Two of the top teams in the American Athletic Conference open league competition.
TV Schedule: Sunday, December 31, 4:00 pm E.T., ESPNU
Arena: BB&T Arena, Highland Heights, Kentucky
The addition of Wichita State promises a more competitive American Athletic Conference than ever before. Holdovers from the previous era of the conference won’t give up ground easily, though.
The No. 21 Cincinnati Bearcats – who are playing their home games at BB&T Arena this season – made it through non-conference play with just two blemishes. Both of those losses came against ranked opponents at the time: Xavier and Florida.
Once again, it is the defense that is making the difference for Cincinnati. They rank in the top five in points allowed in the nation, giving up just 60 a game. Memphis is not a particularly high scoring team – advantage, Bearcats.
But Cincinnati’s record is inflated by a weak non-conference schedule. Only two of their 11 victories come against major conference foes. One was against Mississippi State (with their own unimpressive non-conference slate) and the other was at a reeling UCLA Bruins team.
Memphis doesn’t have a better claim for their non-conference schedule. They dropped all three of their games against major conference foes by at least nine points, in addition to a loss against UAB.
The Tigers have a secret weapon, though: freshman David Nickelberry. He sat out in the loss to LSU with flu-like symptoms but was just beginning to scratch the surface of his powers. In his previous game, he compiled 14 points, six rebounds, and five assists, propelling him to AAC Rookie of the Week honors.
Local Memphis product Jeremiah Martin is one of the best players in the entire conference, averaging 18.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.
Cincinnati’s defense is suffocating, though. Martin has seen it before; players like Nickelberry will not be as prepared.
Prediction: Cincinnati 70, Memphis 59