CINCINNATI, OHIO - The University of Cincinnati men's basketball team cruised to a 79-45 win over Presbyterian on Thursday night.
The win improved the Bearcats' record to 4-0 on the young season. Coach Wes Miller became just the third coach in UC history to win his first four games with the program, and the first since Tay Baker in 1965. Anthony Chez also accomplished the feat in 1902.
Jeremiah Davenport was UC's leading scorer on the night with 16 points on 50% shooting. This was Davenport's season-high.
In a first half that could be considered one long scoring run for the Bearcats, they nearly doubled Presbyterian's points at halftime, leading 35-20.
It was a slow start for the Bearcats' offense. They started 3-11 from field, but everything changed when Hayden Koval slammed a huge two-handed dunk over a Presbyterian defender. They shot 50% from the field for the rest of the half.
Koval's dunk sparked a massive run that would give UC a comfortable first half lead. The Bearcats outscored Presbyterian 22-3 from 14:25 to 7:20 in the first half to give them a 27-9 lead. The run included two runs of 9-0 and 13-0.
Viktor Lakhin had himself a 6-0 run with a breakaway dunk, easy layup and two free throws. He had a career-high 10 points.
The Bearcats were put into the bonus before the 10-minute mark, and they took advantage. They shot 9-10 from the free throw line in the first half.
UC didn't just have success offensively; it was pesky on defense as well. The Bearcats forced 11 turnovers in the first half and 17 total. The 11 were the most they've forced in a half all season. They also blocked nine shots on the night, with Abdul Ado rejecting five of his own (all in the second half), which are his most as a Bearcat.
The second half began with more of the same for UC. It quickly increased its lead to 20 points at 44-24 and never looked back. That's been a common theme for Miller's Bearcats this season, as they have not trailed in a second half all year.
The Bearcats' defense seemed to get better as the game went on, holding Presbyterian without a made field goal from 9:23 to 1:47 at the end of the game. UC also ended the game on 15-4 run.
NOTABLE
- With only 9 turnovers tonight, this is lowest number of turnovers (37) for the Bearcats in the first four games of a season since 2015-16.
- The Bearcats had 21 assists compared to Presbyterian's four. UC's nine assists in the first half are tied for a season-high in one half.
- Thirteen players scored for UC, its most since Dec. 14, 2010 against Georgia Southern.
- This win marked the first time the Bearcats have won back-to-back games by 20 or more points since beating Drake and Alabama A&M on Nov. 11 and 14, 2019.
- UC's nine blocked shots are a team-high on the season and most in a game since 11 vs. UConn on 02/09/20
- The Bearcats have led at halftime each game this season.
- 13 different players scored for the Bearcats, most this season.
- Mason Madsen led the team with five assists, which is a career high.
- Mika Adams-Woods led the team with six rebounds. That ties a career high.
- UC's 34-point margin of victory tonight was the largest since Nov. 28, 2018 against Arkansas Pine-Bluff when they beat them 105-49.
NEXT UP
The Bearcats will hit the road for the first time this season to take on Illinois on Monday at the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo. The game will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET and air on ESPNEWS.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati Athletics, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati Athletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The win improved the Bearcats' record to 4-0 on the young season. Coach Wes Miller became just the third coach in UC history to win his first four games with the program, and the first since Tay Baker in 1965. Anthony Chez also accomplished the feat in 1902.
Jeremiah Davenport was UC's leading scorer on the night with 16 points on 50% shooting. This was Davenport's season-high.
In a first half that could be considered one long scoring run for the Bearcats, they nearly doubled Presbyterian's points at halftime, leading 35-20.
It was a slow start for the Bearcats' offense. They started 3-11 from field, but everything changed when Hayden Koval slammed a huge two-handed dunk over a Presbyterian defender. They shot 50% from the field for the rest of the half.
Koval's dunk sparked a massive run that would give UC a comfortable first half lead. The Bearcats outscored Presbyterian 22-3 from 14:25 to 7:20 in the first half to give them a 27-9 lead. The run included two runs of 9-0 and 13-0.
Viktor Lakhin had himself a 6-0 run with a breakaway dunk, easy layup and two free throws. He had a career-high 10 points.
The Bearcats were put into the bonus before the 10-minute mark, and they took advantage. They shot 9-10 from the free throw line in the first half.
UC didn't just have success offensively; it was pesky on defense as well. The Bearcats forced 11 turnovers in the first half and 17 total. The 11 were the most they've forced in a half all season. They also blocked nine shots on the night, with Abdul Ado rejecting five of his own (all in the second half), which are his most as a Bearcat.
The second half began with more of the same for UC. It quickly increased its lead to 20 points at 44-24 and never looked back. That's been a common theme for Miller's Bearcats this season, as they have not trailed in a second half all year.
The Bearcats' defense seemed to get better as the game went on, holding Presbyterian without a made field goal from 9:23 to 1:47 at the end of the game. UC also ended the game on 15-4 run.
NOTABLE
- With only 9 turnovers tonight, this is lowest number of turnovers (37) for the Bearcats in the first four games of a season since 2015-16.
- The Bearcats had 21 assists compared to Presbyterian's four. UC's nine assists in the first half are tied for a season-high in one half.
- Thirteen players scored for UC, its most since Dec. 14, 2010 against Georgia Southern.
- This win marked the first time the Bearcats have won back-to-back games by 20 or more points since beating Drake and Alabama A&M on Nov. 11 and 14, 2019.
- UC's nine blocked shots are a team-high on the season and most in a game since 11 vs. UConn on 02/09/20
- The Bearcats have led at halftime each game this season.
- 13 different players scored for the Bearcats, most this season.
- Mason Madsen led the team with five assists, which is a career high.
- Mika Adams-Woods led the team with six rebounds. That ties a career high.
- UC's 34-point margin of victory tonight was the largest since Nov. 28, 2018 against Arkansas Pine-Bluff when they beat them 105-49.
NEXT UP
The Bearcats will hit the road for the first time this season to take on Illinois on Monday at the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo. The game will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET and air on ESPNEWS.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati Athletics, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati Athletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.