American Stories – Cincinnati Took Memphis’ Best Shot in Semifinal Win

ORLANDO, Fla. – Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin knows his No.8-ranked Bearcats have a shot to be a No. 2 seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament.

But he also knows he can’t afford to play with fire at this time of the year.

The Bearcats, who have struggled to shoot the ball well in the Amway Center, looked like they were on the verge of falling into an abyss against Memphis in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Championship with their defense didn’t get out on guard Jamal Johnson, who made four straight 3-pointers, and fell behind 42-29 at halftime.

“He was starting to get that Reggie Miller look,” Cronin said. “When a guy’s on fire like that, you can make the adjustment, not let him shoot or you can let him shoot you out of the tournament and you go home.”

Cincinnati stormed back with a vengeance, clamping down with its signature suffocating team defense to limit the Tigers, who shot 51.9 percent in the first half, to just 18.5 percent on 5- for-27 shooting in the second half and going on a 21-2 run themselves to rally for a 70-60 victory.

“One thing we try to preach is the first five minutes of the second half,” Cincinnati’s senior forward and American Player of the Year Gary Clark said. “It’s we’re up or we’re down. The first five minutes determines how that game’s going to go. We came out with fire. Coach said, ‘Eye of the Tiger,’ So we came out defensively and everybody was locked in and knowing where the shooters were, rebounding the ball and keeping them from getting second chances.”

It was a lesson well learned as they enter Sunday’s championship game.

The Bearcats limited Memphis to just 48 points in each of their two regular-season victories. But the Tigers didn’t seem to let that bother them this time.

“Hopefully we learned a lesson that the other team, no matter what their record is and no matter what their situation may be-is coming to win this time of year,” Cronin said. “They’re not going to care what your seed is. Memphis had to win two games to get to the NCAA tournament. Whoever we play in the tournament next week to going to have to win or they’re going home. So, we need to understand that’s the type of intensity we’re going to face.

“Now obviously we going to be playing against a top-20 team, so we understand what’s coming. At least we better.”
The Bearcats, who shot just 40.7 percent, came to life behind two senior forwards – Clark and 6-10 Kyle Washington – and sophomore guard Jarron Cumberland. Cumberland scored seven of his 18 points during the epic run, making a pair of three pointers. Washington had five including an old fashioned three point play; and Clark, who finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds, contributed a dunk and a layup during this impressive shock and awe moment that wore down a shorthanded team that was missing its best player — Jeremiah Martin, who is out for the season with a broken foot – and senior guard Jimario Rivers, who left after suffering a concussion just a minute and a half into the game and looked like it had run out of gas after playing its third game in three days.

“We’ve been in that situation before, to tell you the truth, but we can’t put ourselves in that situation,” Washington said. “We have to come out from the gate with a sense of urgency and just knowing our assignments. We need to come out like we’re down 10.”

Memphis finished with 21 wins and seems worth of an NIT bid. Second year coach Tubby Smith, who lost five transfers and has a roster filled with new faces, has done a good job during a transition season.

Cronin was quick to sing Memphis’ praises.

“Coach Smith has done a tremendous job weathering the storm,” Cronin said. “I mean, whose best player breaks his foot and then you win seven of eight games? And then take the No. 1 seed and a team that is 29-4 and put them on the ropes with a bunch of guys that weren’t your team last year? You’ve got to give them credit, their coaches and their players.”

Cincinnati is more than happy to survive and advance. Cronin is one step closer to a conference championship.

“Gary Clark and Kyle Washington have never cut down the nets after a game in high school or college career and we won the regular season on the road,” Cronin said. “We didn’t come home and do it because I want them to be hungry to do it here. So if you’re going to play, you play to win.”