One advantage the Bearcats have this season is a light non-conference schedule. There aren’t any games, besides the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout against Xavier, that stand out as games the Bearcats will most likely lose. For the first time in what feels like forever, the Bearcats can really pad their record in the non-conference portion of the season heading into the gauntlet that is Big 12 conference play.
The Bearcats non-conference schedule continues Friday night when they take on the Detroit Mercy Titans out of the Horizon League. It’s part of the Walton Sports and Entertainment Event that will continue on Sunday for the Bearcats.
Friday’s game is important for more reasons than that it is just the next one. It’s the first game they will play in a span of less than 48 hours. And in the Big 12, getting that experience early is a huge advantage.
What to watch for
I want to see two good halves of basketball from the Bearcats. The second half on Monday was sloppy, as the Bearcats somehow cobbled their way to 29 points. But if this team is going to be successful this year, they can’t have halves where they shoot just 11-of-34. They also can’t shoot 5-of-25 from three-point range in big games.
A bright spot in three-pointing was CJ Frederick, who made three shots from long range on Monday. Frederick looked a little gimpy going into a timeout in the second half, but nothing major came out of that in the aftermath of the game. His sharp shooting could prove massive dividends for the Bearcats this season.
