The Wes Miller era started off with a bang as the Cincinnati Bearcats’ Men’s basketball took care of the Evansville Purple Aces on Tuesday night at Fifth Third Arena, 65-43.
Notes:
- The Bearcats basketball defensive program mentality was in full display right off the gate and you love to see it. They held the Purple Aces to 25.9% from the field (14-54). That’s forty missed shots!
- I think a big surprise was how well the offense played. In the first game of the season and in a new system with a new coach obviously, the shots weren’t going to be falling and they didn’t let it affect them. They went on an 18-1 scoring run and another in the second half. Overall for the game, they shot 45.5%.
- Junior Jeremiah Davenport led the team in scoring with 11 points while grabbing eight rebounds. Senior David DeJulius had such a nice stat line of nine points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
- Viktor Lakhin the seven-footer from Russia had a great debut as Bearcat with seven points and seven rebounds. He’s going to continue to get better as the season goes along.
- Mason Madsen had nine points including going 3-of-8 from the three-pointer a vital weapon to have off the bench. Mike Saunders came off the bench and had six points and four rebounds, but don’t expect to always do that because I believe he’ll be a starter.
- Ody Oguama had seven points and three rebounds. The energy he brought off the bench reminds me of Kyle Washington who is part of the coaching staff.
There’s such a different vibe with this team and we don’t how this season is going to pan out, but what I do know is that they will play hard every night for their coach and that’s pretty much all we want them to do. UC is in good hands with Miller and I’m glad he’s the head coach for this program.
Bearcats next game is a home tilt with Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday night at 7 pm should be a good one and a great test for this squad earlier on and that’s a good thing.
