If you had told me on Friday night that Cincinnati would hold an 11-point lead over third-ranked Houston with just under eleven minutes to go, I would have liked to have known what psychedelic you were using. Yet somehow, the Bearcats were right there. Toe-to-Toe with the best team in the country. That lead eventually fizzled, and the #1 ranked team at KenPom gritted out a 75-69 win over the Bearcats.

One common criticism of the Wes Miller era has been the team’s sluggish starts in big games. They were flat in the early going versus Ohio State, Xavier, and Memphis, in particular, this season.

On Saturday, this was a focused, well-coached, and disciplined team from the jump. Cincinnati led for most of the first half, and while Houston shot 57 percent from the floor in the first half, I didn’t think the defensive effort was all that bad.

I don’t follow the NBA, but if there are five better prospects in the country than Jarace Walker, I’d like to meet them. He’s built like Hercules, he can dribble, and he seemingly made every single contested mid-range jump shot. It was difficult to get upset when he was making those types of shots.

In the second half, Houston was relentless defensively. Cincinnati shot just 30 percent from the floor and 20 percent from three in the second half. It was harder for Cincinnati to get off the clean looks they made in the first half. And with the game tied under a minute to go, Jamal Shead made a tough shot with the shot clock winding down. Tip of the cap to the Cougars.

Landers. F’ing. Nolley. He scored 24. He made six threes. It was the most fun I’ve had watching a UC player in a very long time. And he was playing injured! He also banged knees with a Houston player and looked like he was in immense pain. He still came back in and gutted it out. Landers is absolutely a fan-favorite if he wasn’t already.

Speaking of fan favorites, David DeJulius was tremendous. He hit a big-time three to tie the game at 69, and he excelled at getting into the lane to score (14 points) and distribute (nine assists), especially in the first half.

Viktor Lakhin also played well. He’s continued to grow on the defensive end as a rim protector. There are a few plays a game where Vik will frustrate you. He took an ill-timed three. Still, I like where Vik is at in just his second year.

Shoey didn’t do much in this game, but his half-court shot to end the first half was awesome and flipped the momentum back in Cincinnati’s favor. Two rough games in a row for Shoey in an otherwise solid senior season.

I give Jeremiah Davenport credit. He took mostly good shots (8 points). He had the impossible task of guarding Jarace Walker, and I thought he did his best to alter his shots, yet Walker somehow got them to drop in. He also tallied six rebounds which is always an emphasis against Houston.

I don’t love moral victories. But I push back against the narrative that this team isn’t improving. I watched this team play Houston at Fifth Third Arena last year. That was like watching Varsity versus 4th graders. Saturday was a team that went toe-to-toe with the betting favorite to win the championship. I think that’s encouraging.

Game Ball:

Landers Nolley (4)

Featured Image credit: Aaron Doster, USA TODAY