TicketsNov. 18, 2012
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CINCINNATI — Redshirt junior guard Sean Kilpatrick (Yonkers, N.Y./Notre Dame Prep) scored a career-high 29 points as the No. 24-ranked University of Cincinnati men's basketball team defeated North Carolina A&T 93-39 Sunday afternoon at Fifth Third Arena.
Kilpatrick, a preseason first-team All-BIG EAST Conference selection, made a career-best eight 3-pointers in 12 attempts, while adding seven rebounds and a game-high five assists.
The Bearcats had a big day on the defensive end. UC's 56 rebounds are their most during head coach Mick Cronin's tenure, as were their 12 blocked shots, while their 15 steals were the most since Dec. 22, 2009 vs. Arkansas Pine-Bluff. The Aggies' 15.2 shooting percentage is the lowest in the Cronin era. The 54-point margin of victory is the highest for UC since the 1995 season (63 points Dec. 19, 1994 vs. Cal-State Northridge).
Also scoring in double digits for UC was senior point guard Cashmere Wright (Savannah, Ga./Urban Christian Academy), who recorded 13 points with four steals, three boards and two assists.
Bearcats centers David Nyarsuk (Juba, Sudan/Mountain State University) and Cheikh Mbodj (Dakar, Senegal/Grayson County (Texas) College) recorded block totals of five and four, respectively.
UC's passing was crisp throughout the game as the Bearcats produced 24 assists on 36 made field goals and shot 51.4 percent.
At the 15:29 mark in the second half, Cincinnati went on a 19-3 run that was capped by Kilpatrick's eighth 3-pointer of the game and put UC ahead 68-24.
The Bearcats led by 31 points, at 47-16, at halftime after shooting 8 for 17 from 3-point range, which included Kilpatrick's 6-for-9 effort from behind the arc. The 16 points allowed tied for the third fewest in a half by a UC opponent during the Cronin era.
UC jumped out to an early 14-0 lead thanks to 12 quick points from Kilpatrick, who made four 3-pointers within the first 5:36 of the game. North Carolina A&T did not score its first point until a free throw by Jean Louisme at the 14:07 mark of the first half, and did not make its first field goal until 7:28 of the game clock expired, at which point the Bearcats were up 17-1.
Starting at the 8:35 mark of the first half, Cincinnati went on a 10-0 run over a 2:43 span that increased its lead to 29-8.
Cincinnati continues Global Sports Invitational action when it hosts Campbell University for a 7 p.m. Tuesday game at Fifth Third Arena, which will be televised live on FOX Sports Ohio.