UCF, Houston and Wichita State all picked up American Athletic Conference victories on Sunday, January 8.

Sunday, January 8
Wichita State 70, South Florida 66 - Box Score
UCF 85, SMU 53 - Box Score
No. 2 Houston 72, Cincinnati 59 - Box Score

Wichita State 70, South Florida 66 - Box Score
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Melvion Flanagan scored 16 points off of the bench to help lead Wichita State over South Florida 70-66 on Sunday.

Flanagan was 5 of 9 shooting (4 for 6 from distance) for the Shockers (8-8, 1-3 American Athletic Conference). Kenny Pohto scored 14 points and added 10 rebounds and five assists. James Rojas shot 4 of 8 from the field and 3 for 4 from the line to finish with 11 points, while adding eight rebounds.

Russel Tchewa finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls (7-9, 0-3). South Florida also got 16 points and four assists from Tyler Harris. Sam Hines Jr. also had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Pohto scored six points in the first half and Wichita State went into the break trailing 34-28. Wichita State trailed by 12 points in the second half but went on a 7-0 run to narrow the gap to 54-49 with 7:47 remaining in the half before finishing off the victory.

UCF 85, SMU 53 - Box Score
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Ithiel Horton scored 21 points as UCF beat SMU 85-53 on Sunday.

Horton was 7-of-14 shooting, including 4 for 9 from distance, and went 3 for 4 from the line for the Knights (12-4, 3-1 American Athletic Conference). Taylor Hendricks scored 13 points while going 5 of 8 (1 for 3 from distance), and added eight rebounds. Tyem Freeman recorded 13 points and shot 4 of 5 from the field and 3 for 6 from the line.

The Mustangs (6-10, 1-2) were led in scoring by Ricardo Wright, who finished with 13 points. Efe Odigie added 11 points for SMU. In addition, Keon Ambrose-Hylton finished with nine points.

UCF took the lead with 16:16 left in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 34-25 at halftime, with Horton racking up 12 points. UCF extended its lead to 66-39 during the second half, fueled by a 9-0 scoring run. Freeman scored a team-high 11 points in the second half as his team closed out the win.

No. 2 Houston 72, Cincinnati 59 - Box Score
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jarace Walker scored a game-high 21 points, J’Wan Roberts added 14 points and 11 rebounds and No. 2 Houston defeated Cincinnati 72-59 on Sunday.

The Cougars (15-1, 4-0 American), who defeated the Bearcats in each of the last two American Athletic Conference tournaments, extended their winning streak to seven straight in the series between the two programs.

Cincinnati guard Landers Nolley II knocked down his first four shots — all from 3-point range — to keep the Bearcats (11-6, 2-2), within striking distance. Nolley scored zero points the rest of the way.

Houston, powered by Walker, went on a 12-3 run and never looked back. The 6-foot-8 freshman had 11 points at halftime and the Cougars led 35-28 at the break.

Houston scored seven points off six first-half turnovers for the Bearcats and owned a 16-8 advantage in the paint at intermission.

The Cougars opened the second half with five quick points, including a 3 by Jamal Shead, prompting Cincinnati coach Wes Miller to call a timeout.

The Bearcats then committed another turnover that resulted in a breakaway dunk by Walker.

Cincinnati pulled to within 10 (58-48) with 5:41 to play. Houston led by as many as 20.

Marcus Sasser, the AAC Preseason Player of the Year, finished with 16 points for the Cougars, who extended their overall winning streak to seven games.

Mika Adams-Woods led the Bearcats with 19. Viktor Lakhin added 16.