KEVIN JOHNSON SCORED 14 POINTS AND GARY CLARK HAD 13 POINTS AND 14 REBOUNDS AS NO. 18 CINCINNATI BOUNCED BACK FROM ITS FIRST LOSS IN TWO MONTHS WITH A 68-54 VICTORY OVER SOUTH FLORIDA ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
THE BEARCATS (23-2, 12-1 AMERICAN) SHRUGGED OFF LAST SUNDAY'S NINE-POINT LOSS TO SMU AND SURPASSED THEIR VICTORY TOTAL FOR LAST SEASON. KYLE WASHINGTON HAD 13 POINTS AND NINE REBOUNDS, WHILE JACOB EVANS OVERCAME EARLY FOUL TROUBLE TO FINISH WITH 10 POINTS.USF (7-18, 1-13) SNAPPED A 12-GAME LOSING STREAK LAST WEEKEND AND FOUND A WAY TO KEEP IT RELATIVELY CLOSE UNTIL CINCINNATI BEGAN THE SECOND HALF ON AN 11-2 RUN TO BUILD ITS LEAD TO 41-24.
GENO THORPE LED THE BULLS WITH 19 POINTS.CINCINNATI NEVER TRAILED AND LIMITED USF TO 36 PERCENT SHOOTING, WHILE BLOCKING EIGHT SHOTS AND FORCING 21 TURNOVERS. THE BEARCATS LED 30-22 AT HALFTIME AND BY AS MANY AS 24 POINTS AFTER THE BREAK.