, the Houston Cougars edged out the Cincinnati Bearcats with a final score of 67-62. The Cougars, ranked fifth nationally and carrying an impressive record, managed to hold off the unranked Bearcats who fought valiantly but fell short in their efforts. The game was marked by its competitive nature, with two lead changes and the score tied twice.

The Cincinnati Bearcats started strong, leading the first half by three points. However, despite their initial momentum and playing on their home court before an energetic crowd of 12,715 fans, they couldn't maintain their advantage through to the end of the game. The Bearcats' offense was led by aggressive play inside the paint where they scored 22 points but struggled from beyond the arc with only a thirty percent success rate on three-point attempts.

Defensively, Cincinnati put up a solid effort with three blocks and two steals but were outrebounded by Houston's 41 total rebounds compared to their own 34. This discrepancy proved crucial as it allowed Houston multiple second-chance opportunities which resulted in twenty-two second-chance points for them.

On offense for Cincinnati, free throws were a key factor as they made eighteen out of twenty-five attempts accounting for nearly thirty percent of their total points. However, turnovers were an issue; eight player turnovers contributed to nine Houston points off turnovers.

The Cougars' victory was not without its challenges as they faced staunch defense from Cincinnati that limited them to just nineteen percent shooting from three-point range. Yet Houston's ability to draw fouls and convert at the free-throw line (seventy-one percent) helped secure their win despite committing twenty personal fouls themselves.

Looking ahead for the Cincinnati Bearcats is another challenge as they prepare to host Iowa State Cyclones at Fifth Third Arena on February 13th at 7:00 PM EST. Fans can catch all action live on ESPN2 channel 209 as both teams look forward to this upcoming matchup in Ohio's Queen City.