TicketsBearcats Blitz NKU In Exhibition Opener, 103-64
Hicks scores 29 in rout
Contact: Brian Teter
11/8/2004
Eric Hicks scored 29 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in UC's exhibition win over Northern Kentucky. |
CINCINNATI, Ohio ? The University of Cincinnati opened its 2004-05 basketball season with a dominating performance, crushing regional foe Northern Kentucky, 103-64 before a crowd of 9,950 on Monday night in Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center.
Despite having just seven scholarship players available and only one player taller than 6-7, UC manhandled the Division II NKU Norse from start to finish en route to the easy victory. Cincinnati scored 22 of the game?s first 25 points as the quick and athletic Bearcats raced to a 22-3 lead while holding NKU to just one field goal in the first 10:29 of the first half.
UC, unranked in both major polls to start the season, got 29 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocked shots from 6-6 junior forward Eric Hicks, who was a one-man wrecking crew on both ends in the first half as the Bearcats raced to a 43-25 lead.
?I really like playing a lot of minutes and I am looking forward to this year,? Hicks said. ?We may not be big up front, but me and Max (senior forward Jason Maxiell) will be tough match-ups for bigger teams, as well."
Hicks tallied 19 points on 9 of 12 shooting from the field to go along with eight rebounds in the opening half to set the tone for the UC blowout.
?Eric has gotten a lot better. He is really, really strong and his work ethic has gotten better,? said UC head coach Bob Huggins. ?Eric?s situation has changed this year. We cannot afford for him or Max to take days off because we don?t have a lot of bodies up front right now.?
Maxiell, a 6-7 All-American candidate who is beginning his third year as a starter, was also strong up front for the undersized Bearcats as he contributed 17 points and eight rebounds. Junior swingman James White played a strong overall game for the Bearcats as he finished with 18 points, six rebounds, and three assists.
?Cincinnati is just so powerful ? strong and powerful. Hicks and Maxiell are men,? conceded Northern Kentucky coach Dave Bezold. ?They (UC) dominated us and it was a learning lesson. Their defensive pressure just took us out of it early and we were not ready to play tonight.?
For the game, the Bearcats shot 53 percent from the field, hitting 41-77 from the floor and out-rebounding the Norse, 48-33. Cincinnati also took care of the ball, committing just six turnovers, while forcing NKU into 15, of which the Bearcats turned into 24 points.
Another major bright spot for the Bearcats was the outstanding play of the point guard tandem of juniors Chadd Moore and Jihad Muhammad, who controlled the game from the guard spot.
The M & M combo compiled 22 points, nine assists, and just three turnovers in the game. Moore tallied eight points and a game-high six assists, while Muhammad, a junior college All-American last season at San Jacinto (Texas) J.C., scored 14 points, including a game-high three treys, and three assists.
The Bearcats kept the pressure on in the second half, shooting 60 percent from the field while committing just two turnovers.
?I am having a lot of fun out there and I really like playing with Jihad,? Moore said. ?I play against him every day and tonight was the first time we have played on the same team. I really liked that.?
Muhammad took everything in stride in his Bearcat debut. ?Tonight was a big learning experience for me. The transition from junior college to Division I is pretty big,? he admitted.
Huggins was pleased with what he saw in the first game action of the fall for his team, especially the point guards.
?I thought both point guards played good. Chadd dictated the tempo early and even though Jihad played good, he still has a lot to learn,? Huggins said.
The Bearcats return to action on Saturday night at Fifth Third Arena, hosting Division II perennial power Southern Indiana in their final exhibition tune-up of the season. Game time is at 7:00 p.m. EST and tickets are available by logging online to UCBearcats.com or by calling 513-556-CATS.
GAME NOTES
- Senior guards Nick Williams (thumb surgery) and Jamaal Lucas did not play vs. NKU on Monday night, and neither did freshman Vincent Banks (academics) or redshirt freshman Asrangue Souleymane (ill).
- Williams hopes to be back for the season-opener on Nov. 19 vs. Valparaiso.
- With the win on Monday, UC is now 11-0 all-time vs. NKU, including 4-0 in exhibitions.
- Senior forward Jason Maxiell is on the preseason watch lists for both the Wooden and Naismith Player of the Year awards.