GARY CLARK HAD 14 POINTS AND SEVEN REBOUNDS IN CINCINNATI'S BALANCED ATTACK, AND THE 18TH-RANKED BEARCATS ROLLED TO THEIR 26TH STRAIGHT WIN AT HOME, 65-47 OVER HOUSTON ON THURSDAY NIGHT.
CINCINNATI (26-4, 15-2 AMERICAN ATHLETIC) WRAPPED UP ITS FOURTH UNDEFEATED SEASON AT FIFTH THIRD ARENA, WHICH OPENED IN 1989. THE BEARCATS' HOME WINNING STREAK IS THE SECOND-LONGEST AT THE ARENA. THEY WON 41 IN A ROW FROM 1997-2000.HOUSTON (20-9, 11-6) CAME IN WITH THE SECOND-BEST OFFENSE IN THE LEAGUE BUT CAME AWAY WITH ITS LOWEST POINT TOTAL OF THE SEASON.
ROB GRAY LED WITH 17 POINTS. DAMYEAN DOTSON MADE A 3-POINTER IN THE CLOSING MINUTES, GIVING HIM THE HOUSTON RECORD OF 29 CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A 3. HE MOVED ONE AHEAD OF ROBERT MCKIVER'S MARK FROM 2007-08. THE BEARCATS TOOK CONTROL BY CLOSING THE FIRST HALF WITH A 20-4 RUN FOR A 37-20 LEAD, HOUSTON'S LOWEST-SCORING HALF OF THE SEASON.