TicketsBy Bill Koch
GoBearcats.com
CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati's 78-65 victory over Northern Kentucky on Tuesday won't impress the so-called experts across the country. To them, it will likely be viewed as another early-season mismatch between a high-major program and a mid-major, a game that UC is supposed to win handily.
UC coach Mick Cronin knows better.
"I did not expect to look up and be up the way we were most of the game," Cronin said. "That's how good I think their team is."
UC (8-1) extended its winning streak to eight games before a crowd of 11,218 at Fifth Third Arena with a dominating performance on the glass, a double-double of a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds from junior forward Trevon Scott and a 26-6 advantage at the free throw line.
The Bearcats also did a defensive number on NKU forward Drew McDonald, the Horizon League pre-season Player of the Year who was held to eight points – 11 below his average – on three-of-15 shooting. He was shut out in the first half when he went zero-for-seven.
Scott had a big hand in that too.
"Our plan was not to let him catch it in the post," Scott said. "We executed that and we took him out of the game. We got some quick fouls on him as well. We were there for each other. When he did catch in the post, you'd see the help side defense with a few blocks."
NKU (8-2) was off to its best start since it began play in Division I in 2016-17. The Bearcats are 8-0 all-time against the Norse, their most recent win coming on Nov. 27, 1988 at Cincinnati Gardens. This was the first time UC had played NKU since the Norse moved up to Division I.
The Bearcats, who out-rebounded the Norse, 39-31, had five players score in double figures. In addition to Scott, Jarron Cumberland scored 12, and Keith Williams, Justin Jenifer and Nysier Brooks each scored 10. Tyler Sharpe led NKU with 16. UC shot 33 free throws to just 15 for NKU.
"That was the scouting report coming in," said Jenifer, who celebrated his 23rd birthday with the win. "They average 22 fouls a game, so attacking is very important. We got to the free throw line a lot."
UC broke open a 13-13 game with 14 straight points over 4:58 to take a 27-13 lead midway through the first half. The Bearcats' run grew to 21-3 with 4:17 left in the half. After Jenifer connected a three-pointer with 2:54 remaining, the Bearcats led, 41-21.
UC led by 17 at halftime. The Norse trimmed their deficit to 12 with 11:47 to play and had a chance to get within 10 until UC's Logan Johnson came up with a steal and fed Cumberland for a transition layup to spread the Bearcats' lead back to 14.
A Cumberland three-pointer with 10:08 left made it 61-46. After Sharpe made a layup, Scott hit a baseline jump shot as the shot clock neared zero and four points by Brooks gave the Bearcats a 67-48 advantage with 7:55 to play.
Scott, who had made 11 of 19 foul shots this season entering the game, was uncanny at the line. He made his first 12 before finally missing with 13:37 remaining.
Cronin wasn't the only head coach in the building who was surprised by the way the Bearcats dominated.
"We didn't react very well in the first half to some of the things that happened," said NKU's John Brannen. "We had talked about handling adversity. I was a little disappointed in that. But let's give Cincinnati the credit they deserve.
The matchup's hard. It's hard to attack. I thought we could come in here and compete. I thought we could give them a game. I'm disappointed that we didn't."
This was the first of a series of four games that will be played between the two schools over the next seven years – two at UC and two at NKU. – as part of the deal that allowed the Bearcats to play at NKU last year while Fifth Third Arena was being renovated.
UC will face a much more familiar local foe Saturday when they renew the Crosstown Shootout rivalry with Xavier at Fifth Third Arena. UC leads the series, 50-35.
"It's another regular game," Scott said. "There's no hype. We're not here to talk about what we want to do. We're ready to play."
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.