Steve Logan didn’t help his argument for Player of the Year honors, but the Bearcats (29-3) discovered they can indeed win a game when UC’s star point guard suffers from the field.

Cincinnati defeated Charlotte 71-55 Friday night at the Firstar Center in front of 15, 776 fans applauding like a typical home crowd at Shoemaker Center of late. The Bearcats advanced to the championship game of the C-USA Tournament for the fifth time during seven years.

Logan scored a meager seven points, four coming from late free throws to seal the win. It ended a 52-game streak of double figure scoring for Logan.

Despite their star player’s minimal offensive output, the Bearcats beat Charlotte as a team. Head coach Bob Huggins said the win qualified as a big step going into the NCAA Tournament beginning next week. Cincinnati is projected as either a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in either Chicago or Pittsburgh for the first two rounds.

"We beat, I think, a great basketball team," said head coach Bob Huggins. "That’s certainly an NCAA (Tournament) team."

Despite his less-than-average outing, Logan’s teammates praised their senior leader for his work on the court.

"Steve did a good job of finding guys early and getting them shots," said Leonard Stokes. "He stuck in the game, he’s a smart player. He’s always going to find a way for us to win. Sometimes you have to sacrifice to win and he did that great today."

Yes he did. Facing double coverage against a taller, aggressive defense, Logan drew the defenders away from Stokes and junior center Donald Little, enabling them to get open shots from the floor.

Stokes finished with 15 points while Little tallied 16, his most since scoring 17 at East Carolina and the second most he has scored all season.

"When Donald’s playing good, we can throw the ball inside and if they double, he kicks it out and does a good job of finding guys," Stokes said. "When he plays well, it’s just another boost for our team."

UC went on a 9-5 run to start the second half, thanks mostly to Stokes’ ability to penetrate the Charlotte defense. He scored seven of UC’s points during that span, three coming from a three-point shot and two apiece from a pull-up jumper from the right side and a layup.

"I just wanted to be aggressive," Stokes said. "I saw openness and I just drove the ball to the paint. Coach told me at halftime, ‘Don’t drive the ball too deep into the defense, because when you get down there, there’s normally a double-team.’ I just tried to drive and shoot and get a mid-range shot, which I’m pretty good at, so the shots fell."

Little also stepped up in the second half. Huggins said his center’s performance is contining to improve this season, as Little has listened more to his coach than to himself.

"When Donald shuts his mouth and listens, he’s a pretty good player," said Huggins. "When his mouth gets moving faster than the rest of his body, he struggles. He’s been great to coach here of late."

Such has not always been the case, but Huggins said Little is starting to get the idea.

"I’ve threatened to never speak to him ever again," Huggins said. "I think he understands the importance of what is going on. He understands how important he is to his team. When you look and he’s got 16 points, you think he had a great game, but you have no idea what he has did for us defensively. He was terrific defensively. That’s as well as he’s been defensively (all season)."

Little grabbed six rebounds, dished out two assists and denied one 49er shot.

As for UC’s Player of the Year candidate — Logan — he took another in a long string of physical beatings late in the season.

"He’s a little beat up," Huggins admitted. "He takes a lot of physical abuse."

The rest of the Bearcats may be suffering from the rigorous tournament schedule as well, a schedule Huggins said concerns him greatly.

"I think we’re all smart enough to realize that our biggest problem is getting some rest," Huggins said. "The moment we tip off (Saturday) we should be having breakfast. We’ve got to get them back, off their feet, try to get some fluids in them and get them rested up and ready to go. It’s a quick turn. Just go back and look at the history of the tournament and look at the time when the winner played in the semi-final game. That’ll tell you everything."

History aside, Cincinnati will be looking for just its third conference tournament title in seven years.

But this win, in the end, came down to an outright defensive onslaught by the Bearcats’ nationally-respected half-court defensive prowess.

Jobey Thomas, the 49ers best scoring threat, found Immanuel McElroy in his face every time he touched the ball. He was limited to just six points on 1-of-7 shooting (three points coming from the free-throw line).

McElroy said he tried to get under Thomas’ skin and distract him.

"I just wanted to frustrate him a little bit, and I think I did," said Immanuel McElroy, who defended Thomas throughout the majority of the game. "My teammates basically helped me out on every screen, so I think we did a great job overall."

Cincinnati shot an impressive 46 percent from the field while limiting the 49ers’ scores to just 34 percent Friday.

UC advanced to meet Marquette, a 85-73 winner against Houston in the other semi-final matchup. It will be the third time this season that the Bearcats and the Golden Eagles met.

Entering the third meeting between Marquette and Cincinnati, Little — who’s 15-foot jump shot at the buzzer gave UC a win during the last meeting — said UC would be ready for the Eagles’ always-aggressive play.

"I think they’re going to come out with a lot of enthusiasm, thinking about revenge," Little said. "I think we need to match their intensity, come out early and hit them early. We’ve just got to come out with some intensity, really."

Said McElroy: "They’re going to come out and really be aggressive. They’re going to rebound and attack. We know what they’re going to do. We’ve just got to come out and match they’re intensity. It’s going to be a war. We’re going to be ready."

Charlotte head coach Bobby Lutz said his team’s inability to convert their shots ultimately doomed the 49ers.

"I’m really pleased with the way we came out," said Charlotte head coach Bobby Lutz. "The previous two games, Cincinnati was able to put us down early and we couldn’t climb out early. We executed the game plan fairly well, but to be honest, we just didn’t make shots. Their defense obviously has a lot to do with that."

As for any additional Charlotte games this season, Lutz said he is disappointed that his team’s destiny is out of their control.

"Unfortunately, that’s out of our hands now and that’s disappointing," said Lutz. "I try not to worry about it. I try to take charge of what we can do and that was to try and win the game. It’s out of our hands, but everybody can make a case. To be quite frank, I get tired of hearing everybody making their case. I don’t want to do that."

Would Lutz be talking about Memphis coach John Calipari and his comments after the Tigers’ loss to Houston Thursday? He would not say on the record, but many thought Charlotte’s guru was in fact referring to Calipari.

After the Tigers’ embarrassing los to the Cougars Thursday, Calipari said he was saving his senior star, Kellie Wise, for the C-USA quarterfinals and the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Many perceived the comment as saying Calipari assumes the selection committee would look favorably upon Memphis Sunday. Numerous experts said the Tigers’ chances at an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament dissolved with the Loss to Houston.

Cincinnati 79, South Florida 57

Many UC faithful perceived the Bearcats’ quarterfinal game against South Florida to be a "layup." In actuality, it was more like a "free throw."

Head coach Bob Huggins used 13 players Thursday night en route to Cincinnati’s thrashing of the Bulls. All five of UC’s starters played 25 or less minutes, allowing them to rest for the remainder of the rigorous tournament schedule.

The Bearcats handed the Bulls their worst loss of the season while also limiting South Florida to its lowest scoring output of the season. USF has lost three other game by 19 points but none more than 20 while its previous worst losing margin was 20 points. UC defeated USF by 22 points Thursday.

UC shot a solid 50 percent from the field, while South Florida was limited to just 35 percent.

The Bearcats received points from 11 separate players, including Jamaal Lucas and John Meeker, tow players who receive very limited playing time.

Steve Logan and Jamaal Davis led all UC scores with 15 and 13 points respectively while Leonard Stokes added 11. Davis’ 13 points were the most he has scored since UC’s Jan. 12 win against Houston, when Davis scored 15 points.

Altron Jackson led the Bulls with 21 points while Cincinnati limited B.B. Waldon to just 10 points, zero during the first half.

Cincinnati led 47-23 at the half.