Cincinnati Serves Notice That It’s Back With 101-60 Victory

Danny Fortson and the Cincinnati Bearcats are feeling good about themselves again--which could mean trouble for Conference USA opponents.

Fortson was named most valuable player of the inaugural Puerto Rico Holiday Classic in San Juan Wednesday after his 24-point, 10-rebound performance sparked No. 6 Cincinnati to a 101-60 victory over previously unbeaten Southwest Missouri State in the championship game.

“We’re starting to come along. We’re doing the things we didn’t,” said Fortson, referring to losses to Xavier (Ohio) and Kansas that knocked Cincinnati out of the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press rankings. “We’re finally back to where we were in the preseason.”

Cincinnati (8-2) used a 14-0 run en route to a 51-24 halftime lead. The Bearcats were particularly dominant in rebounding with a 64-27 advantage--30-11 on the offensive end.

“This has been the best we’ve rebounded all the season,” Cincinnati Coach Bob Huggins said. “Our strength was under the boards and was outstanding helping us get dominance of the game. We didn’t want to play a half-court game. We were able to get them to play the way we wanted.”

Forward Bobby Brannen had 13 points and 12 rebounds for Cincinnati. Fortson, a 6-foot-7 junior, averaged 20.6 points in the Bearcats’ three tournament victories which were by 11, 23 and 41 points.

The loss by Southwest Missouri State (10-1) left five unbeaten teams in Division I--Kansas, Iowa State, Oregon, Wake Forest and Xavier.

Also in the Puerto Rico tournament Wednesday:

--Guard Antonio Daniels made three free throws in the final minute to give Bowling Green (8-3) a 58-55 victory over Nebraska (7-4) in the third-place game.

--Edmond Sherod made two free throws with 23 seconds left in overtime to give Old Dominion (7-5) a 72-71 victory over Mississippi State (6-7) in the fifth-place game. Sherod, who had with 21 points, had a chance to give the Monarchs a three-point lead with 16 seconds left in regulation, but missed two free throws. Mississippi State’s Horatio Webster then made one of two free throws to tie the game at 59-59 and force the overtime.

--Fresno State (8-6) ended a losing streak at three games with an 83-77 victory over Southeast Missouri (3-8) in the seventh-place game. Forward Terrance Roberson scored the tying and go-ahead baskets in the final two minutes for the Bulldogs.