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The Cincinnati Bearcats are hoping to add another banner to the rafters when Fifth Third Arena reopens next season after a year of renovation. The No. 8 Bearcats face No. 21 Houston on Sunday afternoon in the American Athletic Conference Tournament championship in Orlando, Fla., looking to avenge their loss in last year's tourney final and secure their first league postseason crown since winning the Conference USA tournament in 2004.
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Cincinnati will continue its season next week in the NCAA Tournament, but coach Mick Cronin isn't taking his foot off the gas.
"I think it's my 15th year as a head coach, but it's Gary Clark and Kyle Washington's last chance to win a conference tournament," Cronin said. "They could have two games left in their college career. So to think that we're not trying to win the game tomorrow -- the tournament, winning the tournament, there's a game and they keep score for a reason.
"That being said, Gary Clark and Kyle Washington have never cut down nets after a game in their high school career or their college career, and we won the regular season on the road. 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."
Just getting to the final was a major accomplishment for the Bearcats (29-4). They trailed by 13 at intermission -- matching their biggest halftime deficit of the season -- but opened the second half with a 21-2 run to dispatch the Tigers, who made 5 of 27 shots after the break, including 0 of 8 from 3-point range.
"We have been in that situation before, to tell you the truth, but we can't put ourselves in that situation," Kyle Washington said. "We have to come out from the gate with the sense of urgency and just knowing our assignments, like I said before. But we just have to come out with that sense of urgency like we're down 10."
Houston landed a spot in the final by outlasting No. 11 Wichita State in Saturday's other semifinal.
Up six at halftime, the Cougars had to withstand an offensive barrage from the Shockers, who shot 58 percent in the second half and were up 67-65 with four minutes to play.
Wichita State led by three with 1:45 left before Houston scored the final five points.
"We just wanted to come here and take it one game at a time," the Cougars' Rob Gray said. "It means a lot because that's what we expected of ourselves and we had high expectations.
"Once we lost at Memphis, we knew we fell out of contention to win the regular season title or a share of it, so the only way to get that back would have been to come down here and go on a three-game winning streak and cut down the nets in the conference tournament."
Houston and Cincinnati split their season series. The Cougars stunned the Bearcats 67-62 on Feb. 15, snapping Cincinnati's 16-game winning streak.
"Houston beat us last time," Cronin said. "If I know anything about their players and their coach, I'm sure that they can't wait to get ahold of us."
