TicketsBy Bill Koch
GoBearcats.com
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The University of Cincinnati Bearcats were just three points shy of becoming the first team in school history to score 100 points in three consecutive games. With the final 30 seconds ticking away, the crowd wanted it. So did the players.
But anyone who knows UC coach Mick Cronin could have bet that he wouldn't allow it. And he didn't, ordering his players to dribble out the final seconds of 12th-ranked UC's 97-54 win over Coppin State on Thursday night before 7,158 fans at BB&T Arena.
"People were talking about it before the game," said junior guard Justin Jenifer, "but at the end of the day we were coming in there looking for the W. I looked over there and I was, like he didn't want that."
For Cronin, it was a no-brainer.
"I'm a son of a coach," Cronin said. "When you're up 43 you don't try to rub it in like that. At least I don't. I've been on the other end of that. That stuff doesn't concern me. (Coppin State coach) Juan (Dixon) just got the job. He's trying to build the program, trying to teach his kids how to play hard."
Jarron Cumberland led UC (3-0) with 19 points, 17 in the first half, and a career-high nine rebounds. Jenifer scored a career-high 16 and Gary Clark scored 12 points with nine rebounds, just missing his 20th career double-double even though he played only 17 minutes. Coppin State fell to 0-3.
During the first eight-plus minutes of the game, it appeared as if UC might score 150 points. The Bearcats made their first 13 shots, including five 3-pointers, and led 35-13 before Cumberland finally missed a 3-pointer with 11:19 left in the first half.
UC jumped out to leads of 7-0, 13-2 and 23-4, but after the Bearcats missed their first shot, they cooled off considerably. They made only six of of 25 the rest of the first half, closing the half by missing 10 of their last 12. They regained their shooting touch to start the second half by making five of their first seven shots, but overall were 19-of-50 from the field after that 13-for-13 start.
But those first nine minutes were quite a spectacle. They started with a Kyle Washington basket in the paint. Cumberland then made a 3-pointer and Jacob Evans made two free throws to make it 7-0 less than two minutes into the game. When the Bearcats had 32 points with 12:47 left in the first half, another 100-point game seemed a foregone conclusion.
"We just wanted to reinforce the message that we're ready to go and we're not taking any of these games for granted," said Washington, who scored 11 points and pulled down six rebounds. "It could be Coppin State or it could be the Los Angeles Lakers. We were ready to play. We wanted to show the coaches that we were focused and locked in and we wanted to execute on our assignments."
The quick offensive start, Cronin said, was the result of efficient passing.
"We were able to go down low to get a bucket with Kyle to start it," Cronin said. "I think that forced them to collapse and give us a lot of open shots. When we pass the ball, we're obviously a team that can hurt people. And we did a pretty good job of taking care of the ball tonight.
"We had a couple of goals. We were trying to get better in our half-court defense, so for the last 30 minutes of the game we called the press off and tried to get more sound defensively in the half-court to get ready for next week and we tried to work on our turnovers."
UC committed only seven turnovers after committing 33 in its first two games.
Jenifer, who averaged 2.8 points in his first two years at UC, has now scored a career high in two of his first three games and is averaging 11 points. He did not commit a turnover in 22 minutes against Coppin State. Cronin said Jenifer's increased offensive output doesn't surprise him.
"I think that'll continue all year," he said. "Justin has worked really hard. His confidence is up. He's taking care of the ball. I'm not surprised he's making shots. He works really hard at it. He's really dedicated himself and it's made our team better."
The Bearcats are scheduled to leave Saturday for the Cayman Islands where they'll play in the Cayman Islands Classic. Their first game is Monday night against Buffalo, one of the teams expected to contend in the Mid-American Conference.
Washington and Jenifer both said they're looking forward to the trip – and to coming home with three more wins.
"We're going down there on a mission," Washington said. "I wish I was going to the Cayman Islands for a regular vacation, but we're going to be locked in. We're going down there to get some hardware."
"This is my first time going across the water," Jenifer said. "It's going to be exciting. I'm ready to have fun a little bit, but it's always business first."
That's what it was for Cronin when he disdained one final chance to hit the 100-point mark and make a little history.
"I could care less if we get a hundred," he said.
What he does care about is making sure his team gets better, which is the main reason he's looking forward to the Cayman Islands after three season-opening wins in which the Bearcats have outscored their opponents by an average score of 102-61.
"It's time to get some resistance," he said. "We need it. It's time to play some teams that can beat us if we don't play well."
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.