The Bearcats wrapped up non-conference play with a 76-58 victory over Evansville tonight here at Fifth Third Arena as they improve to 11-2 on the season.
The Bearcats were led by John Newman who finished with a team high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Newman affected the game in many ways tonight, and it was a great sight to see as his offensive game came alive tonight. This was something the Bearcats needed with CJ Fredrick out, and it was a question of who would be the guys to step in.
Simas Lukosius also had his best game of the season after a quick one game absence due to a minor shoulder injury. Lukosius finished with a season high 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting including his first four three-point attempts of the night and you could tell he had found his footing once again.
The Bearcats were without CJ Fredrick (Hamstring) and Aziz Bandaogo (Back), while the Purple Aces were without their top two scorers Ben Humrichous and Chuck Bailey both due to injuries.
For the Bearcats, there would be a change to the starting lineup as Jamille Reynolds would make his first career start as a Bearcat in place of Ody Oguama who shifts to the bench.
The Rundown
The Bearcats opened the game on a 5-0 run after Viktor Lakhin got the scoring started inside, and Simas Lukosius came down and buried a three off the curl screen on the very next possession. The Purple Aces would find their groove as Kenny Strawbridge went on a personal five point run to bring the Aces back early. The Bearcats would take a 12-9 lead with 15:31 remaining in the first half following five quick points from John Newman.
Evansville would take their first lead of the game following a Strawbridge midrange jumper, but Newman answered right back on the other end of the Bearcats to make this a 14-13 game with 13 minutes left in the first half. Both the Aces, and Bearcats were shooting over 50% from the field through the first 10 minutes of play. John Newman was looking to play his best game of the season as he had a quick seven points and three assists. This was a game that Newman or Skillings would have to step up with Cj Fredrick hampered due to injury.
Evansville would take a 24-23 lead with 6:45 remaining in the first half behind 14 points combined points from Toumi and Strawbridge. However, the Purple Aces made it difficult for the Bearcats to attack that 2-3 zone as they went 1-8 from the field over a three-minute span, including a drought of five straight misses. Evansville would find ways to attack the rim despite the Bearcats outrebounding them 17-10 in the first 16 minutes of play.
Yacine Toumi was continuing to be a problem for the Bearcats as the Purple Aces center had 11 points on 5-6 FG shooting as the Purple Aces held a 32-29 lead over the Bearcats. Wes Miller and the Bearcats made it an effort to get the ball inside to Lakhin and Reynolds but Evansville was quickly collapsing on the big men.
The Purple Aces would respond with a 10-0 run over the span of nearly four minutes, as they took a 38-29 lead with just under two minutes remaining in the first half. Wes Miller was forced to call timeout, where Dan Skillings silenced the Aces run after burying his first made three of the night. But the Bearcats had every opportunity to cut the deficit even closer heading into the break but just couldn’t finish as they ended the half 1 for their last 9.
Evansville would take a 40-32 lead into the half behind a dominant first half from Yacine Toumi, who led all scorers with 13 points on a near perfect 6-7 shooting. The Bearcats just couldn’t find ways to attack the Aces 2-3 zone in the first half, shooting just 38% from the field, while the Aces shot nearly 60% from the field.
Safe to say, the Bearcats have to find a way to respond out of the half, or Evansville would potentially open the flood gates. Evansville was playing their best ball of the season, despite not having their top two scorers in Humrichous, and Bailey.
The Bearcats came out of the half on an 8-2 run following made threes from Thomas and Lukosius, forcing an early Evansville timeout as the Bearcats cut their lead to two, 42-40. Lukosius was looking to pick up where he left off before the shoulder injury.
The Bearcats quickly found some momentum following that hot start and it all started with the first three from Lukosius. The Bearcats were looking to get out running, push the tempo, to not let the Aces get back on defense and set up that 2-3 zone that has given them much trouble here so far tonight. Lukosius, buried his third three of the night. The Bearcats would regain the lead following two crucial free throws from Newman that would give the Bearcats a 47-45 lead with 13 minutes remaining.
The Bearcats opened the flood gate as they held the Aces without a field goal for nearly eight minutes, sparking a 22-6 run to start the half. Lukoisus was a big reason why, as the junior guard was electric tonight to start the second half where he scored nine quick points, all from behind the arch, propelling the Bearcats to a 54-46 lead with 11:51 remaining.
The Bearcats would quickly keep their foot on the gas as the Aces would shoot just 2-18 to start the second half. Despite a poor shooting performance, the Aces were still hanging around as the Bearcats led 60-50 with 7:18 remaining. Lukosius continued to anchor the Bearcats in the second half after burying yet another three through contact, setting Fifth Third Arena into a frenzy.
The Aces would have one of their worst shooting performances of the season to start the second half as they went nearly 11 minutes without a field goal. That was solely the difference maker as Wes Miller and the Bearcats brough the pressure and the Aces had no answer.
The Bearcats held on and defeated the Aces to improve to 11-2 on the season behind a huge second half effort. The Bearcats finished the game on a 44-18 run in the second half and that was solely the difference maker in this one.
Up Next
The Bearcats (11-2) will be back in action next Saturday January 6th, at 10 pm when they travel to Provo, Utah to take on #14th ranked BYU in their first Big 12 conference game.
