UC coach Wes Miller, Dillon Mitchell, Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd on Wildcats win
UC coach Wes Miller, Dillon Mitchell, Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd on Wildcats win Saturday at Fifth Third Arena
In what mathematically may have been the biggest game so far for University of Cincinnati men’s basketball, the Bearcats picked the wrong day to be statistically inaccurate, losing to Arizona 72-67.
It wasn’t without a fight as the Bearcats, on the verge of being blown out in front of a crowd of 11,212 at Fifth Third Arena, tied the game in the final minute. From there, they could only get a Day Day Thomas 3-pointer in the final seconds. UC had its worst shooting day of the year from the perimeter, hitting only 5-of-25 for a lowly 20%.
“We did a nice job of digging back in the game,” UC coach Wes Miller said. “I was proud of that part. I was not pleased with the offense and defense execution in the last minute but you’ve got to give them (Arizona) credit for making plays.”
Down as many as 19 points in the second half, UC livened the crowd up with a 9-0 run with just under nine minutes to go, cutting the Arizona lead to 58-52 and forcing a timeout with 7:19 left.
With just over three minutes to go, Jizzle James whittled the Wildcats lead to three at 64-61. An Aziz Bandaogo free throw at 1:51 made it 64-62. Then, Dan Skillings tied it with a putback with 59 seconds left. From there it came down to Arizona’s free throws to pull away as the Wildcats finished 21-for-27 in that category for the five-point win.
UC was a woeful, 12-for-23 for just 52% from the line. For the game, they were outshot 43-39%. The Bearcats did outrebound the Wildcats 39-34.
Arizona was led by Jaden Bradley with 15 points while Carter Bryant added 14. Bradley drove straight to the basket for a layup 15 seconds after UC tied the game to give Arizona the lead for good.
“We drew up something out of the timeout that we’d never really done before,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “It allowed Jaden Bradley to get downhill to make a lay-up. The play wasn’t necessarily for that but that was one of the options. We were able to possession-by-possession find a way from there.”
UC got 18 for a second straight game from Skillings. Dillon Mitchell had 13 points.
“We all knew that we had to turn that switch on and have that switch on in the second half,” Mitchell said of the failed comeback. “It starts on the defensive end. Offensively, even if we’re not making shots, we eventually will. That’s something that we have to continue to lock on.”
Though UC carried the No. 16 Associated Press ranking into the game, Arizona was ranked higher in the KenPom.com ratings (No. 20 to UC’s No. 23) and NCAA NET rankings (No. 21 to UC’s No. 25).
Arizona has won all five games in the series, but this was the Wildcats first visit to Cincinnati. The other matchups were played in neutral sites with two in Phoenix and two in Hawaii.
What’s up with Bearcats vs. Wildcats?
Villanova, Kansas State, Arizona. Those are UC’s losses. Though the Bearcats came back and tied, they are now 11-28 under Wes Miller when trailing at halftime, 1-3 this season. UC is now 10-2 (0-2 Big 12). The Arizona Wildcats go to 8-5 (2-0 Big 12).
The Bearcats outscored Arizona 41-33 in the second half when Miller preferred the ball movement.
“We played the right way in the second half offensively, then we missed a bunch of open shots and free throws,” he said. “It’s got to be consistent and you didn’t see that in the second half at all.”
An assist from Xavier
With Xavier coach Sean Miller formerly heading up the Arizona Wildcats, coach Tommy Lloyd’s squad took advantage of his hospitality by getting in a practice at Cintas Center. There are still several connections among the two teams. Among those is current Arizona Assistant AD/Equipment Operations Brian Brigger who facilitated the practice. Brigger is from nearby Wyoming and graduated from Xavier, working with Skip Prosser and Thad Matta, then Sean Miller at Arizona.
Takeaways from Cincinnati Bearcats basketball vs. Arizona
1. Was UC able to contain Arizona Wildcats star Caleb Love?
Love didn’t score for nearly the first 14 minutes in the first half. When he did, his 3-pointer gave Arizona a 21-19 lead and the Wildcats finished the half on an 18-7 run from there with Love leading Arizona with nine points. Love would only score three more points to finish with 12, but Carter Bryant, who came into the game averaging 4.5 points had 14 for Arizona to offset Love.
Bryant made all five of his shots including a trio of threes.
“It was just one we had to get,” Bryant said of the game. “We fought with it, we stuck with it, we trusted the game plan, we executed everything not necessarily to a tee, but as well as you can ask for in an environment against a great defensive team like this.”
2. Was pace of play a factor?
Both teams like to get up and down and the Wildcats came in having surpassed the century mark five times. In four of their losses, they were held below 80 points with former Bearcats coach Mick Cronin’s UCLA Bruins keeping them to a season-low 54. For most of the first half, it looked like UC would be able to keep the Wildcats in check. But, while Arizona caught fire, UC couldn’t buy a bucket, not scoring in the final 2:40 of the first half. Their 13-point deficit at halftime was the largest of the season. On the final free throws, Arizona’s 72 points was the most scored against UC this season.
“I was displeased with defense in the first half, I thought we were casual to start the game and slow to the basketball,” Miller said. “I was very pleased with us defensively to dig back in the game. You can’t keep spotting people and digging yourself in holes. We did that tonight in the first half.”
3. Missed free throws, threes haunt Cincinnati Bearcats
Several times in the game the Bearcats clanked both free throws. Those were momentum killers. They finished 12-for-23. Dillon Mitchell missed all five tries and Aziz Bandaogo was 1-for-4. UC has only surpassed 70% from the line in four games: Morehead State, Xavier, Dayton and Grambling State.
“I believe in our guys,” Miller said. “Guys the ball goes in some, it doesn’t go in some. I don’t concern myself a lot with the things we can’t control. Guys, they’re going to step up and make free throws. It’s a long season. They’re going to make them.”
As for three-point shooting, Saturday’s 20% was their lowest output since shooting just 25% vs. Xavier. In four of their last five games, the Bearcats have shot less than 30% from behind the arc. Among UC’s shooters, Skillings Jr. was 2-for 7, but Simas Lukošius, Day Day Thomas and Tyler Betsey combined to go 2-for-13.
New Cincinnati Bearcats signee Keyshuan Tillery on scene
Four-star point guard Keyshuan Tillery from the New Hampton School in New Hampshire was flying the Bearcat colors at the UC/Arizona game. Tillery committed in September and signed with Wes Miller and company in November. Tillery was introduced during one of the first half timeouts.
Next up on Big 12 menu?
UC heads to Waco, Texas for a Tuesday night encounter with the Baylor Bears at 8 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+. Baylor, ranked No. 25, lost by 19 at No. 3 Iowa State Saturday, 74-55 so they’ll be hungry for a win. Arizona heads to Morgantown for West Virginia Tuesday night. The Mountaineers won at home over Oklahoma State Saturday 69-50.
Cincinnati Bearcats football notes
UC guard Luke Kandra from Elder High School earned a Hula Bowl invite Saturday. The game is next Saturday, Jan. 11 at UCF’s FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando. Friday UC running back and Roger Bacon product Corey Kiner was invited to the NFL Combine Feb. 27-March 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
