GAME NOTES: The championship bout of the Emerald Coast Classic is on tap for Saturday night, as the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Ole Miss Rebels square off at The Arena.

Cincinnati made easy work of Middle Tennessee in Friday's third-round matchup, advancing to the title game with a 69-51 victory. The Bearcats are now 5-0 for the third straight season, also downing Eastern Illinois (54-49) and North Carolina Central (59-50) in the preliminary rounds of the event.

Ole Miss has won four straight games since a season-opening loss to Charleston Southern (66-65) to improve to 4-1 on the season. After dismissing Southern University (69-38) and Northern Arizona (80-74) in the preliminary rounds, the Rebels came from behind to defeat Creighton in the third round on Friday, 75-68.

Cincinnati beat Ole Miss in the only previous meeting between the programs back in 1955.

The Bearcats controlled their most recent game by running out to a 12-0 lead in the first eight minutes, and they barely broke a sweat from that point forward en route to an 18-point victory. As usual, the Bearcats played lock- down defense, holding Middle Tennessee to a mere 34.7 percent shooting, and they responded well on the other end of the floor by draining 56.8 percent of their shots, including 7-of-15 from 3-point range. Troy Caupain (11 points) and Jermaine Sanders (10) were the only players in double figures but 10 players had at least one field goal.

Cincinnati plays some of the best defense in the nation, as it holds opponents to under 35 percent field goal shooting for just 49.6 ppg. Its slower pace allows it to score only 60.6 ppg, but its field goal percentage is still respectable (.447). Caupain nets 10.6 ppg and has knocked down 18-of-22 from the foul line (.818). Octavius Ellis is a nightly double-double threat with 10.0 ppg and 9.0 rpg and is a big reason for the team's +10.0 rebounding margin. Farad Cobb brings 9.2 ppg to the mix in a bench role.

The Rebels trailed for the majority of their third-round clash, including by two with under two minutes remaining, but they saved their best for last by ending the game on a 12-3 run to capture the nine-point victory. Although they allowed Creighton to knock down 13 3-pointers, they took advantage on their end of the court with an outstanding field goal percentage (.521), and they also helped themselves with a 19-of-21 showing at the foul line. Jarvis Summers poured in a game-high 23 points, shooting 6-of-14 from the field and 9-of-10 at the line. LaDarius White netted 18 points off the bench and Martavious Newby and M.J. Rhett chipped in with nine points apiece.

Ole Miss has been stellar on both end of the floor this season, as it shoots 43.1 percent from the field for 72.6 ppg while allowing just 62.0 ppg on 34.9 percent shooting. Jarvis Summers pours in a team-best 16.0 ppg, although he has been cold from 3-point range (6-of-24). White scores 12.8 ppg on greater than 52 percent shooting and Stefan Moody chips in 10.4 ppg.

Ole Miss has been known to knock down shots in bunches but will have a difficult time doing so against one of the best defenses in the country. Expect Cincinnati to stifle the Rebels' playmakers en route to a title.