By Nina Mandell
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — Edgar Sosa and Lance Stephenson both have had their share of memorable performances at Madision Square Garden during their days as high school hoops stars in the city.
Sosa was brilliant again on Wednesday, but it was Stephenson's team that came out on top as the Cincinnati Bearcats upset the Louisville Cardinals, 69-66, in the second round of the Big East Tournament.
Stephenson, a former Lincoln High star, scored 12 points and made several key plays down the stretch to pace the Bearcats (18-14).
Edgar Sosa, who starred at Rice in high school, scored a season-high 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting and added six rebounds in the Cardinals' (20-12) defeat. The senior point guard blamed himself for the loss after turning the ball over near midcourt in the waning seconds of the game.
“I did a bad job,” said Sosa. “I took too much time off the clock. By the time I got across, there was 2 seconds left. I couldn't find anyone."
Sosa probably played his last game at Madison Square Garden, but he still has an outside shot at playing in the NCAA tournament again. Louisville, which won the Big East Tournament last year, has beaten third-ranked Syracuse twice this season and has a chance to sneak into the NCAA tournament with an at-large bid.
Meanwhile, Stephenson's Bearcats have earned themselves a date with West Virginia (24-6) in the Big East quarterfinals on Thursday night.
The Mountaineers are led by Da'Sean Butler's 17.2 points per game. Former New York City hoops stars Devin Ebanks and Truck Bryant are also key contributors for West Virginia.
The Mountaineers beat the Bearcats 74-68 in the only meeting this season on Feb. 27.
In other Big East action, top-seeded Syracuse (28-3) will take the court for the first time in the tournament at noon on Thursday against Georgetown (21-9).
Villanova follows with a match up against Marquette, which knocked off a fiesty St. John's squad 57-55 on Wednesday.
Notre Dame easily handled Seton Hall, 68-56, on Wednesday to earn a spot in the quarterfinals against Pittsburgh on Thursday.
