By Skip Coopersmith

GAME NOTES

https://gobearcats.com/documents/2024/1/4/2023-24_MBB_Game_Notes.pdf

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati men’s basketball program begins its Big 12 era Saturday night in Utah when it battles No. 12 BYU at the Marriott Center (10 p.m. ET).

THE RUNDOWN

• The Bearcats are seeking their highest-ranked win since taking down No. 12 Houston in the 2019 AAC title game, as well as its highest on the road since No. 11 Wichita State in March 2018.
• The 40-32 halftime deficit to Evansville was UC’s largest to overcome under Wes Miller. The largest overall  in a comeback win was 23-8 to No. 14 Illinois in November 2021 in Kansas City. The Purple Aces shot 58 percent in the first half and were held to 22.2 in the second.
• Cincinnati is now 11-0 (7-0 this year) when Dan Skillings Jr. scores in double-figures. His career-high 29 points against Stetson marked the most points by a UC reserve since Tony Bobbitt in 2002, and in a double-double since 2016 (Troy Caupain). He was averaging 5.4 ppg over his last 5 before the explosion.
• Between injuries and NCAA transfer waiver battles, the Dayton game remains UC’s only one with its full roster. Even then, Aziz Bandaogo and CJ Fredrick suffered early injuries that linger to this day. UC boasts eight players with 20-plus points at some point in their career, second nationally to only TCU’s nine.
• Viktor Lakhin enters with three-straight double-figure scoring games for a team-high nine on the year. His 13.6 ppg and 8.5 rpg both pace the squad as well.
• Simas Lukosius went 5-for-8 from deep for a season-high 15 points against Evansville. He is 11-for-19 from beyond the arc in the last three games (58 percent). His 41.5 percent season clip is up from 37.8 last year and 28.6 in 2021-22, both at Butler.
• 60 of Day Day Thomas’ 69 points the last six games have come in the second half. He had four steals against Evansville, his third time with 3 or more. His 4.5 steal percentage is 36th nationally in KenPom, with his 1.9 per game ranking seventh in the Big 12. The 6-1 guard also had two blocks against Evansville.
• Jamille Reynolds made his first Cincinnati start and 25th overall the last time out. He scored 14 points over 20 minutes against Stetson, continuing his increase in both over each game. This all came after he had 11 rebounds over 14 minutes against Merrimack.
• Cincinnati has won the boards in every game. The Bearcats’ 13.6 rebound margin ranks second nationally to only BYU, and the Evansville contest was their fifth time winning the boards by 20 or more.

SERIES HISTORY

• This is the fourth all-time meeting between the teams and first since the 2001 NCAA Tournament, when No. 5 Cincinnati won 84-59 over No. 12 BYU to open play in San Diego.
• Steve Logan led the Bearcats with 21 points, while Kenny Satterfield followed with 14 at Viejas Arena.
• The Cougars’ last win came in Lawrence, Kan., in 1971 as the nation’s No. 6 team.
• BYU is fifth nationally in scoring offense (90.4 ppg), and Cincinnati’s two losses this year were the only times it allowed 80-plus points.

COURTESY UC SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS