UC Basketball Stars Of The Game: Pair Of Big Men Rise Up In Crucial Road Win

Cincinnati swept UCF for the first time this decade.

Alex Frank | Feb 20, 2023

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Cincinnati Bearcats

DAYTON — UC's 73-71 last-second win at UCF Sunday was gutsy, gritty, exhilarating, crucial, and everything in between.

All five starters scored in double figures, as the Bearcats overcame a six-point deficit and a blown nine-point lead for arguably the most important win of the season.

Here are three players who stood out:

1. David DeJulius

DeJulius's leadership and knack for clutch plays were on full display.

The fifth-year senior willed his way to 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting, but the amazing thing is he didn't attempt a three-point shot the entire game. Eleven shots, no three-point attempts. How did he get to 16 points? By going 6/6 at the free-throw line in a two-point game. That's clutch.

He also impacted the game by dishing out 8 assists and pulling down 5 rebounds. Over his last seven games, DeJulius is averaging just under 8 assists per game. In addition, he has nine straight games scoring in double figures. If the Bearcats are going to go into the conference tournament with a lot of momentum, this is the version of David DeJulius they'll need.

2. Kalu Ezikpe

The first-year Bearcat has been a slow work in progress throughout the season, but he really stepped up with Viktor Lakhin still out with an ankle injury. Ezikpe scored 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Efficient and effective. Over his last three games, Ezikpe has increased his scoring each outing and is 8-of-11 from the field in his last two games.

3. Ody Oguama

For the second time in three games, Oguama was perfect from the field. And in a game with a razor-thin margin like this one, every single shot mattered.

Oguama has emerged as a reliable force in the frontcourt over the last four games, with three games scoring in double figures while shooting 24-of-29 from the field. In that time, his scoring average increased from 3.5 points per game to 5 points per game this season.

Viktor Lakhin's status against Temple is still up in the air. If he can't go, the Bearcats have two big men who have emerged as reliable options in the frontcourt. Frontcourt depth was a question entering the season, but now it's becoming a strength of this team. Combine that with DeJulius's high level of play, and this team has a chance to make some noise down the stretch and in the conference tournament.

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