The No.4-seeded Cincinnati Bearcats play the No.5-seeded Connecticut Huskies in the second round of the AAC tournament at the Amway Center. Action begins at 2:00 pm ET on Friday, Mar. 11 and can be seen on ES2 and ES3.
The Bearcats enter this game hoping for similar success after topping SMU 61-54 in their last matchup. Gary Clark had a good game, contributing seven points, 11 rebounds, and three steals for the Bearcats. The Huskies, meanwhile, are coming off a 67-46 win over UCF in their last outing. Sterling Gibbs stood out for Connecticut, posting 10 points, three rebounds, and two steals.
Points could be at a premium in this matchup between two of the nation’s best defenses. Cincinnati ranks first in the nation in defensive efficiency (92.6), while Connecticut is fourth (94.3). Also, the Huskies commit the 16th-fewest errors in the nation (TO% of 17.0%), while the ball-hawking defense of the Bearcats causes the ninth-most (opponents’ TO% of 21.2%).
The Bearcats have emerged victorious in both games against the Huskies this year, including a 65-60 win the last time these two teams met. Jalen Adams was a top player in the game with 19 points, five rebounds, and one three-pointer.
The Bearcats have gone 22-9 Straight Up (SU) and 14-15-1 Against The Spread (ATS). Cincinnati is one of the most disciplined teams in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.41. Crossing over to the defensive end of the court, the Bearcats have limited opponents’ efforts from beyond the arc, allowing 7.0 three-pointers made per game.
On the other side, the Huskies have a record of 13-14-1 ATS and 21-10 SU. The Huskies convert their free throws at a high percentage, ranking second in the nation at .778. The Connecticut defense has been a problem for competitors, allowing only .383 shooting from the field to its opponents.
The Bearcats’ win over Connecticut in their last game took the head-to-head record to an even 5-5 SU over their most recent meetings. The Huskies lead the matchup ATS with a record of 7-3. Neither team held the edge in field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers in a single game during this span.
Predictions: SU Winner – Cin, ATS Winner – Cin
Notes
In its last game, Connecticut won by a margin of 21 points. Cincinnati is 9-0 in games decided by a margin of 18 points or more. Connecticut has a 12-1 record in blowouts.
The Cincinnati Bearcats have the best defense in the country, giving up just 92.6 points per 100 possessions. The Connecticut Huskies have the 100th-ranked offense, scoring 109.2 points in the same number of possessions.
The Cincinnati Bearcats average a field goal percentage of 43.0% this season. The Connecticut Huskies have a losing record of 3-5 when opponents have a FG% of 43.0% or greater.
The Cincinnati Bearcats rank lower for their field goal percentage (232nd) than they do for their effective field goal percentage (227th), but the Connecticut Huskies have a better FG% ranking (84th) than eFG% ranking (107th).
Cincinnati ranks 49th in assists, registering 15.5 per game. Connecticut performs worse at 147th with 13.7 assists per game.
Cincinnati, the eighth-ranked team in blocked shots, registers an average of 5.7 per game. Connecticut ranks 33rd with 5.0.
Cincinnati is one of the best teams in the country when it comes to offensive rebounds, ranking 25th. Connecticut ranks 79th in defensive rebounds.
On average, Cincinnati forces a turnover rate of 21.2%, ranked ninth in the nation. When Connecticut turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a dazzling 5-1 record.
