TicketsCINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Basketball Tournament, presented by Allegiant Air, begins Friday night against Detroit Mercy at 7 p.m.
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The event, which includes a Sunday noon contest with defending Big Sky champion Eastern Washington, features an atmosphere and ticket opportunity similar to the raucous, lower-bowl seating only environment as the Bearcats' NIT win over Virginia Tech last year.
For clarification, these two games are NOT part of this season's 17-game, Big 12 season-ticket package, and rather a bonus opportunity for more to sit in and fill the lower bowl for as low as $17.50 per seat. Courtside tickets, which were offered for $42.50 each, are sold out for the weekend. There is limited Champions Club availability for $35, which is inclusive of food and non-alcoholic beverages.
THE RUNDOWN
ESPN+ | 700 WLW | Live Stats | Tickets
The event, which includes a Sunday noon contest with defending Big Sky champion Eastern Washington, features an atmosphere and ticket opportunity similar to the raucous, lower-bowl seating only environment as the Bearcats' NIT win over Virginia Tech last year.
For clarification, these two games are NOT part of this season's 17-game, Big 12 season-ticket package, and rather a bonus opportunity for more to sit in and fill the lower bowl for as low as $17.50 per seat. Courtside tickets, which were offered for $42.50 each, are sold out for the weekend. There is limited Champions Club availability for $35, which is inclusive of food and non-alcoholic beverages.
THE RUNDOWN
- The Cincinnati Basketball Tournament, presented by Allegiant Air, features Friday and Sunday games in an MTE atmosphere similar to the raucous, lower-bowl seating only environment as the Bearcats' NIT win over Virginia Tech last year.
- Cincinnati is coming off a 69-58 win Monday night against UIC, in which it led the final 29 minutes and kept the lead between 8-16 points over the final 15.
- Day Day Thomas led the way with 15 points. It was the first season-opener since 2010 that a newcomer led UC in scoring (freshman Sean Kilpatrick, 2010).
- Dan Skillings Jr. stayed busy with 13 points and eight rebounds while drawing seven fouls. His 28 minutes were a career-high as well. UC improved to 5-0 when the sophomore has reached double-figure scoring.
- Ody Oguama (65 career starts) and Viktor Lakhin (32) completed the democratic board spread with eight rebounds apiece. It was UC's third game with a trio of 8-plus rebounders in the last year-plus.
- Queen City native and Kentucky transfer CJ Fredrick was the third double-digit scorer for UC with 11 points. He made three of his first four long-range attempts in reserve duty and is a career-41.2 percent three-point shooter.
- UC had a 30-4 advantage in bench points. It went 4-0 when scoring 30 or more there last season, led by 42 against Bryant.
- The Bearcats are 29-9 at home under Wes Miller and 38-10 when leading at the half. UC also went 13-8 after switching to a three-guard lineup on Jan. 5 last year.
- The defense held UIC to 2-of-16 deep shooting, with the 12.5 percent clip the second-lowest of the Wes Miller tenure. It was the fifth time in his 2-plus years that an opponent made two or fewer on the Bearcats.
- Cincinnati was 30th nationally in fewest turnovers after going 28th in 2021-22, and it committed a modest nine against UIC. It was 267 and 289 the previous two years before Miller's arrival. UC's 77.1 ppg were also its most since 2001-02.
SERIES HISTORY
- Cincinnati is 3-2 all-time against the Titans, including a 72-54 home win on Dec. 21, 2022.
- Viktor Lakhin posted career-highs of 18 points and 15 rebounds in that one, with the boards still remaining a personal-best.
- Twenty-seven of UC's points are on this year's roster, and none of the Titan starters from that game are on the current squad.
- Other meetings came in 1930, 1931, 1997 and 2004.