Once Upon A Time In Las Vegas – Championship Sunday
The Houston Cougars play host to the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday in an AAC showdown from the Fertitta Center. These two have already squared off once this season, with Houston coming away with a 13-point win on the road, as they aim to replicate that performance at home. The Bearcats lost their last time out and will be looking to get back in the win column, despite going on the road. For the Cougars, they were able to bounce back from a loss their last time out to grab a road win, as they hope to continue a new winning streak. The Cougars have won seven in a row in the series and will aim to make it a season sweep on Saturday.
It has been a few years since Cincinnati was the top dog in the American Athletic Conference and with Houston having dominated this series over the years, the Bearcats will be hard-pressed to spring the upset. Cincinnati sits at 5-3 in the conference and continues to sit in the top half of the conference standings. With a road record of only 3-2, it's clear that this group has struggled away from home and hasn't had a ton of experience in those situations. Having to go on the road to take on Houston, one of the best teams in the country is only likely to be even more of a challenge for this group. They have won each of their last three road games but with those wins coming against South Florida, SMU, and Wichita State, the quality of the road trip is sure to be far more difficult this weekend.
Cincinnati has two injuries to worry about as they head into this weekend, which only casts more doubt on their abilit y to pull off the win. Rob Phinisee (foot) and John Newman III (knee) have both been ruled out but with the two having only appeared in nine games combined this season, their continued absences aren't likely to dictate this game one way or another.
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— Cincinnati Men's Hoops (@GoBearcatsMBB) January 24, 2023
Cincinnati actually has some pretty impressive metrics but they'll have the cards stacked against one of the country's best teams. The offense has impressed this season and they rank 72nd nationally in scoring and 85th in three-point percentage. With Houston ranking second and fourth, respectively, across those two categories on the defensive side, it might be a challenge. Landers Nolley II (15.5 ppg) is at his third school but seems to be flourishing, while David DeJulius (14.5 ppg) adds much-needed experience. The lack of depth is concerning though, especially with all the power that Houston has at their disposal.