Jizzle James, Cincinnati get even with Utah

Field Level Media|published: Tue 11th February, 21:47 2025

Cincinnati Bearcats guard Jizzle James (2) handles the ball in the first half of a NCAA men’s basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Utah Utes, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati.

Jizzle James scored 14 of his team-leading 25 points in the second half as host Cincinnati pulled away for an 85-75 Big 12 win over Utah on Tuesday night.

Aziz Bandaogo added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Josh Reed added 13 points for Cincinnati.

Reed's layup bounced several times on the rim before falling through with 3:24 left in the second half to snap a 72-72 tie and spark a 11-0 run as Cincinnati (15-9, 5-8 Big 12) for the first time won third straight regular-season games in this conference.

It was the second straight revenge win for the Bearcats over a Utah team as they beat BYU on Saturday to split the season series. Utah defeated Cincinnati, 69-66, in Salt Lake City on Jan. 28.

The Cincinnati mascot posed with a "Kelce Brothers greater than Madsen Brothers" sign in front of the Utah bench. It was a reference to two famous NFL star players -- tight end Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce -- who both attended Cincinnati.

Utah sharpshooter Gabe Madsen and his twin brother Mason attended Cincinnati, with Gabe leaving following the 2020-21 season and Mason leaving the Cincinnati program a year later.

Gabe Madsen finished with a game-high 28 points, making 8 of 22 3-pointers for Utah (13-11, 5-8). Mason Madsen did not score in three minutes of play.

The first half ended on an appropriate note as Dan Skillings Jr. connected for the Bearcats' eighth 3-pointer of the half to match their biggest lead at 42-34. But in the closing seconds, the Utes' Lawson Lovering drove the lane and finished with a dunk to cut the lead to 42-36 at the half.

Lovering converted all six of his shots from the field in the first half and finished with a team-leading 12 points, helping Utah outscore Cincinnati 22-6 in the paint. Lovering finished with 14 points for Utah.

Cincinnati was up by as many as nine points in the second half before Utah tied it at 68 on Mike Sharavjamts' tip-in with 7:27 remaining. Another tie at 72 followed with 3:55 left in regulation before the Bearcats outscored the Utes 13-3 the rest of the way.

Day Day Thomas sank two foul shots in the last 54 seconds for an 11-point advantage, 83-72, and James made two with 26 seconds left for the final score.

--Field Level Media