UC basketball sends their seniors off with win No. 20 over SMU's Mustangs

For the first time in three years, the Cincinnati Bearcats have a 20-win season on their resumé.

On a day the University of Cincinnati honored David DeJulius, Kalu Ezikpe and Rob Phinisee on Senior Day. the basketball Bearcats bounced SMU 97-74. It was their highest-scoring game of the AAC portion of their season. The players gathered at center court and waved to the fans at the end.

DeJulius had a career-high 30 points in what could be his final game at Fifth Third Arena. He added six assists and received a standing ovation after he hit his final 3-pointer. Also in double figures was Landers Nolley II with 24 points, Jeremiah Davenport with 12 and Mika Adams-Woods with 11.

It was the fifth time this season the Bearcats surpassed 90 points, but the first of 2023. It was the 21st straight game in double figures for redshirt senior Nolley II.

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A first in the Miller era

UC last won 20 games back on March 7, 2020, with a Senior Day win over Temple. It's Wes Miller's first 20-win season with the Bearcats. At UNC-Greensboro, Miller had five straight seasons of 20 or more wins from 2016-21.

As if by script, DeJulius canned his opening 3-pointer 20 seconds into the game. After 27 more points, he was greeted with a standing ovation as he walked off the court after Miller substituted for him.

After scoring just 54 points in their road win over SMU Jan. 14, the Bearcats came close to doubling the effort. They are now 13-2 when scoring 80 or more points.

Senior Day starters

Ezikpe would get the Senior Day start with Vikter Lakhin appearing two and a half minutes later. But Lakhin, who had eight blocks at SMU, got in early foul trouble and had to return to the bench. Ody Oguama would also pick up a second foul just after the 10-minute mark.

In the meantime, Ezikpe took a hard foul from SMU's Ricardo Wright, then later was shoved by Efe Odigie who was T'd up. DeJulius sank both free throws putting the Bearcats up 34-22 with 5:33 left in the half. UC was able to separate having the hot hand from deep, finishing 9-of-17 on treys at halftime.

The Bearcats outscored SMU 26-14 over the final 10 minutes of the half and the 51 points at intermission were the most they had scored since the season opener against Chaminade when they posted 54 in an eventual 98-55 win. Their highest-scoring half came in the Maui Invitation when they scored 63 in the second half against then-No. 2 Arizona, losing 101-93.

UC is now 19-4 when leading at halftime.

The second half looked familiar to the first as Oguama and Lakhin quickly picked up their third fouls and Ezikpe was again summoned for duty. Like the first half, DeJulius opened up the UC scoring with a jumper and quickly added another within 30 seconds. Nolley's driving lay-up moved the advantage to 19 points at the 16:05 mark.

SMU would cut the lead to 13, but the Bearcats kept finding an answer. Lakhin, held scoreless in the first half, had three consecutive buckets to push UC back up by 18 with 7:17 left, 78-60. The Bearcats kept pushing and finished with a 23-point triumph to start the month of March.

See you in Fort Worth

UC finishes the season 20-11 (11-7 AAC) and now advances to the AAC tournament where they will play Temple in the No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed game on Friday. Not all of the seedings as of Sunday afternoon had been determined. The game is set for Dickie's Arena in Fort Worth, Friday at 4 p.m. EST on ESPN2.

An AAC tournament win Friday would put them in Saturday's semifinal, likely against the No. 1 seed Houston.

SMU's season finishes at 10-21 (5-13 AAC).