After a rough stretch in Big 12 play, the Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team is suddenly giving fans reason for hope. With back-to-back wins over UCF and BYU, the Bearcats have put up 80+ points in consecutive games and are playing with renewed energy and confidence.

The 84-66 victory over BYU was particularly impressive, considering Cincinnati lost to the same team by 30 points just two weeks ago. This time around, the Bearcats dominated from start to finish, shooting a blistering 58% from the field and 50% from three-point range.

Sophomore guard Jizzle James led the way with a breakout performance, scoring 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting including 6-of-8 from beyond the arc. James has struggled with his outside shot for much of the season, but appears to be finding his rhythm at the right time.

Day Day Thomas continued his strong play with 15 points, while Josh Reed added 12 points and some highlight-reel plays including a thunderous two-handed dunk that brought the Fifth Third Arena crowd to its feet.

Perhaps most encouraging was the Bearcats' improved ball movement and spacing on offense. They tallied 17 assists on 34 made baskets and looked much more fluid than in recent weeks. Coach Wes Miller's decision to play smaller lineups for longer stretches seems to be paying dividends.

At 4-8 in Big 12 play, Cincinnati still faces an uphill battle to make the NCAA Tournament. But with winnable games remaining against Utah, West Virginia, TCU and others, there's a path to finishing strong if they can maintain this level of play.

The Bearcats will need to string together several more wins to have a realistic shot at dancing in March. But after looking dead in the water just a week ago, they've injected new life into their season and given fans reason to believe again.

Up next is a crucial road game at Utah. A win there would give Cincinnati its first three-game winning streak in Big 12 play and set up a potentially season-defining stretch. The Bearcats aren't back yet, but they're showing signs of the team many expected to see when the season began.