It's time for the Crosstown Shootout.
David DeJulius scored 14 of his game-high 16 points, Mike Saunders Jr. added 14 points and the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team defeated Bryant 73-58 Sunday at Fifth Third Arena in its final test before Saturday's showdown at rival Xavier.
First-year Cincinnati coach Wes Miller and the Bearcats (7-2) now have six days to prepare for the Musketeers (7-1).
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"I'm pleased that we got through this stretch," Miller said. "Our guys are really trying. They're practicing hard. I think we can get a lot better, which is a really neat feeling as a coach. And it's going to be nice to have a couple days to kind of catch our breath and get back to being healthy again."
Cincinnati preseason second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection Jeremiah Davenport did not play Sunday after a mild ankle sprain suffered in practice forced him into a walking boot the past two days, Miller said.
"I think if we left it up to JD, he's such a warrior, he would've played," he said of Davenport, who is averaging 11.1 points and a team-leading 5.1 rebounds this season. "But our training staff, (UC Senior Associate Athletic Director of Sports Medicine) Bob Mangine, felt like it was probably the smart thing to do, after being in a boot for two days, to let him recover to make sure we didn't take any chances with him."
Miller said he anticipates Davenport practicing this week and being available for Saturday's game.
To help overcome Davenport's absence, Viktor Lakhin picked up the pace offensively, recording his first career double-double (13 points and 11 rebounds) for the Bearcats, who righted the ship after missing their first 11 shots.
After taking a 35-30 lead into the locker room at halftime, Cincinnati got a boost from Saunders off the bench in the second half.
With the score tied at 35 apiece with 16:26 to play, Saunders knocked down a 3-pointer. Those three wound up being the first of 12 second-half points for the 6-foot sophomore.
"Mike Saunders has just been terrific," Miller said. "He just keeps getting better. I thought he did a nice job of kind of carrying the load."
Saunders' jumper jump-started the Cincinnati offense, as the Bearcats rode a 15-2 run to its second straight victory.
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Three players scored in double figures for Bryant (3-6), which dropped its second straight game to an AAC opponent. The Bulldogs lost 111-44 Friday at No. 15 Houston.
The 67-point drubbing was the most lopsided outcome in AAC history.
Now, Cincinnati sets its sights on its rival just a few short miles away. Miller and many of the Bearcats will get their first taste of the Crosstown Shootout when they take on Xavier on Saturday inside the Musketeers' Cintas Center.
"It's just a different energy," Saunders said. "They hate us and we hate them. No love lost. We're just coming in there to win. That's the only thing we're really worried about."
Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. on FS1.
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