Max Abmas, No. 25 Texas clip Cincinnati in final seconds

Field Level Media|published: Tue 9th January, 21:32 2024

Jan 9, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats forward John Newman III (15) reacts as he is fouled by Texas Longhorns guard Max Abmas (3) in the first half at Fifth Third Arena. credits: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Max Abmas drained a pull-up jumper with 6.2 seconds remaining to give No. 25 Texas a 74-73 win over host Cincinnati in a Big 12 thriller on Tuesday night.

Dylan Disu scored a career-high 33 points while Abmas added 15 for Texas (12-3, 1-1 Big 12), which rebounded from a home loss to Texas Tech on Saturday.

Trailing 70-67 after a Dillon Mitchell breakaway dunk, the Bearcats (12-3, 1-1) rallied behind baskets from Jamille Reynolds and Simas Lukosius to take a 71-70 lead. Lukosius then drained a turnaround jumper as the shot clock was expiring to put Cincinnati up 73-70 with 59 seconds left.

The Bearcats led 73-72 when Cincinnati's John Newman III missed the front end of a one-and-one situation with 23 seconds remaining. Abmas was able to get downcourt and get off the game-winning shot.

The Cincinnati bench and fans erupted in protest, claiming that Abmas traveled moments before the game-winner.

A desperation 3 from Lukosius with one second to go was off target, and the Longhorns held on. Lukosius finished with a team-high 19 points, while Viktor Lakhin added 17.

Coming off a dramatic road upset of then-No. 12 BYU in their first-ever Big 12 game, the Bearcats were on the brink of victory until Texas scored the final four points of the game.

The crowd was electric and loud from the start, celebrating Cincinnati's first-ever Big 12 home game.

Disu's 3-pointer with 2:21 left in the first half put Texas up 39-33. But the Bearcats responded thanks in large part to Dan Skillings Jr.

With just over a minute remaining before halftime, Skillings went the length of the floor and finished with a one-handed jam and was fouled. His free throw cut the Texas lead to two at 39-37. His fastbreak dunk 19 seconds later tied the game.

Disu capped a 19-point first half with a jumper that gave Texas a 41-39 edge at the break.

The Bearcats carried the momentum into the second half, taking a 53-49 lead on a thunderous putback dunk from Reynolds with 10:37 remaining.

—Field Level Media