The University of Cincinnati\u2019s NCAA Tournament journey began March 19 when it faced the No. 9 seed, the Purdue University Boilermakers, at the KFC Yum Center. The 66-65 win in overtime was the first NCAA Tournament win for UC since 2012.<\/p>\n
The victory over Purdue did not come easy to the Bearcats. Junior forward Octavius Ellis was ejected from the game four minutes into the second half for a flagrant two foul for hitting Purdue’s A.J. Hammons with a forearm to the face. This marked Ellis’ third ejection of the season.<\/p>\n
After Ellis’ ejection, Cincinnati battled to stay in the game as the Boilermakers were in the lead by seven with 48 seconds remaining to play.<\/p>\n
Associate head coach Larry Davis gave the players words of encouragement as the game clock was winding down.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told them, `You can’t give in. It ain’t over,’ \u201d Davis said. “I kept telling them, `We can do this. Just don’t give in. Keep fighting, keep defending.’ \u201d<\/p>\n
The comeback started with sophomore Kevin Johnson who landed a three-point shot with 44 seconds remaining. Teammate Troy Caupain followed with another three-point play, but UC was still behind by three points and 38 seconds remained on the clock.<\/p>\n
Senior Jermaine Sanders was subbed out, and freshman Gary Clark took his place. Clark was able to bring Cincinnati within one point from a layup at the 29 second mark, making the score 58-57.<\/p>\n
UC had possession of the ball returning from a Purdue timeout. Clark set a ball screen, and Caupain then drove to the basket and laid the ball off the glass. It rolled around the rim in a seemingly painful manner and then fell through the net as the time hit zero, sending the game into overtime.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew I could get it up there at least so my teammates could get a chance to rebound it,\u201d Caupain said. \u201cBut once I threw it up and it rolled around the rim I stopped, I bent down, I looked up and once I seen it go in and the buzzer went off, all I could do was smile.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
In overtime, UC and Purdue went back and forth shooting baskets until Coreontae DeBerry made a reverse layup that gave Cincinnati a 64-63 lead with 3:08 remaining to play.<\/p>\n
Both teams did not score until junior guard Farad Cobb made a lay up with 28 seconds left to play giving the Bearcats a 66-63 lead. Purdue fouled Caupain, who missed the free throw \u2014 giving the Boilermakers one last shot.<\/p>\n
Vince Edwards took the final shot for Purdue, but his three-point shot was no good, and that gave the Bearcats a shot at the No. 1 and undefeated University of Kentucky.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are a good team, and I feel like sometimes we get a lack of respect in the basketball world,\u201d Johnson said. \u00a0\u201cJust to get the opportunity to play the best team in the country is a great opportunity. We’ll go out there with a lot of confidence. We’ve got nothing to lose. It’ll be pretty fun in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bearcats play Wildcats<\/p>\n
Saturday afternoon the Bearcats faced off with the top-ranked team in the country in the round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament in front of 21,670 fans in the KFC Yum Center.<\/p>\n
The contest started off with high energy as the No. 8-seeded UC led Kentucky by five halfway through the first half. Although they trailed by seven at halftime, Cincinnati got within three points in the second half, but was unable to hold off the much bigger Wildcats.<\/p>\n