UH guard Quentin Grimes holds a pose after releasing a 3-pointer against Cincinnati on Feb. 21 at Fertitta Center. | Andy Yanez/The Cougar
No. 7 Houston took care of business, defeating Cincinnati in a 91-54 decision to clinch its first American Athletic Conference Tournament Championship on Sunday afternoon.
The Cougars came out of the gates like a team prepared for the NCAA Tournament, holding the Bearcats scoreless for the first three minutes of the game, and really never looked back.
After the first nine minutes of the first half, all five of UH’s starters had scored, including senior Justin Gorham, who got off to a quick start with seven points early.
UH got its first double-digit lead off a jumper by senior forward Brison Gresham and by halftime, it led by 14 points.
Cincinnati scored the first basket in the second period off a layup by freshman guard Mike Saunders Jr, but that was the closest the Bearcats got as UH responded with a 12-0 run that busted the game wide open. The Cougars’ largest lead of the game was 37.
Junior guard Quentin Grimes finished with 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting on 3-pointers.
He got into an offensive groove towards the middle of the second half that was highlighted by one play, in which he spun from his right to his left and then crossed over back to his right to rise up for a shot and banked it in.
Sophomore guard Marcus Sasser, who has really found his shooting rhythm in the past three games, ended the contest with 16 points. Senior guard DeJon Jarreau had 10 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
The Cougars now await to see where they are seeded in the NCAA Tournament and who their first-round opponent will be. The NCAA Selection Show will air at 5 p.m. on CBS.
