The Bearcats came out firing on all cylinders, using a trio of three-pointers to seize an early 9-2 lead by the first media timeout. The Knights, on the other hand, struggled to find their rhythm, enduring a five-minute scoring drought.
Chris Johnson finally broke the silence with a crucial three-pointer, igniting a surge that brought the Knights within two points, narrowing the gap to 11-9 with just over 12 minutes on the clock. Yet, Cincinnati's sharp shooting from deep continued to shine, as they drained consecutive triples to extend their lead to 19-9 with eight minutes left in the half.
The Knights' defense then took center stage, forcing three turnovers in a quick two-minute span and holding Cincinnati scoreless for nearly five minutes. This defensive intensity paid dividends, and a layup by Stillwell with 4:12 remaining gave the Knights their first lead since the opening possession, edging them ahead 22-21. The teams exchanged baskets in a back-and-forth battle, but a late free throw by Cincinnati allowed them to enter halftime with a slim 27-26 lead.
Cincinnati's prowess from beyond the arc was evident, as 67% of their first-half points came from three-point land. Meanwhile, the Knights found their groove inside, scoring 14 points in the paint. Themus Fulks played the role of facilitator beautifully, dishing out a team-high seven assists, setting up Bol for 13 points and Kugel for 15.