TicketsNov. 27, 2010
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery
CINCINNATI - For the first time in University of Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin's career, the Bearcats are 5-0 and have defeated the University of Dayton (5-1), doing so in dominating fashion on Saturday evening, 68-34, at U.S. Bank Arena.
The Bearcats had 10 players score, led by junior guard Dion Dixon's career-high 20 points. Cincinnati forced Dayton to shoot 20 percent from the floor - the first UC opponent since West Virginia shot 20 percent on Jan. 30, 2008. UC had its largest margin of victory (34 points) since the Bearcats defeated Texas Southern by 37, 94-57, on Dec. 1, 2009.
Dayton's 34 points is the fewest points an opponent has scored under Cronin. The Bearcats achieved each of those feats with their starting forward, Yancy Gates, playing only 13 minutes, the first time this season he has played less than 30 minutes in a game.
The Bearcats opened up the game with a 14-3 run until the Flyers countered with a 6-2 run, getting as close as eight, 17-9, with 12:50 to go in the first half. That was as close as Dayton would get. Cincinnati took off with two free throws from senior forward Darnell Wilks and pushed out to a 42-19 halftime lead.
The second half was more of the same, Cincinnati held the Flyers scoreless from the floor for the first 5:33 of the second half, holding a 59-22 lead and hitting its largest advantage of 39 points for the first of three times in the game.
Rashad Bishop scored 10 points and Sean Kilpatrick added eight for UC. Ibrahima Thomas pulled down a team-high eight rebounds while freshman forward Justin Jackson grabbed seven boards, scored five points and had two blocks in 18 minutes of action. Wilks dished out a career-high five assists and had six rebounds and four points.
UC out-rebounded the Flyers, 44-40, and scored 26 points in the paint. The Bearcats had 17 assists on their 22 made field goals, a season-high in assists, and shot 61.5 percent from the free throw line.
Dayton was led by Juwan Staten, who scored nine points.
Cincinnati will play next, on Wednesday, Dec. 1, in a 7 p.m. game against Wright State at Fifth Third Arena.