A Monmouth Hawks-Cincinnati Bearcats hardwood matchup didn't figure to offer the same level of intrigue and hype as UC's recent high-profile clashes with Arkansas, Illinois, and even Georgia earlier in November.
At least, it didn't initially seem like the game would be as intriguing – until it was, with less than four minutes to play Saturday at Fifth Third Arena and the Bearcats laboring mightily to remain among the ranks of college basketball's one-loss teams.
In the end, UC's labors produced only its second consecutive loss – a first in the tenure of head coach Wes Miller – as the Bearcats (5-2) fell to Monmouth (5-1), 61-59.
With many students away on break and a sleepy, post-Thanksgiving atmosphere inside Fifth Third Arena, UC had to become its own energy source against Monmouth.
More:No. 4 Cincinnati Bearcats beat ECU Pirates 35-13 to finish regular season undefeated
There wasn't nearly enough energy about UC to salvage the game, though.
Graduate center Hayden Koval went to the line with 4.1 second to play and UC trailing by two points, and missed the first of his two free-throws. That prompted a timeout.
Koval then missed his second shot, and the Bearcats had to foul. But with just four team fouls up to that point, time nearly ran out in attempting to send any Hawks player to the line.
UC was gifted a final chance at points when Monmouth threw an inbounds pass out of bounds, which resulted in no time running off and a UC possession with a second remaining.
The Bearcats' ensuing inbounds play from in front of its own bench failed to produce a shot.
UC, which led by 12 early in the second half, shot just 37.7% from the floor in the game and was held scoreless over the final 63 seconds.
Monmouth guard Marcus McClary went for a game-high 18 points while Graduate Hawks guard Shavar Reynolds Jr. added 14 points.
UC was led by junior guard David DeJulius' 13 points.
The Bearcats opened up a game-high 12-point lead in the early moments of the second half behind baskets from junior guard Mika Adams-Woods and graduate forward Abdul Ado.
Monmouth pulled to within a point with 10 minutes remaining, though.
By the 9:02 mark in the second half, McClary tied the contest at 52.
McClary's next basket – a 3-pointer – put Monmouth ahead, 55-52, with 6:58 to play.
Monmouth didn't look back, and led the rest of the contest.
His next one after that was another 3-ball, and it put the Hawks up at 58-53.
The game started off sleepily for both teams, and Monmouth edging UC at the halfway mark in the first period at 14-10. Reynolds Jr. went for five points during that run.
He’d later hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to give Monmouth an 18-16 lead at the 7:58 marks in the period.
The Bearcats closed the half on a 19-6 run to take a 36-28 lead into intermission.
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