After seemingly turning a corner with a season-best shooting performance earlier in the week, the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team ran out of time and took two steps back on Sunday.
The Bearcats, who shot 55% from the field and 58% from 3-point range Thursday against Wichita State, made just 34% (23-for-67) of their shots (25% from deep) in a 75-71 loss to Temple at Fifth Third Arena.
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After trailing by as many as 18 early in the second half, Cincinnati cut it to 65-58 with four minutes to play.
Temple went three-plus minutes without a field goal, while Jeremiah Davenport exploded for 17 second-half points for the Bearcats. The former Moeller High School standout finished with a game-high 24.
David DeJulius knocked down a floater to bring Cincinnati within 67-62 with 1:22 remaining. UC forced a turnover on the ensuing possession, but John Newman III missed an open 3-pointer from the corner before ultimately fouling out.
After Cincinnati played the foul game, David DeJulius hit a step-back 3-pointer to make it 74-69 with four seconds left.
Ody Oguama forced a steal, and Mason Madsen hit a jumper off the Temple turnover to cut it to 74-71 with a second to play. That was as close as the Bearcats would come.
The loss gave the Owls the regular-season sweep of Cincinnati, which fell 61-58 on Jan. 25 at Temple. It's the second time the Owls swept the Bearcats. The other came during the 2015-16 season.
After closing the teams' last meeting on a 7-0 run, the Owls opened Sunday with another 7-0 spurt. The Bearcats missed seven of their first eight shots from the field, and Temple's lead ballooned to 10 within the first five minutes.
With former Cincinnati guard Jarron Cumberland and members of the 1961 and 1962 back-to-back national championship teams in attendance, UC fell behind by 11 on several occasions before trailing 47-33 at halftime.
Temple had 23 of its first-half points come from off the bench, as guard Damian Dunn returned from a two-game hiatus due to an ankle injury.
Dunn, who entered the day averaging a team-high 15.5 points per game, came off the bench and had 11 at halftime. He finished with 15
Temple forward Zach HIcks knocked down four 3-pointers in the first half to lead all scorers with 12 at the break. He had 16.
Cincinnati hits the road Wednesday to face Central Florida (9 p.m. on ESPNU) before returning to Fifth Third Arena on Saturday to host South Florida in its home finale.
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