Cincinnati holds off Howard in overtime to remain undefeated

Field Level Media|published: Tue 28th November, 21:56 2023

Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Wes Miller paces the sideline as Cincinnati Bearcats forward Aziz Bandaogo (55) finds a seat on the bench in the first half during an NCAA college basketball game between Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Cincinnati Bearcats, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023, at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati. credits: Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Viktor Lakhin scored a team-high 19 points while Dan Skillings Jr. added 16 to lead the visiting Cincinnati Bearcats past the Howard Bison 86-81 in overtime on Tuesday night in Washington, D.C.

The Bearcats (6-0) used their height advantage to outrebound Howard 40-28 and outscore the Bison 54-34 in the paint.

Aziz Bandaogo, a 7-foot transfer from Utah Valley, scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds for the Bearcats, who won their sixth straight game to open the season for the first time since 2017.

Following a pair of free throws by Day Day Thomas with 8.3 seconds remaining in regulation to put Cincinnati ahead 74-71, Howard's Seth Towns drained a fallaway three as time expired to force overtime.

Towns led Howard (3-5) with 24 points and seven rebounds. Marcus Dockery scored 13 while Jordan Hairston chipped in with 11 for the Bison, who had their 10-game home win streak snapped.

The game was delayed for five minutes in overtime to address a clock malfunction.

The Bison lost a key player in Shy Odom just four minutes into the first half. Odom attempted to warm-up prior to the second half but did not return after leaving the game holding his leg.

Howard was forced to lean more heavily on Towns, who responded with 10 points and five rebounds in the first half.

The Bison took their first lead since the opening minutes when Jelani Williams rattled in a straightaway three for 48-45 with 11:48 remaining in the second half. Towns drained a pair of free throws with 10:55 left to cap Howard's surge.

The Bison led by as many as five several times in the second half, including 61-56 on a Miles Stewart jumper with just under seven minutes left.

But the Bearcats answered with the next 10 points, highlighted by a Jizzle James steal of a Towns pass and drive to the basket for a one-handed dunk, putting Cincinnati up 63-61 with 5:42 left.

James is the son of former NFL star running back Edgerrin James, who was in attendance to watch his son play. Eden James, another son, is a running back for Howard's football team.

—Field Level Media