After a very disappointing nonconference schedule, the Billikens split their first two games of Conference-USA play.
After battling through an arduous 12-game schedule laden with mid-major conference champions, the Billikens are looking toward their conference schedule to salvage their season.
The Billikens' first loss in conference play came at the hands of the potent Bearcats of Cincinnati. Cincinnati, which is currently ranked No. 13 in the country, displayed athleticism, poise and flat-out talent in dismantling the Billikens by a final score of 69-53 at the Savvis Center on Jan. 9. The Bills' stifling defense held the Bearcats short of their season average of 78.2 points per game.
The Billikens came out of the gate strong and built a 12-8 lead behind the strength of senior Izik Ohanon in the post.
Ohanon was 6-8 from the field in the first half and paced all scorers with 14 at the break. However, the Bearcats soon adjusted to the strength of the Billiken offense and held Ohanon to 2-5 shooting from the field in the second half. Ohanon finished the game with 18 points, leading the Bills.
Other scoring contributions from the Billikens came from Anthony Drejaj and Reggie Bryant, who added 13 and eight points, respectively.
Drejaj saw extended action at the point guard spot in place of Dwayne Polk, who left the game in the second half after spraining his ankle. Bryant, who shot a paltry 3-14 from the field in the game, also left in the second half, after being poked in the eye.
Sophomore Ian Vouyoukas, who played a Billiken-high 34 minutes in the game, provided nine rebounds to go with his four points. Vouyoukas provided hustle in the middle with senior Tom Frericks out with post-concussion syndrome. Frericks is out indefinitely after suffering the concussion against Southeast Missouri State.
The Billiken offense never seemed to get going after the Bearcats stifled Ohanon inside, and were forced to take an inordinate amount of three pointers. Unfortunately for the Bills, they were a meager 4-18 from behind the arc. Bryant lead the team with two shots from behind the arc, but it was on eight attempts. The Billikens meanwhile held the Bearcats to a dismal 9-23 from behind the arc in the game.
With the win, the Billikens dropped to 3-11 on the season, and the Bearcats improved to 13-1 on the season.
The Bearcats now lead the overall series with the Billikens 59-19, with this being the last time these two schools will play each other in Conference USA. Next season, the Bearcats will move to the Big East, and the Billikens will move to the Atlantic 10.
The Bearcats were paced by Armein Kirkland, who led all scorers with 22 points, on 8-16 from the field. Kirkland also had six rebounds and five assists.
Highly touted Jason Maxiell dropped in 17 points for UC, shooting 70 percent from the floor. James White was the other double-digit scorer for the Bearcats, as he had 13 points on 5-10 from the field.
After leading by four early, the Billikens never got closer than a seven-point deficit.
Trailing by one point with just over six minutes to play in the first half, the Bearcats shut the door on the Bills with an 11-2 run to close out the half at 34-24.
They were paced by Maxiell, who had four points in that stretch, and Kirkland, who ended the run with a big three-point hit.
The second half opened with a bang for the Bills as Bryant nailed one of his three pointers. That hope would be dashed by point guard Jihad Muhammed who answered Bryant right back on the other end of the floor. Muhammed, who struggled from the field on 2-10 shooting, lead the Bearcats with six assists in the game, and committed no turnovers.
Coach Brad Soderberg said his plan was to give UC the three-point shot, and not allow them to score inside. Judging from the numbers, Soderberg had the right plan.
"We're not athletic enough man-to-man to stay with them," said Soderberg said in a press release.
"We have to take a chance playing a team like that. Our chance was to stop them in the lane, and hope that they don't stroke it from three," Soderberg said.
Unfortunately, the Bearcats tied a season high with nine three pointers, even with their poor shooting percentage.
In their conference opener, the Billikens dispatched the Tulane Green Wave 57-41 at the Savvis Center on Jan. 5.
Ohanon led the Billikens with 16 points and nine rebounds. Bryant added 12 points for the Billikens, and Polk had three assists.
"We can't defend much better than that. I can't expect them to do much better than that," Soderberg said in a press release.
The Green Wave shot only 35 percent for the whole game, and made a meager seven field goals in the first half.
Next up for the Billikens is a road game at Charlotte on Saturday, Jan. 15. The 49ers are 10-2 on the season, including 1-0 in conference play. They are led by all-conference forward Curtis Withers, who is averaging 15 points, and eight rebounds on the season.
After Charlotte, the Bills travel to Southern Mississippi for a game on Wednesday, Jan.19.
