Tickets Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery 
By Bill Koch
GoBEARCATS.com
CINCINNATI - The statistic that stood about was the 55.6 percent shooting from 3-point range, but what really pleased University of Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin on Tuesday night were the 22 assists that led to those shots.
"Our ball movement was tremendous," Cronin said. "Twenty-two assists. If we can keep that up all year, we'll be in business. You should be able to make shots when you're standing there playing h-o-r-s-e, taking wide open shots and you're on scholarship. I was really happy with the way we passed the basketball."
The Bearcats, who are looking to increase their offensive production this season, got off to a good start in that department with an impressive 93-63 exhibition victory over Division II Grand Valley (Mich.) State before 4,404 fans at Fifth Third Arena.
The Bearcats made 15 of 27 shots from 3-point range shot and 53.8 percent overall. They made 22 of 29 from the free throw line.
Five players scored in double figures led by Shaq Thomas with 18 points. The other double-figure scorers were Farad Cobb with 15, Kevin Johnson with 13, and freshman Jacob Evans and Troy Caupain each with 12.
Cronin started the five returning starters from last year - Caupain, Cobb, Thomas, Octavius Ellis and Gary Clark - and substituted liberally, with every player on the roster getting into the game.
"It was a very fast-paced game," Caupain said. "We've got a lot of options to make plays, not just counting on one person, so if you move the ball from side to side it gets the defense moving and you can attack whenever you feel you can."
The Bearcats scored the first 10 points and cruised to a 47-20 halftime lead, shooting 60 percent from the field and making 10 of 17 from 3-point range. Their biggest lead was 31 with 8:22 left in the game.
Of course, you have to take into account the fact that the Bearcats were playing a Division II team, but even with that caveat, it was encouraging to see the UC players actually being able to put into practice what they have worked on all summer and into preseason practice. The goal now is to continue to build on it as the quality of opponent increases.
"Over the summer, we worked a lot on being ready to shoot when we're off the ball so we're stepping into our shot off the pass," said Cobb, who made three of four shots from long range. And I think a lot of us got better at penetrating and looking for the open guy as well. That's pretty much what we were doing tonight."
The most impressive of the three freshman was the 6-foot-6 Evans, who made three of four shots, including two of three from long range.
"He's got a lot of talent," Cronin said. "The problem with Jacob Evans is he doesn't understand how much talent he has. It's a rarity this day and age. Most young kids are so polluted with Internet rankings and AAU all-star celebrity events that they're the opposite of that. They think they're better than they are. He doesn't have any clue how good he is. I told him that in the recruiting process. He's got a chance to be a great player because he can shoot, he can pass, he's extremely smart and he's got humility, which makes him easy to coach. There's really nothing he can't do out there."
Thomas, who played so well in UC's intra-squad game 10 days ago, again showed that he might finally be growing into his potential. He made five of nine from the field and was seven-for-seven from the free throw line. He also led UC with six assists.
"You saw a new Shaq Thomas tonight," Cronin said. "When you're looking to pass, good things happen. You become a good player. You're not taking off-balance shots in the lane. You become LeBron James at 6-7, driving the lane to make plays for other people, and then you take wide open shots and then you get to the foul line and go from seven for even.
"That's as good as he's ever played here period. I don't care who we're playing against. If he tries to play the way he tried to play the game tonight, he's going to have a great senior year."
Sophomore Gary Clark was the only scholarship player who did not score, but he pulled down 10 rebounds. Cronin said that Clark, who scored most of his points last year in the low post, is still learning to adjust to the new offensive flow. He took only one shot.
Ellis scored only five points, but grabbed six rebounds and had four assists.
"Octavius Ellis is an NBA player," Cronin said. "I don't care what the stat sheet says. I've been around here a long time. He's as good as anybody who's played here not named Kenyon Martin as a big guy."
Bill Koch covered UC Athletics for 27 years - 15 at The Cincinnati Post and 12 at The Cincinnati Enquirer - before joining the staff of GoBEARCATS.com in January, 2015 as featured columnist. Follow him on Twitter @bkoch.