Hayden Koval hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key, Jeremiah Davenport drove for a layup with just over a minute remaining and host Cincinnati turned back a Georgia rally for a 73-68 win on Saturday night.
Braelen Bridges scored 24 points on 11-of-15 shooting to lead Georgia (1-1), while also grabbing eight rebounds. Jailyn Ingram added 13 points and Aaron Cook 10 for the Bulldogs.
Davenport and Mika Adams-Woods each scored 11 points for the Bearcats (2-0) with David Dejulius adding 10. Koval’s 3-pointer was his only basket but the 7-foot-1 center pulled down seven rebounds, as did Davenport.
In all, 10 Bearcats scored as new coach Wes Miller, in his second game, defeated Tom Crean’s Bulldogs.
Cook’s jump shot with 3:30 remaining cut Cincinnati’s lead to 63-59, and Jabri Abdur-Rahim made two free throws for a 65-61 score at the 2:53 mark. After Cincinnati’s late spurt, Abdur-Rahim hit a jumper that pulled the Bulldogs to 70-67 with 23 seconds left but Cincinnati closed with three from the line.
Cincinnati scored 48 points in the paint to Georgia’s 38, and turned 13 Georgia turnovers into 19 points.
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