TicketsNov. 5, 2009
CINCINNATI - Yancy Gates scored 16 points and pulled down seven rebounds leading the University of Cincinnati to an 86-58 victory over visiting Saginaw Valley State in an exhibition game on Thursday night at Fifth Third Arena. Gates went 6-for-6 from the free throw line and was one of 11 players to score for UC. Dion Dixon and Deonta Vaughn contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively.
UC opened the game with back-to-back 3-pointers by Vaughn and Darnell Wilks and jumped out to an 8-0 run. Freshman Lance Stephenson, who was certified by the NCAA just hours before the game, entered at the 16:43 mark of the game and scored on his first possession, giving Cincinnati a 12-4 advantage with 16:29 on the clock.
A Larry Davis fastbreak dunk gave UC a 14-point lead in the first 15 minutes of the game and the Bearcats pushed out to a 20-point advantage with a Sean Kilpatrick bucket with 8:24 left in the first stanza. Saginaw Valley closed the half on a 14-8 run, giving the Bearcats a 41-27 lead going into the locker room.
The Cardinals began the second half with the same momentum they ended the first half with, pulling within six, 46-40, after going on an 11-5 run. Stephenson, who sat the final 6:17 of the first half with three fouls, scored in the paint with 12:22 on the board, starting a 20-7 run and giving UC a 68-49 lead with 4:48 left to play. The Cardinals were unable to put together another run and Cincinnati closed the game with an 18-8 run for the final score, 86-58.
The Bearcats outrebounded the Cardinals, 48-33, led by Steve Toyloy who grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. Cashmere Wright dished out seven assists in his debut at point guard for the Bearcats.
Avery Stephenson scored 21 points and Keithan Jackson scored 14 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for Saginaw Valley State.
Cincinnati continues the exhibition portion of its 2009-10 schedule on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. against Bellarmine at Fifth Third Arena.
Postgame Notes
• Cincinnati scored 40 points in the paint and scored 22 points off of turnovers.
• The Bearcats were 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the second half and finished the game 9-for-12 from the charity stripe. Sophomore forward Yancy Gates finished the game a perfect 6-for-6.
• All 15 Bearcats saw the court and 11 scored. Sophomore forward Yancy Gates (16),sophomore guard Dion Dixon (12) and senior guard Deonta Vaughn (10) scored in double figures for UC.
• Freshman forward Lance Stephenson was certified by the NCAA just hours before the game and scored on his first possession. He finished the game with nine points and four rebounds.
• Redshirt freshman guard Cashmere Wright dished out seven assists in his first game in a Bearcat uniform.
• Dion Dixon was 2-for-4 from behind the arc and finished with 12 points and three rebounds.
• Junior forward Darnell Wilks scored nine points, including an alley-oop dunk, and pulled down four rebounds.