Scouting report: Cincinnati Bearcats basketball visits top-ranked Houston Tuesday

HOUSTON, Texas – Given the quick turnaround, the Cincinnati Bearcats stayed in the Lone Star State post-TCU loss to make the trip to Houston for the top-ranked Cougars.

Via Interstate 45, it's roughly four hours from Fort Worth to the University of Houston, the third-largest school in the state behind Texas A&M and Texas. After a second straight Big 12 loss and having dropped four of their last five, it was 266 miles of uncomfortable road for the Bearcats.

At a juncture where they need to bolster their NCAA resumé, the Bearcats have just two more chances at a Quad 1 win in their next four games. The first one comes Tuesday against Houston, No. 1 in the AP after Connecticut's loss last week. The Cougars, also No. 1 in both the Ken.Pom.com and NCAA Net Rankings, beat No. 11 Baylor in Waco Saturday 82-76 in overtime.

"When you play in the Big 12 every night's an opportunity," UC coach Wes Miller said of the tournament projections. "It's dangerous to be consumed with that as a team. We've got to just take it one day at a time. We need some good things to happen to get our team back on track."

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The Fertitta Center has not been kind to the Bearcats of late. UC has lost 10 straight to the Cougars. The last UC win came more than four years ago at Fifth Third Arena under John Brannen.

UC hasn't won in Houston since the building was called the Hofheinz Pavilion. The Bearcats won 67-58 in 2017 with Kyle Washington, Troy Caupain, Jacob Evans III and Gary Clark in the lineup.

The closest UC's been of late was the 67-62 loss Feb. 10 at Fifth Third Arena. Last season, UC was up 11 in the second half and tied with 1:19 to go before losing 75-69 in Houston.

3 keys to an upset in Houston

1. Hush the noise

Though it seats just 7,000, the Ferbuttitta Center has had plenty reason to cheer as the Cougars are unbeaten there this season. Their last home loss came Jan. 22, 2023 against Temple as Damian Dunn had 16 points for the Owls. Kelvin Sampson liked him so much, he snatched him up in the portal.

The PA announcer periodically leads a "Whose House? Coogs House!" cheer that the red-clad folks enjoy but can be like nails on the chalkboard if you're on the opposing bench.

UC can ill afford to be intimidated or have the scoring droughts they had vs. TCU. Houston rarely allows a team 60 points with its relentless defense.

2. Hope fouls are called

Houston plays defense the way some old Cincinnati teams did and Sampson has been forthright in admitting his influence started on a night Kenyon Martin dominated one of his Oklahoma Sooner squads. He's since taken that approach and has been aggressive in both the AAC and now the Big 12.

"Anytime you play Cincinnati it's always going to be a tough, physical game," Sampson said in the last meeting. "We don't mind that either."

Houston leads the NCAA in scoring defense, defensive field goal percentage and turnover margin. They outrebounded the Bearcats 41-34 Feb. 10, starting the game with an 11-1 advantage.

The Cougars' defense is so intense, it seemingly is difficult for officials to call every foul and some national commentators have noted that style might be on purpose.

Whether Big 12 "rock fight" basketball succeeds in the NCAA tournament remains to be seen, but Houston has avoided being among the top-fouling schools despite being as in-your-face as anyone UC has played.

3. May triples fall

In their tight loss earlier this month, UC was 6-for-20 on 3-pointers with Houston 3-for-16. In last year's close call, the Bearcats were 11-for-27 (Landers Nolley II had six) and Houston 5-for-17. C.J. Fredrick missed the TCU game again with hamstring issues, so someone will need to get hot as Houston will likely smother Simas Lukošius, who had three treys Saturday.

Cincinnati vs. Houston

Tip: Tuesday 6 p.m. Central/7 p.m. Eastern (Fertitta Center, 7,000)

TV/Radio: ESPN2/700WLW

Series: UC leads 33-15

Houston Cougars scouting report

Record: 24-3 (11-3 Big 12)

Coach: Kelvin Sampson (10th season, 256-77)

Offense: 74.2 ppg

Defense: 56.1 ppg

Projected lineup

(Position, Height, Stats)

Jamal Shead (G, 6'1", 13.3 ppg)

Emanuel Sharp (G, 6'3", 12.8 ppg)

L.J. Cryer (G, 6'1", 15.0 ppg)

J'Wan Roberts (F, 6'7", 9.3 ppg)

Ja'Vier Francis (F, 6'8", 6.0 ppg)

Cincinnati Bearcats scouting report

Record: 16-11 (5-9 Big 12)

Coach: Wes Miller (third season, 57-39)

Offense: 74.9 ppg

Defense: 67.9 ppg

Projected lineup

(Position, Height, Stats)

Dan Skillings Jr. (F, 6'6", 12.1 ppg)

Day Day Thomas (G, 6', 10.4 ppg)

John Newman III (F, 6'5", 9.3 ppg)

Simas Lukošius, (G, 6'8", 10.0 ppg)

Aziz Bandaogo (C, 7', 7.4 ppg)

Players to watch

L.J. Cryer is Houston's top scorer but UC held him under double digits in Cincinnati. Forward J'Wan Roberts did most of the damage with a 20-point, eight-rebound effort and senior Jamal Shead had 16 points despite an off-shooting night. Both Roberts and Shead were on the floor for over 38 of the game's 40 minutes.

Recently, Sampson told ESPN's Scott Van Pelt, "I wouldn't trade Jamal Shead for any point guard in America. I think we have the best point guard."

Shead had 12 points and 10 assists in 42 minutes on the floor Saturday at Baylor.

Ranking

NCAA NET: Houston is No. 1, UC No. 44

KenPom.com: Houston is No. 1, UC No. 47

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How Cincinnati Bearcats basketball can sneak a road win in Houston