Takeaways from Cincinnati Bearcats basketball win over Alabama State Wednesday night

Posted by Admin November 28, 2024 Basketball

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Before carving the turkey on Thanksgiving the University of Cincinnati Bearcats men’s basketball team carved out another win on the hardwood Wednesday night, defeating Alabama State 77-59.

Though UC was in control the whole game, they weren’t as aggressive and convincing as they were in last Saturday’s 23-point win at Georgia Tech. Maybe it was because of the upcoming holiday or maybe it was overlooking an opponent not known as the Yellowjackets.

Whichever, UC coach Wes Miller was stung by his team’s effort against the Hornets.

“I have nothing positive to say about the game about our team,” he said. “I’m very, very disappointed in how we played. I feel bad about people who paid to watch that.”

Many of the 10,970 at Fifth Third Arena were scurrying to the parking lot as if the Black Friday sales were going early when UC led by 27 with just over four minutes left. Against UC’s bench, Alabama State went on a late run to make the game more presentable, but all it did was add to Miller’s anger over the performance.

“There’s a standard,” Miller said. “They meet that standard pretty damn consistently in practice. They’ve met it in all the games we’ve played to date. They did not meet it tonight and that makes me very angry, or disappointed. I have nothing positive to say about it other than we won the game.”

Pre-Thanksgiving spread not covered

Most books favored the Bearcats by 27.5 points, with the eventual result being 18.

Simas Lukošius led four Bearcats in double figures with 16 points with Jizzle James adding 13 and Dillon Mitchell and Aziz Bandaogo 10 points apiece. Day Day Thomas just missed the group with nine points making three 3-pointers.

Miller’s crew is now 6-0 and ranked No. 16 in the AP poll and No. 14 in the USA Today Coaches tally. They came into the game No. 9 in the KenPom.com ratings after reaching No. 7 earlier in the week.

The Hornets from Montgomery had just played three games in three days last weekend in an MTE (multi-team event) in Akron before coming south to Cincinnati. They drop to 3-4. Amarr Knox led Alabama State with 24 points.

“I’m not satisfied by my performance and how we played as a whole,” sophomore point guard James said. “We could have played a lot better. I’m glad we grinded it out.”

Miller mentioned he thought Alabama State would do well in their league (Southwestern Athletic Conference) and feels they could make the NCAA tournament. The Hornets also played road games at UNLV and LSU this month.

Takeaways from Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Alabama State Hornets

Hornets hung around early

Despite missing top scorer C.J. Hines (15.7 ppg) with an illness, Alabama State wouldn’t let UC pull away in the first half without a fight. UC raced out to a 10-2 lead and the Hornets cut it to three. Then they got down eight and were back within four midway through the half.

At halftime, it was 46-33 UC, but that was the most points the Bearcats had given up at the break this season. Even with UC up 27 points late, the Hornets went on a small run at the end to cut the deficit.

UC held Alabama State to 30% shooting and beat them in the paint, 40-18, but the Hornets had more points off turnovers (12-8) and more fast breaks in the game (9-8).

3-balls fall, but not at a spectacular rate

Both teams hoisted at will from behind the arc, but it wasn’t one of UC’s best games in that regard. Their previous low in the season opener was 36.4% against Arkansas-Pine Bluff while they hit a season-high 50% at NKU (11-for-22).

Lukošius was 4-for-10 which is nothing to sneeze at, but he had been hitting at more than a 60% clip. UC was 10-for-31 for 32.3% on threes for their lowest percentage of the season.

“They backed up, they went under everything,” Miller said. “They kind of bait you into taking a quicker shot. We’re not used to not being guarded. Sometimes when somebody doesn’t guard you that can mess with you so you shoot a little faster than you should. They backed up and it probably made us settle and it turned into some less-than-stellar shot selections.”

Softening the blow was Alabama State shooting 7-for-30 for 23.3%.

Miller says he likes threes but he prefers good shots better than threes. The team grades shots as good, average and bad.

“I thought tonight we probably settled for average ones before we worked for great ones,” Miller said.

Double-double Dillon (Mitchell) goes down

After just missing in his first four games, Mitchell had a double-double against Georgia Tech with 14 points and 11 rebounds. He was on his way to another vs. Alabama State with 10 points and eight boards but went down about nine minutes into the second half. He also briefly came up lame in the Georgia Tech game but returned. Wednesday, he returned to the bench but not the game.

Miller said Senior Associate AD/Head Basketball Athletic Trainer Bob Mangine cleared Mitchell to return but he chose not to insert him back in the game.

UC center Bandaogo was also one rebound away from a double-double with 10 points and nine boards.

“I’m trying to be better every day,” Bandaogo said. “I’m trying to impact winning.”

Charity stripe woes

Mitchell’s Achilles’ heel so far has come at the free throw line. He came into the game just 1-for-10 and finished Wednesday 0-for-5.

At Texas, he shot 59.8% last season and 40.5% as a freshman. Many of his shots are dunks or lay-ups, but in the Big 12 schedule teams may take advantage of him if they need to foul someone. UC finished 5-for-12 from the line, with the rest of the team making 5-of-7.

“You get in the gym and you work,” Miller said of Mitchell’s misses. “I expect him to do that every day. He’s been consistent in his work ethic. He’s a good shooter.”

About the boards

UC outrebounded Alabama State 52-35 with Bandaogo leading with nine. Mitchell and James had eight each. James also had a rare goal-tend call.

“I think tonight was my first one,” James said of his block that was disallowed. “It didn’t feel good because I gave them the points. There’s always room to work. I think I can get that in the next couple games.”

UC Bearcats roll deep

Miller played 11 guys in the first half. Starting guard Connor Hickman was injured early in the half but returned to the bench. With another month of non-conference games and Dan Skillings Jr. returning soon, it’s probably a good time to share the wealth.

Hickman returned to start the second half, so no worries there. Halvine Dzellat got in for the game’s final two minutes as 12 Bearcats saw the floor.

Tony Madlock, Terry Nelson

Always one to talk, UC broadcaster Terry Nelson once played against Alabama State coach Tony Madlock. Madlock started for the 1991-92 Memphis Tigers along with Penny Hardaway. Nelson playfully reminded Madlock that the Bearcats swept all four of their meetings that season, including the win in the Elite Eight that took them to the Final Four in Minneapolis.

Onto December

After a perfect November, the Bearcats move on to a more challenging December starting with a road test in Philadelphia Tuesday night against Villanova. It’s a 6:30 p.m. tip on FS1. The Wildcats defeated Rider Wednesday night to even their record at 4-4.

Miller planned on having the team and staff at his house for Thanksgiving but before any cooking was to be done, his immediate destination after the post-game press conference was his office. There was tape to watch so he could figure out how to improve on mistakes made Wednesday.

“We’ve got a big game on Tuesday against a really talented team on the road that is hungry,” Miller said. “We better get our butts in gear.”