Though 38 points total separated their last nine meetings, Friday's AAC quarterfinal for the University of Cincinnati saw them torment Temple to the tune of 84-54. It was the worst loss of the season deficit-wise for the Owls.
The Bearcats got 22 points from Landers Nolley II and 20 each from Dan Skillings Jr. and Mika Adams-Woods. It was a career-high for Skillings who grew up near Philadelphia and Temple and has played his best basketball against the Owls.
Viktor Lakhin also tied an AAC tournament record with seven blocks and Ody Oguama added 12 rebounds, one off his career-high. UC won on the boards 42-40.
UC is now 21-11, their most wins since the 2018-19 season under then-coach Mick Cronin. The Owls finish 16-16. UC coach Wes Miller's overall record in March goes to 10-3.
What channel is the UC game on?How to watch the Bearcats play in the AAC tournament
The Bearcats (21-11) entered the game as a five-point favorite.
Clear the bench
C.J. Anthony and Jarrett Hensley are in with UC leading by 30. The Bearcats will face No. 1 Houston Saturday at 3 p.m. 84-54. Coming up on a minute left.
Three Bearcats over 20
With a Mika Adams-Woods three and a Skillings drive, UC has Nolley at 22 with Adams-Woods and Skillings at 20. 80-51 UC with 3:20 and running on the ticker.
Under five minutes to go and UC leads by 26
This is shaping up to be Temple's worst loss of the season. 75-49 is the score with 4:28 to go and you could see some subbing of starters. Josh Reed has checked in. Ody Oguama is now at 12 rebounds, one away from his personal best. Skillings has a career-high 18 and Adams-Woods is at 17. The last nine meetings between these two were decided by a total of 38 points.
Nolley not ready to go
Once you think he's having a quiet game, Nolley can light it up like a Christmas tree. He just had a slam dunk that led to an Owls timeout with 5:32 to go as UC leads 71-47. Nolley has 22 points. Viktor Lakhin has also tied an AAC tournament record with seven blocks.
Raining threes
Landers Nolley II just hit a trey at the end of the shot clock. That was followed by Adams-Woods draining one from the left elbow, plus he was fouled. It's now 67-47 Bearcats coming up on the 6:00 mark.
Timeout with 7:46 left, UC by 18
The Bearcats lead 60-42 as Skillings has 16, Nolley 15 and Adams-Woods 13. UC has made five of their last seven shots.
Career-high for Skillings
Dan Skillings just sank a three and added a shoulder shimmy as he now has 16 points, a personal best at UC. The Bearcats have the lead back at 18, 60-42. Temple had taken it down to 12 points. Ody Oguama has 11 rebounds and has reached double figures in that category for the second time. UC leads on the boards 35-31.
Timeout 11:55 second half
The Bearcats lead is at 48-35 and they've been up as many as 18. Dan Skillings Jr. leads with 13 points. Lakhin has a chance to tie an AAC tournament record with his next block. He has six. The rebounds are even at 30. Landers Nolley II going to the line out of the timeout. He has 10 points but has only made 4-of-14 shots.
First media timeout of the second half
It's a good thing Wes Miller has competent assistants as he's doing some ref chewing at the present. UC leads Temple 42-29. Skillings leads with 11, Nolley has 10, Adams-Woods 8. Viktor Lakhin is at six points with six blocks, two off his record of eight set at SMU earlier this year. Kelvin Sampson's son is to my left scouting this game. The winner plays Houston at 3 (EST) tomorrow.
Oguama goes out with nosebleed
The redshirt senior is working with seven rebounds early in the second half. Temple has been physical. UC's lead is 40-27 at the 16:40 mark. They haven't lost this season when up 10 or more at halftime. Head basketball athletic trainer Bob Mangine is attending to Oguama. Ody is about to check back in.
UC leads by 10 at halftime
It's 37-27 UC after a sluggish start that saw them down 16-6. So, that's a 31-11 run. The Bearcats had the commanding lead despite only making one of their last 11 attempts. Dan Skillings Jr. leads off the bench with 11 points, UC is 3-0 when he scores 10 or more points. Landers Nolley II has eight, Viktor Lakhin six with four blocks. The rebounds are even 21-21. UC is shooting 44.1%, Temple 31.3%.
Timeout 3:49 first half.
UC is up eight, 31-23. Both offenses have cooled down as UC is just one for the last seven shots and Temple has missed their last four. The last basket was a Mika Adams-Woods right-corner trey. UC is outrebounding the Owls 17-15.
Bearcats take lead
Jeremiah Davenport just hit a trey from the Fort Worth Stockyards and Mika Adams-Woods just banked in the classic "Bill Raftery" kiss shot. UC leads 25-20 with 6:59 left in the half. They're on a 19-4 run since being down 16-6 early. Dan Skillings leads with nine points. David DeJulius has yet to score. For the record, UC's sax players were instrumental in a pair of missed Temple free throws with their frenzied stomping and catcalls.
10:40 first half, Bearcats making a little run
UC was down 16-6 but freshman Dan Skillings Jr. had consecutive put-back lay-ups to get UC within six at 16-10. He just was fouled by Temple's Hysier Miller and will go to the line to shoot three out of the timeout. Skilling had a career-high 15 against Temple the last time they played. He played at Roman Catholic High in Philadelphia, 1.6 miles from the Temple campus.
Wes calls time at 13:44, first half
Temple's Zach Hicks has drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to give Temple an eight-point advantage at 14-6. That's also a 9-0 run. 14-6 Temple.
First media timeout
With 15:35 in the first half, the Bearcat trail Temple 8-6 after a Hysier Miller trey found the cylinder. Prior to that, UC's Lakhin had back-to-back baby hooks for a 6-5 advantage. Temple has made three of four shots, UC, three of six.
Underway
Viktor Lakhin is playing sans headband today. The crowd in game one was here largely to see Houston. There are a fair amount of Bearcat fans. UC's first two shots have been missed 3-pointers. Temple leads 5-0 early around the 18-minute mark. Updates will continue around the breaks. Oguama with the first Bearcat bucket, so 5-2.
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