Supplement Notes | Full Notes

After an 80-73 win against No. 8-seed Connecticut in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Championship, the No. 9-seeded SMU Mustangs will take on top-seeded Cincinnati in the first quarterfinal game. The game is slated for 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT.

THE SERIES VS. CINCINNATI (5-9+): SMU fell to Cincinnati in both meetings in 2017-18, first at then- No.19/20 Cincinnati 76-56, before a 76-51 loss to then-No. 6/6 Cincinnati on Feb. 11. SMU won 2-of-3 meet- ings during the 2016-17 season, including a 71-56 win on March 12, 2017 to win the American Athletic Conference Tournament and earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Earlier in the season, the Bearcats won the season opener, 66-64, on Jan. 12 at Fifth Third Arena, before SMU took the rematch 60-51 on Feb. 12 at Moody Coliseum. Since becoming conference foes, Cincinnati holds a 5-3 record over the Mustangs. UC has only taken one of four meetings in Moody Coliseum. Prior to the AAC, the series had been dormant since 1974-75. SMU won the only previous neutral site encounter in 1966, an NCAA Midwest Regional contest in Lubbock, Texas. (+4-9 officially all-time, 2-1 officially at home).

THIS SEASON VS. CINCINNATI (L, 76-51 vs [6/6] Cincinnati on Feb. 11): DALLAS (AP) - Kyle Washington had 17 points with eight rebounds and No. 6 Cincinnati remained undefeated in American Athletic Conference play, stretching its overall winning streak to 16 games with a 76-51 victory over short-handed SMU. SMU was down to six available scholarship players for the rematch with preseason AAC player of the year Shake Milton missing his third straight game because of an injured right hand. Freshman forward Ethan Chargois sat out because of an ankle injury. Jarrey Foster (left knee) and Everett Ray (left foot) were already sidelined by sea- son-ending injuries. The Bearcats missed their first seven shots in the game, but were down only 5-2 when they finally scored just more than 3 minutes in on a dunk by Nysier Brooks. That started a 9-0 run that put them ahead to stay. Jarron Cumberland had 12 points and Gary Clark 11 for Cincinnati, which finished 44 percent (28 of 63) overall from the field. Washington was 8-of-12 shooting. Jimmy Whitt and Jahmal McMurray each had 19 points for SMU, which has lost three straight and seven of 10. It was still only the second loss for the Mustangs in 40 home games coached by Tim Jankovich. This was the most-lopsided loss by SMU (15-10, 5-7) in its five seasons as an AAC member. The previous low mark was a 76-56 loss at Cincinnati just a month ago, when the Mustangs still had a full roster. Cincinnati hit 11 of 13 shots during a stretch after halftime stretching its 11-point halftime lead to 62-27 midway through the second half. (L, 76-56 at [19/20] Cincinnati on Jan. 7): HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. (SMU) - On the road and against one of the nation's top defenses, SMU struggled to find rhythm offensively, falling to Cincinnati 76-56. While both SMU and Cincinnati shot roughly the same percentage from the floor, the Bearcats used turnovers and offensive rebounds to get past the Mustangs. SMU finished with 18 turnovers that led directly to 26 of Cincinnati's points. On top that, the Bearcats grabbed 13 offensive rebounds that led to 14 second-chance points. Those two categories contributed to Cincinnati attempting 10 more shots than SMU. Offensively, SMU was led by juniors Jarrey Foster and Shake Milton. Foster scored a team-high 16 points while collecting a game-high nine rebounds. He was especially solid from the free-throw line, tossing in 7-of-8 attempts. Milton shots 50 percent from the floor on his way to 14 points while also finishing with the most assists for the Mustangs. SMU opened the game confidently, jumping out to a 9-5 lead over the first five minutes. However, a 22-3 Bearcat run allowed Cincinnati to seize control of the game, and SMU never was able to cut into that lead enough against the Bearcats' extremely stout defense. 

March 8, 2018 - No. 9 SMU 80, No. 8 Connecticut 73
Recap | Box Score | Postgame Notes | Photo Gallery | Postgame Quotes | Postgame Audio: Jimmy Whitt