Convention play has to date been a battle of attrition for the Cincinnati Bearcats, however they’ve an opportunity to get forward record-wise in opposition to Wichita State.
After having to twice rebound from convention losses early within the American Athletic Convention season, a Bearcats (12-5, 2-2 AAC) staff that is again to .500 within the league will look to provide itself some respiratory room at Wichita State on Sunday.
The Shockers, 9-6 total, are winless at 0-3 within the AAC after falling to heavyweights Memphis and Houston on Jan. 1 and Jan 8, respectively. Additionally they grew to become the most recent sufferer of the Tulane Inexperienced Wave (7-7, 4-1 AAC) after blowing a 14-point halftime result in Tulane in a 68-67 loss Wednesday.
After profitable the AAC common season title in 2020-21 and incomes a shock NCAA Event bid, WSU is within the basement of the league. It is one among three 0-3 groups within the AAC, and will not go quietly, however the expectations will probably be of UC in Sunday afternoon’s matchup at Charles Koch Area.
For the Bearcats’ half, they’re going to enter Sunday’s matinee on the energy of a 79-71 victory. Head coach Wes Miller’s staff noticed a 20-point halftime lead shrink to 5 factors within the closing minutes earlier than his staff turned up the defensive depth to shut the sport out.
“I used to be actually happy within the final three, three-and-a-half minutes. I believed once we wanted to, we buckled down and obtained stops,” Miller stated. “Flying round, getting deflections. Possibly had 5 deflections within the final 4 minutes of the sport, and I believe it reveals that we’re a superb basketball staff once we actually defend, when all 5 guys are actually engaged and attempting to defend.
“You can see that we wished to try this to win the sport and shut the sport out. You can see that we wished to try this within the first half.”
Extra:Wes Miller, UC Bearcats take down East Carolina Pirates to rebound in the AAC
THE GAME
Tipoff: 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at Charles Koch Area
TV/Radio: ESPN/WLW-AM (700)
Collection historical past: UC leads the sequence 25-13
SCOUTING REPORT
Wichita State Shockers (9-6, 0-3 AAC)
Coach: Isaac Brown – second season as Shockers head coach (25-12 total)
Offense: 68.3 ppg
Protection: 64.5 ppg
Projected lineup
Participant (Place, Peak, Key Stat)
Tyson Etienne (G, 6’2”, 15 ppg)
Craig Porter Jr. (G, 6’2”, 5.2 ppg)
Ricky Council IV (G, 6’6″, 9.7 ppg)
Clarence Jackson (F, 6’7”, 5.3 ppg)
Joe Nice (F, 6’7″, 3.1 ppg)
Cincinnati
Coach: Wes Miller, first season (12-5, 2-2 American)
Offense: 71.2 ppg
Protection: 62.2 ppg
Projected lineup
Participant (Place, Peak, Key Stat)
David DeJulius (G, 6’0″, 12.6 ppg)
Mika Adams-Woods (G, 6’3”, 8.2 ppg)
John Newman III (G, 6’4”, 7.4 ppg)
Jeremiah Davenport (G, 6’7″, 13.6 ppg)
Abdul Ado (F, 6’11”, 2.8 ppg)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tyson Etienne
In opposition to East Carolina, Cincinnati knew Vance Jackson had the potential to be a match-up drawback and an enormous scorer for the Pirates. UC sport deliberate for Jackson and he nonetheless went off for 35 factors. Possibly Jackson simply had a kind of nights, proverbially talking, nevertheless it additionally says one thing about UC that the switched up the gamers defending him, how they defended him and nonetheless could not get it proper.
That brings us to a different identified commodity the Bearcats should endeavor to close down – Wichita State’s Tyson Etienne, their main scorer (15 ppg) and a participant that went for 20 in a letdown loss to Tulane. Can UC lock in on a identified scoring risk and take him out of his sport?
David DeJulius
For the primary time in 4 video games, Jeremiah Davenport is not our participant to observe. Davenport is carrying his share of the load for UC, after which some. Just lately, he is scored 21 and 22 factors in opposition to Memphis and East Carolina, respectively. There is a excessive diploma of confidence Davenport will present up as soon as once more.
As for David DeJulius, he wants a bounce-back sport, if solely on the offensive finish. He is as a lot of a quantity shooter (196 subject purpose makes an attempt – essentially the most on the staff) and scorer (12.6 ppg, second most for UC behind Davenport) because the Bearcats have. And but DeJulius was notable for his lack of contribution in opposition to ECU as he went for simply seven factors on 3-for-10 capturing. He was additionally held scoreless within the second half, and that was an element within the Pirates practically storming again to steal the sport late. DeJulius desires higher for himself, and UC frankly wants higher.
KEY TO THE GAME
The Bearcats, as Miller stated after the sport, cannot afford to modify off for even a short time.
“We will not ever flip that gentle change off,” Miller stated after the ECU win. “It is simply obtained to remain on on a regular basis, and that is what I talked about with the fellows within the locker room.”
Letting off the power and enthusiasm pedals is not a brand new drawback for UC. In opposition to Tulane on Jan. 1, a sluggish begin within the first half made the Bearcats comeback try a steep uphill climb that finally failed.
In opposition to the Pirates, switching off practically brought on UC to squander a 20-point lead, and that might have dropped them to 1-3 within the league, which might have been removed from reflective of how gifted this staff is (2-2 arguably is not reflective of how good they’re both).
So, get engaged earlier than popping out of the tunnel and keep switched on till the ultimate buzzer sounds in what needs to be a UC win in opposition to Wichita State.
