UC vs West Virginia

On Thursday, I went to see the Bearcats play host to the West Virginia Mountaineers at US Bank Arena. It was an important game for two reasons: UC needed a victory to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive, and Bob Huggins was returning to Cincinnati for the first time since being bought out in 2005. I sat in the students section. The crowd was extremely loud and full of energy. Before the game, Bob Huggins received a standing ovation; along with several other moments of appreciation for all that he did for the University during his tenure. It was a great moment to see Bob Huggins get emotional, and to see first hand just how much he meant to Cincinnati and how much Cincinnati meant to him.
The game started out with a bang. UC came firing out of the gates. At one point they hit eight straight shots, as they took an early lead. Huggins made a great adjustment moving to a 1-3-1 zone. UC has had trouble with the zone all season long, and tonight would be no different. West Virginia went on a 15-0 run that silenced the crowd. However, UC clawed their way back into it by the play of Yancey Gates, the talented freshman. At halftime West Virginia led by 1. At that point, everyone knew it was going to be a tight game right down to the end.
The second half was filled with UC technical fouls. They had 3 of them altogether. However, Yancey Gates and helped lead the Bearcats to a late lead. They needed only a free throw to seal it. Cincinnati got 6 shots from the free throw line in the last half minute of the game, and only converted 2 of them. Fortunately it was enough for UC to win, as West Virginia failed to convert late on their end. It was a huge win, a fun atmosphere, and a memorable moment with a Cincinnati legend, Bob Huggins.