PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Two win-streaks continued and a third can now be started as the American Athletic Conference men's basketball teams protected home court and went 3-0 on Tuesday night. Houston continued its undefeated streak as one of 11 unbeaten teams in the country. Cincinnati continues to boast one of the longest unblemished marks as the Bearcats have now won eight-straight games. Memphis also earned a strong win over South Dakota State, 88-80.
Tuesday, December 4
-/rv Cincinnati 78, Northern Kentucky 65
Cincinnati (8-1) extended its winning streak to eight games with a 78-65 win over Northern Kentucky. The Bearcats did so before a crowd of 11,218 at Fifth Third Arena with a dominating performance on the glass, a double-double of a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds from junior forward Trevon Scott and a 26-6 advantage at the free throw line.
The Bearcats also did a defensive number on NKU forward Drew McDonald, the Horizon League pre-season Player of the Year who was held to eight points - 11 below his average - on three-of-15 shooting. He was shut out in the first half when he went zero-for-seven.
NKU (8-2) was off to its best start since it began play in Division I in 2016-17. The Bearcats are 8-0 all-time against the Norse, their most recent win coming on Nov. 27, 1988, at Cincinnati Gardens. This was the first time UC had played NKU since the Norse moved up to Division I.
The Bearcats, who out-rebounded the Norse, 39-31, had five players score in double figures. In addition to Scott, Jarron Cumberland scored 12, and Keith Williams, Justin Jenifer and Nysier Brooks each scored 10. Tyler Sharpe led NKU with 16. UC shot 33 free throws to just 15 for NKU.
UC broke open a 13-13 game with 14 straight points over 4:58 to take a 27-13 lead midway through the first half. The Bearcats' run grew to 21-3 with 4:17 left in the half. After Jenifer connected a three-pointer with 2:54 remaining, the Bearcats led, 41-21.
UC led by 17 at halftime. The Norse trimmed their deficit to 12 with 11:47 to play and had a chance to get within 10 until UC's Logan Johnson came up with a steal and fed Cumberland for a transition layup to spread the Bearcats' lead back to 14.
A Cumberland three-pointer with 10:08 left made it 61-46. After Sharpe made a layup, Scott hit a baseline jump shot as the shot clock neared zero and four points by Brooks gave the Bearcats a 67-48 advantage with 7:55 to play.
Scott, who had made 11 of 19 foul shots this season entering the game, was uncanny at the line. He made his first 12 before finally missing with 13:37 remaining.
rv/rv Houston 79, Lamar 56
Senior point guard Galen Robinson Jr. tied his career high with 20 points and added four assists with a pair of rebounds to lead the University of Houston Men's Basketball program to a 79-56 win over Lamar on Tuesday inside the Fertitta Center in a game presented by Maintenance Supply Headquarters.
A four-year starter for the Cougars, Robinson proved to be extremely efficient on the offensive end. The Houston native and Westbury Christian product equaled his personal scoring best on 7-of-9 shooting from the field and after draining all four tries from the free throw line.
Robinson was one of three Cougars to reach double digits against the Cardinals. Junior guard Armoni Brooks finished with 17 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while freshman guard Nate Hinton posted 14 points with five boards.
With Tuesday's win, the Cougars improved to 7-0 this season and enjoyed their 21st consecutive home win, the second-longest active home winning streak in the nation and trailing only South Dakota State's 24-game streak.
The 2018-19 Cougars also became just the fourth team in school history to start 7-0 and the first since 1997-98.
The two teams went back and forth early before Lamar moved to within 20-19 after Michael Kolawole's free throw with 8:45 remaining in the first half.
However, the Cougars closed out the first half on a 24-6 run with Robinson adding eight points during that stretch. Houston buried 50 percent of its 34 shots in the opening period while limiting the Cardinals to only 32.3 percent (10-of-31).
Lamar forward Josh Nzeakor led the Cardinals with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Edwin Jeudy finished with 11 points. Nick Garth totaled seven points with eight rebounds and three assists in the losing effort.
Memphis 88, South Dakota State 80
Memphis returned to FedExForum for the first time in 17 days and made the most of familiar surroundings.
Getting 22 points each from Jeremiah Martin and Tyler Harris, the Tigers defeated South Dakota State, 88-80, before 13,583. For Martin, the 22 points represented his season high.
Memphis (4-4) snapped a two-game losing streak in the process as it used a strong rebounding performance and solid shooting to improve to 3-0 at home. The Tigers out-rebounded the Jackrabbits, 36-32, and shot a season-best 50.8 percent.
Head coach Penny Hardaway called it a great win against a team that is projected to win its fourth straight Summit League championship (and earn its fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance). Hardaway said his team had to withstand "a three-headed monster" in forward Mike Daum and guards David Jenkins and Skyler Flatten.
A two-time honorable mention All-American, Daum, averaging 24 points and 11 rebounds, was limited to 18 points and four rebounds. Jenkins picked up Daum's slack and finished with a career-high 35 points. Flatten finished with 13 points.
Maurice came off the bench to contribute 10 points, eight rebounds, four blocks and three steals in 21 minutes. Alex Lomax had 12 points, including a key layup and two free throws down the stretch.
Memphis never trailed in the second half, although the Jackrabbits (7-3) trimmed the Tigers' lead to five points (45-39) early in the second half. A few minutes later, the Tigers built a 15-point advantage (60-45) after a three-point play from Martin.
In the first half, the Tigers shot 55.2 percent and forced 16 South Dakota State turnovers to take a 40-32 lead.
Memphis also took advantage of Daum being held to relatively quiet seven points. Daum briefly went to the sidelines after picking up his second foul with 9:16 to go in the opening half.
The Tigers used a 14-3 run in the first half to erase an early 10-5 deficit and take a 19-13 lead. Memphis never trailed the remainder of the half. Three-pointers by Kyvon Davenport and Kareem Brewton were part of the run, as were two layups by Martin.
The 16 first-half turnovers were the most in a game this season by the Jackrabbits. They finished with 23.
Eight of Tiger Raynere Thornton's nine rebounds came in the second half.
South Dakota State's 40-32 halftime deficit represented the first time it had trailed at the break this season.
Tiger freshman guard Tyler Harris had his fourth game of the season with 20 or more points. His career high of 25 came Nov. 25 against Charleston at the AdvoCare Invitational in Orlando.
UPCOMING GAMES