Cincinnati, helped by 3 technical fouls on West Virginia, rallies for 90-85 win in Big 12 tourney
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Simas Lukosius hit seven 3-pointers and scored 31 points, Day Day Thomas also had seven 3s and 29 points, and No. 11 seed Cincinnati was helped by three technical fouls by No. 14 seed West Virginia in the second half as it rallied from a 16-point hole for a 90-85 victory in the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday.
The Bearcats (19-13) were trailing 84-83 with 1:33 left when Dan Skillings Jr.'s basket gave them the lead. And when the Mountaineers' RaeQuan Battle turned the ball over, Lukosius added a pair of free throws for some breathing room.
Thomas provided the dagger with the Bearcats leading 87-85 and 15 seconds to go, hitting one last 3-pointer to send the Big 12 newcomer into a second-round game against No. 16 Kansas - the tourney's No. 6 seed - on Wednesday night.
Jesse Edwards had 17 points, Quinn Slazinski scored 15 and Battle had 14 for the Mountaineers (9-23), who set a school record for losses while finishing with their fewest wins since the 2001-02 team went 8-20 in Gale Catlett's final season.
Cincinnati played its third straight game without 6-foot-11 center Viktor Lakhin, who has been dealing with an ankle injury, and continued to be without 3-point sharpshooter CJ Fredrick Jr., whose hamstring injury has kept him out since Feb. 21.
While the Bearcats romped without them to a 92-56 victory over West Virginia on Saturday, there was nothing easy about the rematch three days later. The Mountaineers instead seemed to rally behind Josh Eilert, who took over as interim coach when Bob Huggins resigned before the season, stretching a 38-36 halftime lead to a 62-46 advantage early in the second half.
That's when Kobe Johnson was called for the first of the technicals and the comeback began.
Lukosius not only made both of those foul shots, but he followed with a 3-pointer for a five-point trip down the floor. Moments later, it was Edwards who was called for a technical foul, and Lukosius again made both free throws. Then it was Battle's turn to get a technical, and Lukosius added two more foul shots to tighten up the game.
When the Lithuanian drilled a 3-pointer moments later, the Bearcats had a 71-70 lead with 6 1/2 minutes to go. And while West Virginia tried to answer down the stretch, it was Wes Miller's team that made the poised plays in the final minutes.
UP NEXT
West Virginia's season is over, and it turns its attention to searching for its next full-time coach.
Cincinnati plays the Jayhawks on Wednesday night as it tries to play its way into the NCAA Tournament.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Â | Jesse Edwards vs. Aziz Bandaogo (Bearcats gains possession) | Â | |
19:45 | Â | John Newman III turnover (lost ball) | Â | |
19:34 | Â | Kerr Kriisa misses two point floating jump shot | Â | |
19:32 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo defensive rebound | Â | |
19:12 | +2 | Day Day Thomas makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 0-2 | |
18:50 | +3 | Quinn Slazinski makes three point jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists) | 3-2 | |
18:23 | +2 | Aziz Bandaogo makes two point alley-oop dunk (Simas Lukosius assists) | 3-4 | |
18:06 | Â | Quinn Slazinski turnover (traveling) | Â | |
17:51 | Â | Kerr Kriisa personal foul | Â | |
17:43 | +3 | Simas Lukosius makes three point jump shot (Day Day Thomas assists) | 3-7 | |
17:27 | Â | Quinn Slazinski misses three point jump shot | Â | |
17:25 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo defensive rebound | Â | |
17:24 | Â | Jesse Edwards personal foul | Â | |
16:57 | Â | RaeQuan Battle blocks John Newman III's two point layup | Â | |
16:55 | Â | John Newman III offensive rebound | Â | |
16:50 | Â | Dan Skillings Jr. misses three point jump shot | Â | |
16:48 | Â | Jesse Edwards defensive rebound | Â | |
16:48 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo personal foul | Â | |
16:31 | Â | John Newman III blocks RaeQuan Battle's two point layup | Â | |
16:29 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo defensive rebound | Â | |
16:27 | Â | John Newman III misses three point jump shot | Â | |
16:25 | Â | Quinn Slazinski defensive rebound | Â | |
16:21 | Â | Kobe Johnson misses three point jump shot | Â | |
16:19 | Â | Dan Skillings Jr. defensive rebound | Â | |
16:14 | +3 | Day Day Thomas makes three point jump shot (Dan Skillings Jr. assists) | 3-10 | |
16:03 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo blocks Kobe Johnson's two point layup | Â | |
16:01 | Â | Mountaineers offensive rebound | Â | |
15:53 | +2 | Jesse Edwards makes two point hook shot (Quinn Slazinski assists) | 5-10 | |
15:42 | Â | Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot | Â | |
15:40 | Â | RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound | Â | |
15:32 | Â | RaeQuan Battle misses two point jump shot | Â | |
15:30 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo defensive rebound | Â | |
15:24 | Â | RaeQuan Battle personal foul | Â | |
15:24 | Â | TV timeout | Â | |
15:20 | +2 | Simas Lukosius makes two point layup (Dan Skillings Jr. assists) | 5-12 | |
14:56 | +2 | Seth Wilson makes two point jump shot | 7-12 | |
14:42 | Â | Jizzle James misses three point jump shot | Â | |
14:40 | Â | Jesse Edwards defensive rebound | Â | |
14:21 | Â | Jamille Reynolds personal foul | Â | |
14:03 | Â | Seth Wilson misses two point stepback jump shot | Â | |
14:01 | Â | Jizzle James defensive rebound | Â | |
13:50 | +2 | Dan Skillings Jr. makes two point driving layup | 7-14 | |
13:40 | +2 | Jesse Edwards makes two point dunk (Josiah Harris assists) | 9-14 | |
13:18 | Â | Jizzle James misses three point jump shot | Â | |
13:16 | Â | Josiah Harris defensive rebound | Â | |
13:10 | Â | Seth Wilson turnover (bad pass) | Â | |
12:58 | Â | Simas Lukosius misses three point jump shot | Â | |
12:56 | Â | Mountaineers defensive rebound | Â | |
12:31 | Â | Kerr Kriisa misses two point jump shot | Â | |
12:29 | Â | Josh Reed defensive rebound | Â | |
12:20 | Â | Day Day Thomas misses two point layup | Â | |
12:18 | Â | Jamille Reynolds offensive rebound | Â | |
12:15 | +2 | Jamille Reynolds makes two point putback dunk | 9-16 | |
11:53 | Â | Day Day Thomas personal foul | Â | |
11:53 | Â | TV timeout | Â | |
11:33 | Â | Quinn Slazinski misses two point floating jump shot | Â | |
11:31 | Â | Bearcats defensive rebound | Â | |
11:10 | Â | Day Day Thomas misses two point layup | Â | |
11:08 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo offensive rebound | Â | |
11:03 | Â | Simas Lukosius misses three point jump shot | Â | |
11:01 | Â | Seth Wilson defensive rebound | Â | |
10:44 | Â | RaeQuan Battle misses two point jump shot | Â | |
10:42 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo defensive rebound | Â | |
10:35 | Â | Josh Reed misses three point jump shot | Â | |
10:33 | Â | Noah Farrakhan defensive rebound | Â | |
10:16 | +2 | RaeQuan Battle makes two point jump shot (Quinn Slazinski assists) | 11-16 | |
10:02 | Â | Simas Lukosius turnover (lost ball) (RaeQuan Battle steals) | Â | |
9:58 | Â | RaeQuan Battle turnover (traveling) | Â | |
9:40 | Â | Quinn Slazinski shooting foul (Aziz Bandaogo draws the foul) | Â | |
9:40 | +1 | Aziz Bandaogo makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 11-17 | |
9:40 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | Â | |
9:40 | Â | RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound | Â | |
9:23 | +3 | RaeQuan Battle makes three point stepback jump shot | 14-17 | |
9:14 | Â | John Newman III misses three point jump shot | Â | |
9:12 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo offensive rebound | Â | |
9:10 | +2 | Aziz Bandaogo makes two point layup | 14-19 | |
9:10 | Â | Patrick Suemnick shooting foul (Aziz Bandaogo draws the foul) | Â | |
9:10 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | Â | |
9:10 | Â | RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound | Â | |
8:53 | Â | John Newman III shooting foul (Akok Akok draws the foul) | Â | |
8:53 | +1 | Akok Akok makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 15-19 | |
8:53 | +1 | Akok Akok makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 16-19 | |
8:41 | Â | Jizzle James misses three point jump shot | Â | |
8:39 | Â | Kerr Kriisa defensive rebound | Â | |
8:32 | +3 | Quinn Slazinski makes three point jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists) | 19-19 | |
8:32 | Â | Bearcats 30 second timeout | Â | |
8:13 | Â | Day Day Thomas turnover (traveling) | Â | |
8:00 | +2 | RaeQuan Battle makes two point alley-oop dunk (Quinn Slazinski assists) | 21-19 | |
7:25 | Â | Dan Skillings Jr. misses three point jump shot | Â | |
7:23 | Â | Noah Farrakhan defensive rebound | Â | |
6:53 | Â | Noah Farrakhan misses three point jump shot | Â | |
6:51 | Â | Mountaineers offensive rebound | Â | |
6:51 | Â | Mountaineers turnover (shot clock violation) | Â | |
6:49 | Â | TV timeout | Â | |
6:35 | +3 | Day Day Thomas makes three point jump shot (Jamille Reynolds assists) | 21-22 | |
6:14 | Â | Jamille Reynolds shooting foul (Quinn Slazinski draws the foul) | Â | |
6:14 | +1 | Quinn Slazinski makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 22-22 | |
6:14 | +1 | Quinn Slazinski makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 23-22 | |
6:00 | Â | Quinn Slazinski personal foul | Â | |
5:49 | Â | Simas Lukosius turnover (bad pass) (Jesse Edwards steals) | Â | |
5:38 | Â | RaeQuan Battle misses three point jump shot | Â | |
5:36 | Â | Dan Skillings Jr. defensive rebound | Â | |
5:21 | +2 | Day Day Thomas makes two point pullup jump shot | 23-24 | |
5:08 | Â | Dan Skillings Jr. personal foul | Â | |
5:00 | +2 | RaeQuan Battle makes two point jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists) | 25-24 | |
4:45 | +3 | Day Day Thomas makes three point pullup jump shot | 25-27 | |
4:31 | +2 | Kerr Kriisa makes two point layup (Jesse Edwards assists) | 27-27 | |
4:11 | +2 | Jizzle James makes two point pullup jump shot | 27-29 | |
3:53 | Â | John Newman III shooting foul | Â | |
3:53 | Â | TV timeout | Â | |
3:53 | Â | Jesse Edwards misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | Â | |
3:53 | Â | Jesse Edwards misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | Â | |
3:53 | Â | Simas Lukosius defensive rebound | Â | |
3:36 | Â | Josh Reed misses three point jump shot | Â | |
3:34 | Â | Kobe Johnson defensive rebound | Â | |
3:10 | +3 | Josiah Harris makes three point jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists) | 30-29 | |
2:55 | +3 | Dan Skillings Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jizzle James assists) | 30-32 | |
2:30 | +3 | RaeQuan Battle makes three point jump shot | 33-32 | |
2:08 | Â | Dan Skillings Jr. misses two point pullup jump shot | Â | |
2:06 | Â | Josiah Harris defensive rebound | Â | |
1:58 | Â | Kerr Kriisa turnover (bad pass) (Dan Skillings Jr. steals) | Â | |
1:50 | Â | Josh Reed misses three point jump shot | Â | |
1:48 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo offensive rebound | Â | |
1:38 | Â | Day Day Thomas misses two point jump shot | Â | |
1:36 | Â | Dan Skillings Jr. offensive rebound | Â | |
1:32 | Â | RaeQuan Battle shooting foul (Dan Skillings Jr. draws the foul) | Â | |
1:32 | Â | Dan Skillings Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | Â | |
1:32 | +1 | Dan Skillings Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 33-33 | |
1:23 | +3 | Quinn Slazinski makes three point jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists) | 36-33 | |
1:04 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo misses two point layup | Â | |
1:02 | Â | Quinn Slazinski defensive rebound | Â | |
0:41 | Â | Seth Wilson misses two point jump shot | Â | |
0:39 | Â | Day Day Thomas defensive rebound | Â | |
0:34 | Â | Dan Skillings Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Kerr Kriisa steals) | Â | |
0:28 | Â | Mountaineers 30 second timeout | Â | |
0:21 | +2 | Jesse Edwards makes two point alley-oop dunk (Kerr Kriisa assists) | 38-33 | |
0:19 | Â | Aziz Bandaogo shooting foul (Jesse Edwards draws the foul) | Â | |
0:19 | Â | Jesse Edwards misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | Â | |
0:19 | Â | Dan Skillings Jr. defensive rebound | Â | |
0:03 | +3 | Day Day Thomas makes three point jump shot | 38-36 | |
0:00 | Â | End of period | Â |