CINCINNATI -- Coming off Thursday's emotional victory over crosstown rival Xavier, No. 19 Cincinnati dispelled any notion of a letdown early in Sunday's game against outmanned South Florida.

Jarron Cumberland came off the bench to score a career-high 26 points on 6-of-9 from 3-point range, and Kyle Washington added 13 lifting the Bearcats to a 94-53 victory over the struggling Bulls at Fifth Third Arena.

Jacob Evans added 10 points for the Bearcats who have now won 12 straight.

Cincinnati (19-2, 8-0 American) led by 24 points at halftime then limited USF to 31 percent shooting in the second half to pull away.

It was the largest margin of victory ever in an American Athletic Conference game. The Bearcats who say they were focused from the opening tip.

"We know what's at stake," said Washington. "We want to make a long run in March. We're always focused. Every team says that, but we live it. We push each other."

An added blessing of Sunday's blowout for the Bearcats was getting extended playing time for several reserves. Cincinnati's bench scored a season-high 60 points, including 12 for sophomore guard Justin Jenifer who also had a career-high tying nine assists in 28 minutes.

"He's practiced like that all year," said Bearcats head coach Mick Cronin. "His parents were here for the game. I was happy to see his hard work pay off."

Backup center Nysier Brooks had eight points before injuring his knee with four minutes left. Cronin said there was no official report on Brooks' condition, although he did walk through the postgame handshake line.

Freshman guard Michael Bibby scored 17 points and Tulio Da Silva had 10 for USF (6-14, 0-9 American) which remains winless under interim head coach Murry Bartow.

To make matters worse, if not impossible, for the Bulls, junior guard Geno Thorpe who had started all 19 games and averaged a team-leading 13.4 points was out Sunday due to a left ankle injury.

Cincinnati is off to its best start under Cronin. South Florida's program, meanwhile, is in shambles.

Amid an academic fraud investigation coming off an 8-25 season, USF dismissed two of its best players for violations of school policy and had all-AAC rookie team selection Jahmal McMurray transfer after playing in just three games.

The Bulls fired head coach Orlando Antigua just 13 games into the season and hired Bartow, a former East Tennessee State head coach, earlier this month.

The Bulls led in the second half on Wednesday against UConn before falling 81-60. Without Thorpe, there wouldn't be no such show of resiliency on Sunday.

"When you lose Geno Thorpe, it just makes it very, very difficult," said Bartow. "I don't want to act like we win the game with him but we would have looked differently with him in the game on both ends of the floor."

Cincinnati overcame a sluggish first five minutes during which it missed four of five shots and committed two turnovers.

The Bearcats used nine players in the first six minutes trying to gain a spark.

"It took us a while to get going," said Washington. "Guys were fatigued (from Thursday's win over Xavier). Once we got the juices flowing, we were rolling."

A 3-pointer by USF junior guard Jake Bodway briefly tied the score 10-10.

Evans hit a 3-pointer capping an 8-0 run to put Cincinnati ahead 20-12.

UC's run was extended to 14-0 on a layup by Washington, and the Bearcats rolled from there.

Jenifer and Washington each scored 13 points in the first half as Cincinnati took a 49-25 lead into halftime. The Bearcats scored 18 points of 14 turnovers by the Bulls who were led by Bibby's 11 first-half points.

Cumberland scored 20 of 22 points including 16 straight as Cincinnati continued to pour it on in the second half. Cumberland left with 8:43 remaining to a loud ovation.

"I've been taking extra shots in the gym, I did the same thing before Xavier," said Cumberland. "The team will need me to knock down those shots."

NOTES: Cincinnati has won 21 straight home games dating to a loss to Temple on Dec. 29, 2015. ... The Bearcats' 12-game winning streak is the longest since winning 15 straight in 2013-14, fourth-longest during head coach Mick Cronin's tenure. ... USF hasn't beaten the Bearcats in Cincinnati since 1988. ... Cincinnati leads the series 30-8 including wins in the past seven meetings. USF is one of four Division I teams with no seniors on its roster.