KANSAS CITY, Mo. – As the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team pulled away from No. 14 Illinois on Monday night, a notable UC alumnus looked on from an upper-level suite inside the arena.
Sporting a huge smile, a Cincinnati hat and a few battle scars from his game Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce cheered alongside his girlfriend, Kayla Nicole, and UC Director of Athletics John Cunningham as the Bearcats stunned the Fighting Illini 71-51 to reach the championship game of the Hall of Fame Classic at the T-Mobile Center.
Cincinnati sophomore guard Mike Saunders Jr. scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Bearcats to their fifth win of the season and give Kelce some bragging rights.
"We have some Illinois guys in the facility so I'll be able to talk a little smack and hold a little weight over them," Kelce told The Enquirer. "But I think it's a lot of fun just to see Cincy come over here in 'Big 12 Country' where we'll see the program in the future. It's exciting. Cincinnati is home for me just like Kansas City is, so it's cool to see them come here and get a dub."
More:What we learned: Cincinnati Bearcats use speed, depth to stun No. 14 Illinois, 71-51
Wes Miller's Bearcats shined in an arena that's just a few miles away from Arrowhead Stadium, where Kelce has developed into arguably the top tight end and one of the top all-around players in the NFL.
Kelce, who played at Cincinnati from 2009-12, is a three-time All-Pro, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, a member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and a Super Bowl champion.
More:Inside the 'crazy' story of how the UC Bearcats turned Chiefs star Travis Kelce into a tight end
Most recently, Kelce had five catches for 74 yards and a four-yard rushing touchdown in a 19-9 win over the Cowboys on Sunday at Arrowhead. The performance helped lead the once-slumping Chiefs (7-4) to their fourth straight victory and into first place in the AFC West.
"I think it's just the focus. I think everybody is a lot more focused," Kelce said. "We're getting a few guys back that were banged up, and we're just having fun, going out there and being ourselves. I think we were trying to do too much in a lot of different areas of the game. Everybody's just playing well together right now."
Kelce's former club, the UC football team, is also playing well. Senior quarterback Desmond Ridder was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week after he threw for three touchdowns, ran for another and recorded his first career receiving touchdown in a 48-14 win last week against Southern Methodist.
Analysis: Seniors shine, defense dominates as UC secures second-most impressive win
With the victory, the defending AAC champion Bearcats (11-0, 7-0) clinched a spot in the AAC title game for the third straight year. They will host Houston in the game at Nippert Stadium on Dec. 4 if they win Friday at East Carolina (3:30 p.m. on ABC).
Kelce said he'll be watching.
"I've got my fingers crossed that they run the table, that they go undefeated and get a chance to get into the College Football Playoff," he said. "I'm just excited for the program, what it means to the program, what it means to the students and the fans that fill up Nippert Stadium. Everybody over there deserves it. I'm just excited for Fickell (Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell) and the whole gang on the football side to be getting the recognition they deserve."
Kelce and the Chiefs get a week off before playing the Denver Broncos on Dec. 5.
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