TicketsCINCINNATI -- The University of Cincinnati men's basketball team begins the Wes Miller era Tuesday night at home against Evansville. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will air on ESPN Plus.
Per university policy, masks are required indoors unless actively eating or drinking.
THE RUNDOWN
UC is seeking its second-straight season-opening win. UC returns seven letterwinners, including three of its top four scorers in Jeremiah Davenport (11.7 ppg), David DeJulius (9.1) and Mika Adams-Woods (8.6). The squad also welcomed seven newcomers, including six transfers (Clemson, Mississippi State, Wake Forest, three UNC Greensboro). Hayden Koval (337 blocks) and Abdul Ado (249) enter as the national leaders in career blocked-shots.
Davenport, a Preseason Second-Team All-AAC selection, made the league's All-Tournament team last year after averaging 16.0 ppg on 9-for-20 three-point shooting and 6.0 rpg. He averaged 8.7 ppg prior to New Year's Day and 13.1 ppg the rest of the way.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Cincinnati is home the first four games of the season, its most since doing the same to open the 2018-19 season (3-1). While at UNC Greensboro, Wes Miller won his last three season openers. The Spartans last year were 12th in three-point field goal attempts (763), 12th in rebounds (1,174) and 16th in turnover margin (plus-3.9). The Bearcats ranked in the top-100 for two categories but will look to use a healthy mix of returners and proven transfers to regain its power.
NOTING COACH MILLER
Head coach Wes Miller, the 28th in school history, enters the season as the nation's winningest coach under 40. His 185 wins rank ahead of LSU's Will Wade (177) and New Mexico's Richard Pitino (159). During his playing career at North Carolina, he authored "The Road to Blue Heaven," a diary of his senior season.
NCAA TOURNAMENT REGULARS
Cincinnati joins Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Michigan State, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin, VCU as programs to make at least nine of the past 10 NCAA Tournaments.
AGE IS JUST A NUMBER
Ado (Oct. 10, 1997) and Koval (March 8, 1998) are the 10th and 12th oldest players in Division I. Cincinnati's average age of 21.56 heading into Opening Night ranks fourth behind Drake, Penn State and Chattanooga.
FAMILIAR FACES
Koval, Jarrett Hensley and A.J. McGinnis all came from UNCG, while John Newman III was signed as a transfer before ultimately following Miller to the Queen City. Cincinnati is the only team with three transfers from the same school. The former three also all played at Link Year Prep in Missouri.
SEASON TICKETS
Limited season tickets remain ahead of Tuesday's contest, and fans can purchase for as low as $150 here.