Before the Hall of Fame Classic, first-year University of Cincinnati men's basketball coach Wes Miller said the two-day tournament wasn't "all or nothing."
Miller said if the Bearcats did well, they would exit with more confidence. If they struggled, Miller said his team would learn and grow from its failures.
Well, consider this Cincinnati team's confidence at an all-time high.
The Bearcats opened the Hall of Fame Classic on Monday by thumping No. 14 Illinois 71-51, and then gave No. 13 Arkansas all it could handle in a narrow 73-67 loss to the Razorbacks in the championship game.