Deonta Vaughn's Milestone Career at Cincinnati Comes to an End

As the final horn sounded last night on the Cincinnati Bearcats' second round NIT loss to the Dayton Flyers, Deonta Vaughn saw his career as a Cincinnati basketball player come to an end. 

Playing in what turned out to be his final game at Fifth Third Arena, Vaughn dazzled the home crowd with 28 points, including clutch three-pointers to keep Cincinnati in the game.

For a player who never had the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament, Vaughn had one of the more distinguished careers of any player ever to take the court for this storied program. 

He will leave Cincinnati third all-time in scoring at 1,885 points, trailing only Steve Logan and the great Oscar Robertson. He is also the all-time leader in assists at Cincinnati and the leader in three-pointers made. Vaughn is one of only two players to score 400 points in four straight seasons as a Bearcat.

Deonta Vaughn has been the face of the Cincinnati program through some of the roughest years in its history. He single handedly kept Cincinnati afloat in the years following the Bob Huggins debacle. 

Some may argue that Vaughn is not one of the best players in UC history, that he was just on such a bad team. While that may be partially true, think where this program would be without a guy like Deonta Vaughn—without a guy who can give you 25 points if called on to do so.

Vaughn has been more instrumental to the Cincinnati program over the last four years than almost anybody ever to come through Clifton. 

Without a talent like Vaughn, there is no way players like Yancy Gates and Lance Stephenson would ever have considered coming to a bottom dweller like Cincinnati. Vaughn helped give Cincinnati that opportunity, and for that I am thankful. 

His absence next season will be realized when there is nobody to turn to to hit a clutch three-pointer. We will have to wait and see if somebody steps up to fill the huge void he will leave. 

Granted, the Bearcats may be better next year, but they will be better because of Deonta Vaughn. He gave Cincinnati basketball the opportunity to be successful, and for that I am grateful.

In my book he will go down as one of the greats in the history of Cincinnati basketball. Very few people were able to accomplish what Vaughn did, considering the circumstances. He will be missed next year and in years to come. The impact he had on the team may not be fully realized until he is gone. 

That is what he now is—just another name in the record books. A name that will never be forgotten. 

Congratulations, Deonta, on a terrific career.