Khalid Mutakabbir (Suwanee, Ga.) scored 25 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer with 7.6 seconds remaining, to help erase a 15-point second-half deficit and give the Presbyterian College men's basketball team the 56-54 win over #20 Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. The win marks the first for the Blue Hose over a ranked opponent in their Division I history.
PC improves to 3-2 and hands the Bearcats their first loss of the season (2-1).
After fighting back from a 15 point Cincinnati lead, PC was down by just four with a little over three minutes left in the game after Mutakabbir hit a layup. The teams traded baskets, and with the Blue Hose again down by four points, Jay Reynolds (Maryville, Tenn.) converted a three point play to cut the advantage to one point with 38 seconds left. Another strong defensive stance gave PC the ball back, and Mutakabbir hit a huge three pointer with seven seconds remaining to give the Blue Hose the 56-54 lead.
Mutakabbir led the Blue Hose with a game-high 25 points, including two clutch three pointers down the stretch, and played all 40 minutes of the game. Al'Lonzo Coleman (Charlotte, N.C.) chipped in 12 points and 11 total rebounds for the 15th double-double of his career and the first of the season. Reynolds finished the night with seven points.
The Bearcats were led by Sean Kilpatrick's 19 points, while Yancy Gates contributed 17 points. PC advances to 3-2 on the year with the win, while Cincinnati moves to 2-1.
PC played strong defense throughout the game, forcing nine Bearcat turnovers and converting them to 12 points. The Blue Hose also scored 14 fast break points to Cincinnati's two. PC also outshot the Bearcats, going 21 of 46 from the field for a 45.7 shooting percentage.
Neither team could find the basket in the early minutes of the first half until Cincinnati hit a jumper at 17:09. PC then answered with an 8-1 run to lead 8-3 with 12:42 left in the half. The Blue Hose defense held the Bearcats on consecutive trips down the floor, and used back-to-back layups from Reynolds and Mutakabbir to extend their lead to nine points, 12-3.
Cincinnati responded with a nine point run of their own to tie the game at 12-12 with just under nine minutes remaining. The Blue Hose continued to battle and a Josh Johnson (Hendersonville, Tenn.) three-pointer gave PC the lead back. After the Bearcats hit a jumper, Coleman sank a layup to help PC remain on top.
The home team again tied the game at 17-17, and a jumper by the Bearcats gave them the two point advantage with three minutes left in the half. The teams each hit a basket, but Cincinnati closed the half with three consecutive shots, including a three-pointer with eight seconds remaining, to take a 26-19 lead into the locker rooms at half time. The seven point advantage was the Bearcats' largest of the first half.
To start the second half, Cincinnati came out strong and jumped out to a 10 point lead off of back-to-back three pointers. The Bearcats led by as many as 15 points, but PC kept chipping away, using a 7-0 run mid-way through the half and two free throws by Coleman to trail by six points with 5:37 left in the game.
PC continued to fight for the remainder of the second half, and used two three pointers by Mutakabbir, including one with seven seconds left, to take the lead and the win.
The Blue Hose get just a little time to celebrate before travelling to Davidson to take on the Wildcats in an 8 p.m. game Monday, Nov. 21. The game can be heard on the radio at WLBG AM-860 or www.GoBlueHose.com.
