UC Bearcats Men’s Basketball Welcomes West Virginia in Sunday Matinee, 2:00

By Henry Rawn

 

2 2 2025

 

UC GAME NOTES

https://gobearcats.com/documents/2025/1/31/2024-25_Game_Notes_-_WVU.pdf

 

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati men’s basketball team is ready to return to Fifth Third Arena on Sunday afternoon when it hosts former Big East rival West Virginia at 2 p.m.

Doors open at 12 p.m. as part of Happy Hour and a Half, which includes $5 domestic draft beer and $3 popcorn from 12 to 1:30 p.m.

As part of the NABC’s Coaches vs. Cancer week nationwide, fans are encouraged to pick up an “I rally for:___” sign upon entering the arena. During the under-12 timeout of the first half, fans will be asked to stand and hold their signs.

THE RUNDOWN

  • Cincinnati’s 14-0 run to take a six-point lead in the second half was thwarted by Utah’s own 12-2 spurt for a 69-66 decision on Tuesday night. The Bearcats, who landed at 4:48 a.m., took Wednesday off followed by segmented groups on Thursday before moving into full-go on Friday.
  • Josh Reed boasted a plus-13 in the box score despite the loss, tying for the third-highest in a defeat under Wes Miller (John Newman III vs. Texas in 2024, Ody Oguama vs. Xavier in 2022 both had +15). Reed banked a 3-pointer from the top of the key among seven points, three rebounds and three steals in his 17 minutes off the bench. He played in only three minutes over the first three Big 12 games but has become a key contributor.
  • Jizzle James’ 18 points on Tuesday night were one off a season-high. He went 2-for-4 from deep, his first game with multiple makes since going 4-for-6 in the No. 22 Dayton win. He is averaging 13.3 ppg on 45.8 percent shooting the last four games after 5.0 ppg on 20 percent the previous four. James is 32nd nationally with a 2.79 assist ratio. He already has five more dimes than last year, where he averaged 19.3 mpg over all 37 contests. His 1.6 rpg improvement is also fifth-highest among Big 12 players playing for the same team.
  • Tuesday’s game also saw Cincinnati shoot a solid 36.4 percent from deep (8-of-22), second to only its Big 12 opener at K-State (36.8) for the highest in a league game. The 12 steals and 19 turnovers forced were also both season-highs.
  • Also, after a nine-turnover stretch over the first three Big 12 games, James has committed only three over the last six. His fellow point guard teammate Day Day Thomas has six assists to no turnovers the last two outings.
  • CJ Fredrick missed the Utah game after dealing with a back injury before and after the BYU game. Connor Hickman has resumed shooting activities after previously being shut down, per Wes Miller on Thursday.
  • Simas Lukosius remains UC’s top 3-point shooting threat at 37.56 percent. His 4-of-8 shooting from deep against BYU marked his most makes since Thanksgiving, and he still leads the team at the foul line (81.8 percent).
  • Dillon Mitchell, in his four Big 12 home games, is shooting 64.7 percent for 12.3 ppg, and he has been in double-figures for every home game this season. He and Aziz Bandaogo are third and fourth nationally with 45 and 44 dunks, respectively.
  • Cincinnati has four-straight games with single-digit turnovers, ranking 15th nationally at 9.8 per game.

SERIES HISTORY

  • Cincinnati leads the all-time series 12-11, and with West Virginia returning only one scholarship player from last year amongst its new coaching staff, and that player is redshirting, last year’s 2-1 edge for Cincinnati does not have any bearing on Sunday’s game.
  • Still, Cincinnati was unable to hold a 10-point lead before eventually losing in Morgantown on Jan. 31, then it shot a season-high 59 percent in a 92-56 drubbing on Senior Day in Fifth Third Arena before erasing a 16-point deficit in only four minutes to win, 90-85, in the Big 12 Tournament opener.
  • The schools are most known in the hoops circles as the shared home of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Huggins, who coached the Bearcats during a memorable 1989-2005 run and leading his alma mater Mountaineers from 2007-23.
  • The Bearcats went to 14 NCAA Tournaments during his 16 years, reaching the 1992 Final Four and No. 1 in the country during the 1999-00 season.
  • These two teams were Big East rivals from 2005-12 as well before the Mountaineers joined the Big 12.
  • This is the third school in which Wes Miller has coached against Javon Small, as he began his career at East Carolina and Oklahoma State.

 

COURTESY UC SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS