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Bearcats Return to Cincinnati for a Showdown with Tulane in The American

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Basketball

Cincinnati (8-8, 6-5 American) returns home for a three-game homestand beginning Friday when it welcomes Tulane (9-10, 4-10) to Fifth Third Arena. Tipoff is 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The contest was originally scheduled to be played in Cincinnati on Jan. 16 but was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Bearcats' program.

Less than 48 hours ago, UC earned a 70-69 win at Tulsa. Keith Williams scored a game-high 24 points with a career-best six assists and Jeremiah Davenport made a layup with 12.6 seconds left for the victory. Davenport finished with 14 points, four 3-pointers and eight rebounds. Mason Madsen added a career-high nine points.

Tulane suffered a 61-46 loss at Memphis on Wednesday. Jordan Walker led the Green Wave with 18 points and a game-best six steals. 

UC, who earned a 64-61 win at Tulane earlier this season on Feb. 7, leads the all-time series with Tulane 28-15.

UP NEXT: UC plays its fourth game in eight days Sunday when it greets Memphis at Fifth Third Arena. Tipoff is

1 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

CINCINNATI HEADLINES

Cincinnati's last five wins have come by a combined 10 points with each contest being decided by three points or less. In fact, nine of UC's 16 games this season have been decided by five points or less.

The Bearcats are 5-1 since coming off a 25-day pause for COVID-19 issues on Feb. 4, including three road wins.

After playing six of its last eight games on the road, UC returns home for a three-game homestand beginning Friday vs. Tulane. 

Keith Williams enters Thursday ranked sixth in the AAC in scoring (14.8 points). He has led the Bearcats in scoring eight times this season, including Wednesday when he scored 24 points at Tulsa.  

David DeJulius enters Thursday ranked among the AAC's leaders in six categories: assists (2nd at 4.6), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3), defensive rebounds (T6th at 4.8), minutes played (11th at 31.8), rebounding (18th at 5.1) and points (23rd at 10.0). He ranks second on the team in scoring since UC's return to play from COVID-19 protocols (2/4), averaging 12.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

In November, CBS Sports named Cincinnati the 10th greatest college basketball program since the advent of the NCAA Tournament in 1939. 

BEARCATS TIP-INS

ANOTHER CLOSE CALL: Cincinnati has won five of six games since coming off a 25-day pause for COVID-19 issues on Feb. 4, winning those contests by a combined 10 points. In fact, nine of UC's 16 games this season have been decided by five points or less. UC is 5-1 this season in games decided by three points or less. Despite having eight losses this season, UC has played its opponents closely in nearly every contest. The Bearcats have been within three points or less in the final 100 seconds of five of their eight losses this season.

WILLIAMS SIXTH IN AAC IN SCORING: Preseason AAC First Team honoree Keith Williams enters Thursday ranks sixth in the AAC in scoring, averaging 14.8 points. 

He scored a game-high 24 points with a career-best six assists at Tulsa (2/25). Williams has led the Bearcats in scoring in eight games this season.

Williams became the 54th member of UC's 1,000-point club at Tulane (2/7) with a game-high 20 points against the Green Wave.  

DEJULIUS THE DIFFERENCE MAKER: Junior transfer David DeJulius has proven invaluable in his first season with the Bearcats. DeJulius enters the Thursday ranked among the AAC's leaders in six categories: assists (2nd at 4.6), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3), defensive rebounds (T6th at 4.8), minutes played (11th at 31.8), rebounding (18th at 5.1) and points (23rd at 10.0). 

He ranks second on the team in scoring since UC's return to play from COVID-19 protocols (2/4), averaging 12.3 points along with 5.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists. 

He poured in a career-high 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting with four 3-pointers and three steals at Temple (2/4) and contributed 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists at Tulane (2/7) en route to earning AAC Weekly Honor Roll (2/8) accolades. 

DAVENPORT FROM OUTSIDE: Sophomore guard Jeremiah Davenport ranks ninth in the AAC, averaging 1.8 3-pointers per game. He tied a career-high with four 3-pointers as part of a 14-point effort at Tulsa (2/24).  

He has scored in double figures in eight of the last 13 games for the Bearcats. 

SCOUTING TULANE

Tulane features a pair of players averaging double-digits in scoring in Jaylen Forbes (16.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals) and Jordan Walker (13.1 points, 4.4 assists). The duo accounts for 75 of Tulane's 127 3-pointers.

The Green Wave has lost three of its five games since its last meeting with Cincinnati.