TicketsCINCINNATI—The University of Cincinnati men's basketball opened American Athletic Conference play with an 88-77 victory over Tulane on Thursday night at Fifth Third Arena.
Senior guard Mika Adams-Woods had his best game of the season scoring a season-high 18 on 7-of-8 shooting from the field, including a big three down the stretch. He also tied a season-high with six assists.
Redshirt senior Landers Nolley II led the Bearcats in scoring with 23 points after scoring 14 points in the first half. His 23 points are his most points in a game since he scored 33 against Arizona. It is the fourth time this season Nolley II has scored 20 or more points.
At the end of the game, all five Cincinnati starters ended with double-digit points.
Redshirt sophomore forward Viktor Lakhin recorded his fifth double-double of the season as he totaled 13 points and 13 boards. Graduate guard David DeJulis and senior guard Jeremiah Daveport also reached double figures. DeJulius recorded 13 points, marking his eighth straight game in double figures and Jeremiah Davenport ended with 10.
The Bearcats improved to 10-4 overall on the season, while the Green Wave dropped to 7-6.
Cincinnati began the game red hot, shooting 59% in the first half and leading by as many as 17 before the break.
However, Tulane fought back, cutting the deficit to 10 at halftime and all the way down to 3 in the second half.
After the Green Wave cut the Bearcats' advantage to 4 with just over five minutes left, DeJulius hit a corner jumper and then took a charge, fouling out Tulane's leading scorer, Jalen Cook, with five minutes left in the game.
With the shot clock winding down, Nolley II hit his fifth 3-pointer of the game to increase the Cincinnati lead to 9 with 3:45 left. The Bearcats hit four straight shots down the stretch, including a clutch deep trey from Adams-Woods.
After forcing a turnover, the Bearcats scored their fifth straight basket as Lakhin hit a drop step-post move to bring the lead back to double digits as UC pulled away down the stretch.
After Tulane cut the lead to 51-47, Adams-Woods ended their 7-0 run with an acrobatic reverse layup. DeJulius would swing the momentum back to Cincinnati after taking a hard charge on the Green Wave's following possession.
The Bearcats opened the game on a 5-0 run, after Lakhin grabbed two offensive rebounds on back-to-back possessions, putting one back himself, followed by a Nolley II three on the next one.
Cincinnati extended the lead to 10-2 after DeJulius hit his first 3 of the game forcing the Green Wave to call its first time out three minutes into the game.
Over the first five minutes, UC went 6-of-10 from the field, as each starter recorded a bucket. Nolley II led the team with five early points, and Lakhin imposed his will on the low block grabbing six boards in that time span.
Nolley II caught fire at the start of the game, hitting his first three shots, including two behind the arc. He would end the first half shooting 5-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from 3-point-range leading UC with 14 points before halftime.
Freshman guard Dan Skillings Jr. pushed the lead 12 after stealing the ball on an errant pass and bringing it up the court for an and-one finish at the rim. The Bearcats led 22-10 with 11:04 left in the first half.
The Bearcats continued to extend their first-half lead as they held the Green Wave scoreless over a four-minute stretch halfway through the half. Through the first 12 minutes, Cincinnati held Tulane to just 4-for-19 from the field and 0-of-8 from behind the arc.
The Bearcats went to the half leading 45-35 behind great efforts from Nolley II (14) and Adams-Woods (8) as the duo shot 8-9 accounting for 22 of the 45 first-half points. Adams-Woods shot a perfect 3-3 from the floor and tied his season-high in assists with six.
NOTABLE
-Viktor Lakhin's double-double was his second in a row and fifth of the season. UC has won all six games in his career in which he has accomplished the feat, and this was his first in AAC play.
-Mika Adams-Woods' 18 points were the second-most out of his career (21 at ECU last season), and he matched a season-high with six assists, which was his fourth game doing so.
-Adams-Woods went 3-for-3 at the foul line, improving to 28-for-30 (93.3 percent) on the year.
-Landers Nolley II earned his fourth 20-point game of the season and 20th of his career.
-David DeJulius' 13 points gives him 882 in three years at Cincinnati.
-All of Cincinnati's wins have come when leading at the half, and all are by double-digits.
-Cincinnati has won 19 of its last 22 against Tulane and leads 27-19 all-time.
UP NEXT
Cincinnati looks to remain unbeaten in AAC play when it plays at Temple on Sunday at 3 p.m. on ESPN.
Senior guard Mika Adams-Woods had his best game of the season scoring a season-high 18 on 7-of-8 shooting from the field, including a big three down the stretch. He also tied a season-high with six assists.
Redshirt senior Landers Nolley II led the Bearcats in scoring with 23 points after scoring 14 points in the first half. His 23 points are his most points in a game since he scored 33 against Arizona. It is the fourth time this season Nolley II has scored 20 or more points.
At the end of the game, all five Cincinnati starters ended with double-digit points.
Redshirt sophomore forward Viktor Lakhin recorded his fifth double-double of the season as he totaled 13 points and 13 boards. Graduate guard David DeJulis and senior guard Jeremiah Daveport also reached double figures. DeJulius recorded 13 points, marking his eighth straight game in double figures and Jeremiah Davenport ended with 10.
The Bearcats improved to 10-4 overall on the season, while the Green Wave dropped to 7-6.
Cincinnati began the game red hot, shooting 59% in the first half and leading by as many as 17 before the break.
However, Tulane fought back, cutting the deficit to 10 at halftime and all the way down to 3 in the second half.
After the Green Wave cut the Bearcats' advantage to 4 with just over five minutes left, DeJulius hit a corner jumper and then took a charge, fouling out Tulane's leading scorer, Jalen Cook, with five minutes left in the game.
With the shot clock winding down, Nolley II hit his fifth 3-pointer of the game to increase the Cincinnati lead to 9 with 3:45 left. The Bearcats hit four straight shots down the stretch, including a clutch deep trey from Adams-Woods.
WELCOME TO NOLLEYWOOD@NolleyLanders 💥@espn | https://t.co/BLm7GlxnlJ pic.twitter.com/BOKJHiYryN
— Cincinnati Men's Hoops (@GoBearcatsMBB) December 30, 2022
After forcing a turnover, the Bearcats scored their fifth straight basket as Lakhin hit a drop step-post move to bring the lead back to double digits as UC pulled away down the stretch.
After Tulane cut the lead to 51-47, Adams-Woods ended their 7-0 run with an acrobatic reverse layup. DeJulius would swing the momentum back to Cincinnati after taking a hard charge on the Green Wave's following possession.
The Bearcats opened the game on a 5-0 run, after Lakhin grabbed two offensive rebounds on back-to-back possessions, putting one back himself, followed by a Nolley II three on the next one.
Cincinnati extended the lead to 10-2 after DeJulius hit his first 3 of the game forcing the Green Wave to call its first time out three minutes into the game.
Over the first five minutes, UC went 6-of-10 from the field, as each starter recorded a bucket. Nolley II led the team with five early points, and Lakhin imposed his will on the low block grabbing six boards in that time span.
Nolley II caught fire at the start of the game, hitting his first three shots, including two behind the arc. He would end the first half shooting 5-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from 3-point-range leading UC with 14 points before halftime.
Freshman guard Dan Skillings Jr. pushed the lead 12 after stealing the ball on an errant pass and bringing it up the court for an and-one finish at the rim. The Bearcats led 22-10 with 11:04 left in the first half.
The Bearcats continued to extend their first-half lead as they held the Green Wave scoreless over a four-minute stretch halfway through the half. Through the first 12 minutes, Cincinnati held Tulane to just 4-for-19 from the field and 0-of-8 from behind the arc.
The Bearcats went to the half leading 45-35 behind great efforts from Nolley II (14) and Adams-Woods (8) as the duo shot 8-9 accounting for 22 of the 45 first-half points. Adams-Woods shot a perfect 3-3 from the floor and tied his season-high in assists with six.
OH MY @DavidDejulius WENT SPIN MODE 💦@ESPN | https://t.co/BLm7GlxnlJ pic.twitter.com/1EyHqKViel
— Cincinnati Men's Hoops (@GoBearcatsMBB) December 30, 2022
NOTABLE
-Viktor Lakhin's double-double was his second in a row and fifth of the season. UC has won all six games in his career in which he has accomplished the feat, and this was his first in AAC play.
-Mika Adams-Woods' 18 points were the second-most out of his career (21 at ECU last season), and he matched a season-high with six assists, which was his fourth game doing so.
-Adams-Woods went 3-for-3 at the foul line, improving to 28-for-30 (93.3 percent) on the year.
-Landers Nolley II earned his fourth 20-point game of the season and 20th of his career.
-David DeJulius' 13 points gives him 882 in three years at Cincinnati.
-All of Cincinnati's wins have come when leading at the half, and all are by double-digits.
-Cincinnati has won 19 of its last 22 against Tulane and leads 27-19 all-time.
UP NEXT
Cincinnati looks to remain unbeaten in AAC play when it plays at Temple on Sunday at 3 p.m. on ESPN.