by Parker Fields
This one started with lots of action and lots of scoring. Cincinnati got out to an early 5-0 lead with a layup by John Newman III followed by a three from Jeremiah Davenport. Fifth Third Arena was rocking. Following that, this half was pretty much all Tulane.
Tulane put all legitimately one of the most impressive halves of basketball that I have ever witnessed. First, it was the Inside Duo of Jaylen Forbes and Kevin Cross continuously hitting contested fall-away jump shots and contested layups. The duo had the team's first 15 points of this game and they looked as if they were going to be impossible to guard all night. However, the Bearcats were able to stop these for the rest of the half just about.
The problem is their best player and one of the best players in the AAC Jalen Cook got cooking. He was impossible to guard for the Bearcats
on the defensive end as he was hitting some crazy contested shots you wouldn’t expect a player to make. He led his Tulane team to a 48-25 lead at the half.
On the other end, the Bearcats had no answer for Tulane’s zone defense and could not consistently get good looks at the rim which led to many poor three-point shot attempts. Cook finished the half with 17 points
on 6/9 shooting and 3/5 from three. Cincinnati was led by Jeremiah Davenport who had eight points at the break.
The second half was very different for Cincinnati at least on the defensive end of the floor. The Bearcats started to get stops consistently and were starting to score and attack more in transition. The game pretty much had the same pattern most of the half. The Bearcats would
constantly cut the game to about 11 points and then Tulane would extend the lead back to around 17.
The Bearcats really could have one this game if they shot better at the free-throw line. The Bearcats shot a horrid 7/17 from the free throw in the second half and just never could get within striking distance.
However, they did end up winning the second half of this one by 15 points which was good to see. Tulane scored just 25 points on 28% shooting and
23% from three in the second half which was one of the best halves of defense the Bearcatsmhad played all year. So, in the end, Tulane ended up winning this one 68-60.
Tulane was led by Jalen Cook with 20 points, Jaylen Forbes with 13 points, and Kevin Cross with 11 points. The Bearcats were led by Jeremiah Davenport with 19 points and no other players in double figures.
On the night Tulane shot 39% from the field and 48% from three. The Bearcats shot 35% from the field and 20% from three.
The Bearcats will look to bounce back on Thursday as they host SMU at 9:00 E.T.
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