Junior forward Yancy Gates has netted a game-best 11 points to help the No. 7-seeded Cincinnati Bearcats collect a 32-24 halftime advantage over No. 15 USF Bulls in a second round Big East Conference Tournament contest at Madison Square Garden. The winner advances to play No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Thursday at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
The Bearcats (24-7) led 24-22 with about four minutes to go, but used a 8-2 run, which included two 3-pointers by junior guard Dion Dixon, to take an eight-point advantage heading into the locker room. Dixon finished the half with eight points, while teammates, senior forward Rashard Bishop and freshman guard Sean Kilpatrick, each have four points.
Sophomore guard Saun Noriega has a team-best 6 points for USF (10-22), which earned a first-round victory, 70-69, over No. 10 Villanova Wildcats on Tuesday. Teammate junior forward Augustus Gilchrist has chipped in with 4 points and 4 rebounds.
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