Bearcats

In a game where the home faithful blacked out the arena, No. 6 Houston visited Cincinnati and had their way with the Bearcats, winning 80-58. Fabian White Jr. had a tremendous game and led Houston in scoring, finishing with 22 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. David DeJulius led all players with 25 points.&nbsp;
Houston (20-3, 9-0 AAC) entered this one undefeated in conference play amidst a tremendous season. They are led by Texas Tech transfer Kyler Edwards, who is shooting 38.6% and averaging 14.2 points per game. UConn transfer and senior center Josh Carlton is also playing well, and averaging 10.7 points over his last 10 contests.
The Bearcats (15-7, 5-4 AAC) are led by DeJulius, who over the last four games entering this one was scoring 16.8 points on 50% shooting from three. Junior wing Jeremiah Davenport is averaging 13.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
The Cougars got started early, hitting five of their first seven shots and jumping out to a 12-3 lead. They would stretch the lead to 36-15 at the 5:30 mark and it appeared to be getting ugly. DeJulius and the Bearcats would answer over the next few minutes, ending the half on a 12-2 run.
Houston led 42-31 at the break. DeJulius led all scorers with 18 points, while White Jr. started 3 of 3 from deep and posted 15 points. Edwards had 8 points at the half.
Davenport connected on a deep triple to open the second half which got the crowd raucous again, but White would follow up with his fourth to re-extend the lead to 11 points.&nbsp;
The rest of the game was pretty cut and dry. Each time the Bearcats scored, the Cougars had an answer. Jamal Shead had a phenomenal second half and at times was unguardable. He finished the night with 17 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.
Taze Moore ended with 13 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds. The Bearcats hit only 4 of 20 from behind the arc, but Jeremiah Davenport connected on 2 of his own to end with 9 points. Viktor Lakhin provided 7 points off the bench.&nbsp;
Houston was a -6.5 favorite entering the night and is now on a 12 game winning streak.&nbsp;
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UPCOMING
Houston visits SMU on Wednesday.
Cincinnati travels to South Florida on Wednesday.
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No. 6 Houston visited Cincinnati and had their way with the Bearcats, winning 80-58. Fabian White Jr. led them in scoring, finishing with 22

No. 6 Houston defeats Cincinnati 80-58, White scores 22

In Kansas City, Missouri I had the chance to attend the Hall of Fame Classic, which featured the No. 13 Arkansas Razorbacks, No. 14 Illinois Fighting Illini, Cincinnati Bearcats and Kansas State Wildcats. The event was the stage for a handful of potential NBA and next-level prospects, so I would like to share my thoughts on players who caught my eye.
Kofi Cockburn | Illinois | Center
In his season debut, Kofi Cockburn showed immediately that he&rsquo;s a force to be reckoned with in the post. He had the opposing bigs in foul trouble early and often, and was able to throw down a powerful dunk early, which got the Illinois fans off their feet. Monday night, he posted 18 points, 7 rebounds and a block. He continues to improve his footwork and post moves on the offensive end, but the defensive versatility and mobility questions remain. Cockburn will likely test the NBA Draft waters again in 2022, and he has a chance to be a second-round selection.
Andre Curbelo | Illinois | Guard
After a fairly slow start in the first two games, Andre Curbelo showed again why, when locked in, he can be one of college basketball&rsquo;s most electric point guards. He showed both mental and physical toughness, as he played through some obvious pain in the first half. He isn&rsquo;t the biggest or most physically imposing player &mdash; which can bring some limitations &mdash; but he used his footwork, change-of-speed ability and craftiness to create opportunities for both himself and his teammates. Curbelo needs to cut down on the turnovers and improve as a shooter, but he did hit some smooth pull-up jumpers vs. Cincinnati, and ended with a stat line of 12 points, 5 assists, and 5 turnovers.
Davonte Davis | Arkansas | Guard
Davonte Davis is an athletic combo guard who excels on the defensive end and has shown flashes as both a slasher and shooter. He was averaging 6.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game coming into the contest. He only posted 4 points, 4 rebounds, an assist and a steal Monday, but he made some really nice passes that created good looks for his teammates. The Razorback backcourt is loaded, so it&rsquo;s difficult for any of the guards to have high-volume nights. Still, Davis&rsquo; impact in transition and on the defensive end allow him to flash next-level potential.&nbsp;
Coleman Hawkins | Illinois | Forward
Averaging 14.3 points and 9.3 rebounds entering the contest, Coleman Hawkins displayed tremendous vision and ability as a passer. On the defensive end, he&rsquo;s disciplined and plays with purpose, using his length to contest shots. Listed at 6-foot-10 and 215 pounds, his ability to play both inside and on the perimeter make him a valuable player, one that has flashed next-level potential. He didn&rsquo;t fill up the box score Monday night by posting only two points, but he was still impactful.
Jaylin Williams | Arkansas | Forward
Jaylin Williams is a tough, competitive big man who continues to get better with every game. At 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds, he is a physical force who dominates the boards. While he may not do anything in high volume, he does the important things well. He&rsquo;s a solid interior scorer who is learning to stretch the floor, a great rebounder and a phenomenal passer. Monday night, he only posted 6 points and 8 rebounds in the win, but his impact was felt any time he was on the floor. (Plus, Williams had a solid stat line last week vs. Northern Iowa.)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Jaylin Williams (6-10, 240) does it all again for the Razorbacks. 11 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks and 1 steal for the sophomore. Continues to show great vision/passing, instincts and toughness. <a href="https://t.co/Xx58P9rFeC">pic.twitter.com/Xx58P9rFeC</a>
&mdash; Derek Murray (@DMurrayHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/DMurrayHoops/status/1461167599996260355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Other Notables:
JD Notae | Arkansas | Guard
A quick-twitch guard with terrific speed, JD Notae was again the spark that got the Hogs off and running. He averaged 21.7 points in the first three games, and has a quick trigger as a result. Sometimes, the shot selection is questionable, and the misses can be bad, but he&rsquo;s becoming a tremendous volume scorer.
Jeremiah Davenport | Cincinnati | Guard
With good positional size at 6-foot-6, Jeremiah Davenport has the frame and tough shot-making ability to be a next-level player. He led the Bearcats at 12.5 points per game entering the event, and shot 4-of-8 from deep for a total of 19 points, leading the Bearcats to a big win Monday night.&nbsp;
Stanley Umude | Arkansas | Wing
The South Dakota transfer has played well early this season as part of a busy Razorback backcourt. Stanley Umude has good positional size and strength, allowing him to be effective and score both inside and out. Monday night he was impactful, hitting tough shots and causing multiple turnovers.&nbsp;
Selton Miguel | Kansas State | Guard
After playing with the Angolan Senior National Team, Selton Miguel enters his second season in Manhattan, KS. At 6-foot-4, he is a tough, physical and competitive guard who can impact the game in multiple ways, excelling on the glass and at getting to the rim. With his strong frame, he welcomes contact at the finish point and can be a real impact player on defense. While he&rsquo;s not a 2022 NBA Draft prospect, he&rsquo;s one to monitor as a future professional player. He finished with 14 points and 9 rebounds to go along with an assist, block and steal each.

Derek Murray shares his takeaways from the Hall of Fame Classic, which featured a number of potential NBA prospects.