Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball Players To Watch: UCF Knights

The Cincinnati Bearcats (15-9, 4-7 Big 12) travel to Orlando, Florida to take on Johnny Dawkins and the Central Florida Knights (13-10, 4-7 Big 12) at Addition Financial Arena with hopes of getting their NCAA Tournament trajectory back on the right track.

Cincinnati missed Viktor Lakhin the last time these two teams met due to illness. A blood bath, as Central Florida led the Bearcats by as much as twelve points before a huge second-half effort propelled them to a 68-59 victory.

Players to watch for the Knights

UCF guards Jaylin Sellers and Marchelous Avery had fantastic performances on January 27th. Sellers, the Knights's leading scorer, gave the Bearcats some trouble after struggling in the first half, which resulted in UC having to make some defensive adjustments, which resulted in John Newman guarding both Avery and Sellers.

The talented duo shredded the Bearcats, combining for 39 points, on 10-of-17 shooting in the Knights's 68-59 loss to Cincinnati. However, the Bearcats, know they have to find a way to contain the talented backcourt duo, especially following a game where Cincinnati turned the ball over 25 times on the offensive end.

Central Florida big man Ibrahima Diallo continues to lead the Knights in rebounds (six rebounds per game), but was non-existent during the first matchup, finishing with zero points, zero rebounds, and two turnovers across just six minutes of action after fouling out early in the second half.

Cincinnati knew it could be a huge factor heading into that matchup, making it a priority to get downhill and attack the seven-footer. I'd expect Diallo to be much more poised come Saturday, but that could be something worth monitoring again.

Players to watch for the Bearcats

UC guard John Newman willed the Bearcats to victory alongside Dan Skillings in the team's opening matchup and could do it again. Newman's tenacious energy sparked the Bearcats' second-half momentum, and it all started with his relentless efforts on Avery and Sellers.

"You guys show me a better perimeter defender in all of college basketball than John Newman," UC head coach Wes Miller said. "I'm sure there're some other great players out there that deserve some credit and recognition. But you can't tell me there is anyone out there better than John Newman. He's been phenomenal. I truly think he is one of the best perimeter defenders we have across all of college basketball."

Newman's second-half performance proved to many that he is the engine that makes the Bearcats go, and that was something fans questioned heading into the season after suffering a season-ending knee injury last season. Newman sparked the momentum with a ferocious one-handed dunk over 7-foot Center Omar Payne, and from that moment on, the Bearcats never looked back.

"I thought John Newman was an absolute warrior," said Miller following the Bearcats 68-59 victory over Central Florida. "That will be a game when I tell stories about John Newman years down the road—this will be a game I talk about."

It's time to see if the veteran wing player can repeat that performance on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET in a must-win situation.

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