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Postgame Notes

CINCINNATI, Ohio - The University of South Florida men's basketball team was unable to slow down the Cincinnati offense as the Bearcats handed USF a 78-70 loss Wednesday night at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati.

UC shot 62.5 percent in the second half alone and 55.6 percent overall as USF fell to 11-7 overall, 1-5 in the BIG EAST on the year. The Bearcats improved to 13-6, 4-3.

Junior Dominique Jones had another solid game, posting 21 points with six rebounds and four assists. Jones posted 20 or more points for the fifth-straight game, the first time in his career accomplishing that feat.

Senior Chris Howard had his fourth career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds - a new career high in boards - while junior Jarrid Famous and senior Mike Mercer contributed 14 and 10, respectively.

UC was led by Deonta Vaughn with 20 points, while Jaquon Parker and Rashad Bishop each knocked down 15.

The Bearcats scored eight of the game's first 10 points to build up the six-point lead, but USF would come right back and tie it up at 10-10 on a fastbreak layup by freshman Toarlyn Fitzpatrick at the 14:38 mark.

The teams went back and forth over the next few minutes, as USF twice grabbed one-point leads, including a 16-15 advantage at 12:39 when Jones sank both free throws while at the line.


After Cincinnati went on a 8-0 run for its largest lead so far, 23-16, the Bulls came right back and scored the next eight points themselves to take the lead back at 24-23 at the 8:03 mark after Mercer hit a fastbreak jumper.

Following a tie score at 26-26, though, the Bearcats would go on a run to finish the half, outscoring USF, 15-6, to go up by nine at the half, 41-32.

Cincinnati quickly pushed the lead into double digits to start the second half, as USF was forced to play catchup the rest of the game.

Howard drained a 3-pointer with 12:16 left on the clock, USF's first trey of the game, that got the Bulls to within striking distance at 52-47. Cincinnati came right back and helf the Bulls scoreless for more than four minutes that essentially sealed the deal at 59-47.

The Bulls twice more got back to within five, but following a 63-58 advantage for Cincinnati with 4:44 to go, the Bearcats got the lead to a dozen with under two minutes remaining and closed out the Bulls, 78-70.

USF will be back in action on the road Saturday when the Bulls head to Providence to take on the Friars. Tip-off for the ESPNU game is set for 8 p.m.

Team Notes

- USF gave up 41 points in the first half, the most of the season so far, topping the 40 allowed at Syracuse on Jan. 10.

- USF just edged Cincinnati in the rebounding battle, 32-31.  Cincinnati came into the game leading the league in rebounding, outrebounding opponents by 7.9 per game.

- Cincinnati's 55.6 percent shooting was the best clip by an opponent this season.

- The two teams combined to commit just 15 turnovers. USF had seven, tying the season low for the 2009-10 campaign set against San Diego.

- USF received four points from its bench, all from sophomore guard Anthony Crater, while Cincinnati got 11 from its bench. The Bearcats also held the edge in points in the paint, 44-42, and second-chance points, 16-12, while the Bulls led UC in points off turnovers, 14-10, and fastbreak points, 14-4.

Individual Notes

- After hitting two free throws in the first half, junior guard Dominique Jones moved into third on USF's all-time free throws made list. With four in the game, he now has made 329 free throws in his career, passing Terrence Leather's 326. He now trails Altron Jackson's 335 to move into second all time.

- Senior guard Chris Howard hit a three with less than 13 minutes left in the second half for the Bulls' first long ball of the day. USF was 0-8 before Howard knocked down the trey as the shot clock expired. USF has hit at least one three in every game since the Bulls were held without a long ball on March 3, 2004 against UAB. USF finished the game just 3-of-18.

- Howard posted a season-high 16 points, three off his career high of 19, and added his fourth career double-double with 10 rebounds, but his first with points and rebounds. Howard also posted 10 rebounds for the first time in his career, two more than his previous high of eight. 

- Jones has scored at least 16 points 13 times this season and 20 or more points on 10 occasions. Jones posted 20 or more points for the fifth-straight game, the first time ever he has accomplished that feat at USF. He is averaging 25 points per game over the last five contests. He is shooting 47.1 percent during that time with 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.