TicketsBy Bill Koch
GoBearcats.com
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – University of Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin started the same lineup in all but two games last season. It won't be that way this year.
Cronin said during the preseason that he planned to change his lineup game-to-game as needed. He was true to his word Monday against Western Carolina when he gave point guard Justin Jenifer and center Nysier Brooks their first career starts, relegating Kyle Washington and Cane Broome to the bench, at least for the first few minutes.
"It's not a big deal," Cronin said. "I wanted to see how Nysier handled starting a game. I think Justin's earned a chance to start. Nothing against Cane. I just think Justin's played really hard. He's worked really hard and he earned it. Nysier has worked really hard as well. There's no mystery behind it."
In the end, the Bearcats still produced a lopsided 102-51 victory over Western Carolina before 7,051 fans at BB&T Arena, with Washington and Broome both receiving substantial playing time and playing major roles. Broome scored 15 points with four assists in 20 minutes and Washington scored 14 points with seven rebounds in 18 minutes. Sophomore guard Jarron Cumberland led the Bearcats with 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-6 from long range.
No. 12 UC (2-0) outscored Western Carolina (0-2), 56-22, in the second half, limiting the Catamounts to 25.8 shooting in the second half, 32.1 percent for the game. It was the first time since the 2011-12 season that the Bearcats scored 100 points in back-to-back games.
Washington and Broome were told Sunday afternoon that they wouldn't start against the Catamounts and they both were fine with it.
"Where we come from," Washington said, "we've been coming off the bench and starting and being the best player on our team and being the last man on the team. It really didn't faze us. We were just excited and ready to play."
"At the end of the day we're all here for each other so it doesn't matter who starts," Broome said. "We're just trying to win the game. We didn't do anything bad."
In these early games against overmatched opponents, it probably really doesn't matter who starts. That's how much depth this team appears to have. Eleven players played double-figure minutes and four scored in double figures. The Bearcats, who led by as many 53 points, shot 51.6 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from 3-point range, and 79.4 percent from the free throw line. They out-rebounded Western Carolina, 47-28 and forced 22 turnovers.
Brooks scored four points with eight rebounds in 12 minutes in his debut as a starter. Jenifer scored two points with one assist in 18 minutes in his. His two points came on two free throws that allowed the Bearcats to hit the 100-point mark with 2:17 left.
Washington's statistics reflected a turnaround from last Friday's season opener against Savannah State in which he scored only five points and grabbed four rebounds.
"I was a little frustrated," Washington said, "but I was happy that we won. There's some things that I needed to tighten up. I felt like I was trying to go out there tonight and play hard and not worry about that."
Mamoudou Diarra, a 6-foot-9 freshman forward from Bamako, Mali, played 12 minutes and contributed nine points and six rebounds Monday after making only a brief appearance against Savannah State.
"He and I had a meeting about what he had to do to become a player," Cronin said. "It's the same meeting I had with him before he signed his papers. He's a good kid and he took it to heart. If he has zero turnovers, he's going to play because he's got size and he's got a pretty good understanding defensively. With his wing span and his standing reach, it's the longest and the tallest on our team. He's got a chance to really help us."
Eliel Nsoseme, a 6-foot-9, freshman forward center, was held out as a precaution with a tender hamstring, but Cronin said he could have played if the Bearcats had needed him.
Despite the lopsided score, Cronin said the game was beneficial to the Bearcats as they continue to develop in preparation for the more challenging games on their schedule, which aren't far off. The Crosstown Shootout against Xavier is Dec. 2, followed by games against Florida, Mississippi State and UCLA in succession.
"I thought we got a lot out of it," Cronin said. "I'm happy with the way we defended in the second half to hold them to 26 percent. We did a good job of staying focused and not looking at the scoreboard, maintaining our defensive intensity and our principles.
"Their physicality was something we hadn't seen yet, so I thought that was very good for us, the way they blocked out, the way they attacked our big guys, the way they made us finish with strength around the rim, which we didn't always do. Against Savannah State, we had to work on defending the three and transition. Tonight, I wanted to see how our big guys handled their physicality. Now I can show on film if you don't grab the ball with two hands, look what happens."
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.