TicketsBearcats Roll In C-USA Opener
UC dominates DePaul, 83-54
Contact: Brian Teter
1/6/2005
Armein Kirkland scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds against DePaul. photo courtesy of Mark Bealer. |
CINCINNATI, Ohio?No. 20 Cincinnati dominated from start to finish as the Bearcats opened their final season of Conference USA play with a convincing 83-54 win over DePaul in front of a crowd of 12,099 at Fifth Third Arena on Thursday night. The victory improves UC?s record to 12-1 on the year, while DePaul falls to 8-4 with the defeat.
The Bearcats shot .508 from the field and placed four players in double figures scoring for the eighth time this season, handing DePaul it?s most lopsided defeat in the series since a 109-73 setback on Feb. 5, 1998. Jason Maxiell made seven of 10 shots from the field and finished with a game-high 19 points to pace the Bearcats. Armein Kirkland tallied 18 points and just missed his first career double-double with a game-best nine rebounds. Jihad Muhammad was red hot in the first half and finished with 16 points, while James White also reached double digits with 10.
UC?s smothering defense also proved key as the Bearcats limited DePaul to just .303 shooting from the floor and allowed only Quemont Greer to reach double digits, as the senior finished with 12 points. Greer, who entered the game ranked seventh nationally in scoring, was held 10 points below his season average. The Bearcats also stymied Drake Diener (eight points) and Sammy Mejia (two) who both entered the night holding double digit scoring averages.
Junior forward Eric Hicks drew the primary assignment of guarding Greer and UC head coach Bob Huggins was pleased with Hicks? effort.
?I thought Eric was really good,? Huggins offered. ?I was really concerned when we left our feet on the first shot and gave him a lay up, but we got him out of his game a little bit after that.?
The Bearcats started the night off strong, jumping to an early 10-4 lead, due in large part to five points by Muhammad. Leading by six at the 12-minute mark, the Bearcats exploded on a 16-2 run that turned the lead into 33-13 in a span of just five minutes.
The Blue Demons were also victims of terribly cold shooting as LaVar Seals? putback with just over nine minutes to play would be DePaul?s last field goal for nearly seven minutes. During the span, a lay-up by Hicks pushed the Bearcat advantage to a first half-high 26 with 2:50 to play before the break.
The first half stats showed complete Cincinnati domination, as the home team held a sizable .469 to .258 shooting advantage in the first 20 minutes of play. The Bearcats also dominated the glass to the tune of a 26-15 advantage on rebounds. Muhammad rode his hot start to a 13-point first half performance, while the Bearcats limited Greer to just four.
DePaul head coach Dave Leitao felt the first half was pivotal in determining the outcome of the evening?s contest.
?This game was decided when it started,? Leitao stated. ?Once they got out and they got easy baskets without much resistance, they knew it wasn?t going to be the game that we were hoping for.?
The beginning of the second half turned into the Maxiell show as he scored UC?s first 10 points of the half as the Bearcats opened a 53-27 lead. Kirkland then took a turn at shouldering the scoring load, as he accounted for 11 of the Bearcats next 14 points, with only a trey by Muhammad snapping the string.
From there, the Bearcats never let up, pushing the lead to 30 for the first time on Nick Williams? lay-up with 4:50 to play. The lead reached a game-high 34 with 1:31 on the clock as the scoreboard showed an 80-46 Bearcat lead. UC got one last highlight down the stretch as freshman Ryan Patwalz converted his first career three-pointer with one second to play.
With his 19 points, Maxiell continued his ascent up the UC career scoring list as he has moved into 20th place with 1,261 points. Maxiell passes both Steve Collier (21st place-1,252) and Jim Ard (20th place-1,256). Bearcat great Kenyon Martin is next on the list with 1,279 points accumulated between 1997 and 2000.
The Bearcats will return to C-USA action on Saturday when the visit Saint Louis. Fans should note the start time for the contest is set for 8:10 p.m. ET, not the 2:10 p.m. start listed earlier this season.