TicketsThe Bearcats came out aggressively against the Musketeers today, but Xavier quickly showed why they are ranked 9th in the country.
The Musketeers showcased superior athleticism, excellent depth, and an overwhelming inside presence, controlling the game and shutting down all of Cincinnati's attempts to get something going.
After getting off to a quick start with some aggressive play on both ends of the court, UC was up 10-6, but then XU went on a game-defining 11-0 run and never looked back.
"We're looking to improve every game, every practice as a team," said Cincinnati head coach Jamelle Elliott. "Today, I worry that not only did we lose the ballgame, I'm going to have to really sit back and think about what it is we got better at today as a team."
Post play: For the second straight game against tough matchups inside, F Michelle Jones was held without a field goal.
Xavier absolutely dominated UC's forwards, allowing them only 4 points from the floor all game on two baskets by Daress McClung.
UC will have to step up their intensity in the post to remain competitive this year in the Big East, where they will have a tough matchup in nearly every game.
Season-high 26 turnovers: The Bearcats really struggled holding on to the ball again, committing more turnovers than they have all season.
While XU is not as aggressive with its press as Kentucky was, they still challenged UC by keeping the ball in front of them, getting to the ball with explosive quickness, and taking advantage of Cincinnati miscues at seemingly every turn.
"Our pressure and intensity on the defensive end allowed us to force them into turnovers, which turned into a lot of easy baskets," said Xavier head coach Kevin McGuff. Xavier managed 23 points off of Cincinnati turnovers.
That's pretty much the story: until UC figures out what it has to do to hold on to the ball, teams like Kentucky and Xavier will continue to make them pay dearly for their mistakes.
Check out the box score here.