The University of Cincinnati Bearcats men’s basketball team’s 2024-25 season began with a convincing 109-54 victory over Arkansas Pine-Bluff at Fifth Third Arena.

10,290 saw UC’s first drive of the century since defeating the Miami RedHawks 103-76 on Dec. 14, 2022. Six Bearcats scored in double figures, with Simas Lukošius leading the way with 20 points. Dan Skillings Jr. He had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Jizzle James had a double-double with 12 points and 10 assists. Bradley transfer Connor Hickman scored 13 points and Aziz Bandaogo scored 11 points. Texas transfer Dillon Mitchell’s first effort at UC was 10 points and 8 rebounds.

The record for points in a opener is 113, set by the Bearcats in 1972 between Gale Catlett and Cleveland State.

It was a slow burn

After a predictably slow start in the early minutes, the Bearcats led by 23 points at halftime and pulled away with ease.

By most measures the outcome of the game was a foregone conclusion. The Golden Lions ranked 355th out of 364 teams. KenPom.com ratings. Coach Wes Miller’s fourth Bearcats squad has arrived But Pine Bluff’s troublesome team matched UC early and dominated the game for just over two minutes in the first half until reality set in. This led to several heated breaks from Miller.

These Golden Lions rank their paydays

Like many programs the size of UAPB, the non-conference schedule is often front-loaded with big road games to generate revenue for the remainder of the seasons. UAPB played nine of its first 11 games on the road, including their game against the Bearcats. They are also scheduled to face Texas Tech and Kansas State from the Big 12, Tulsa and USF from the American Athletic Conference, and Missouri and Texas from the SEC (Southeastern Conference) before December 15.

Have you heard of Halvine?

Bearcats add 6-foot-4 post player Helvin Dzellat in early September, assuming he will be ineligible and will redshirt. UC coach Wes Miller confirmed that Dzellat won his appeal in the NCAA and is eligible. That could help with the Bearcats’ depth issue as they lose 6-foot-10 freshman Tyler McKinley. season-ending knee injury In late September. Dzellat played the last 1:30 of the match without statistics.

5 results between Cincinnati Bearcats and Arkansas-Pine Bluff

1. UAPB at least came into play early

Regardless of the preseason excitement, UAPB matched the Bearcats’ opponent and took an 11-10 lead with 15:18 left in the first half. Jizzle James’ putback gave UC a solid lead, and as the bettors predicted, the Bearcats put distance between them. UC was a 33.5-point favorite.

The Golden Lions will get a brief respite at Champions Christian College in Pine Bluff on Wednesday, but then face a few more road paydays where they will be severely underdogs.

2. Dan Skillings Jr.’s hitting streak could change the game

UC’s leading scorer from last year went on a 7-0 personal run in the first half that eventually gave UC some breathing room. A pair of fast-break layups and a 3-pointer at the 1:16 mark increased the UC lead to nine points. Skills It was the young star’s fifth career double-double. Jizzle James made his debut (12 points, 10 assists), while Mitchell missed his 10th career double-double by two rebounds (10 points, eight rebounds).

3. Don’t blink at the Cincinnati Bearcats

At one point in the first half, UC had 11 fast break points to zero for the Golden Lions. They finished the match ahead 19-2 in fast break points. This isn’t surprising given their length and ability to block and convert shots. UC had seven blocks with Bandaogo’s four blocks.

They also had many possessions with very good ball movement before finding the open man. Just before halftime, Skillings grabbed a rebound and appeared to be going coast to coast with five seconds remaining. Instead, he found James open for the three and knocked him over before flashing the celebratory “triple glasses”.

4. Connor Hickman will help

Connor Hickman entered the game in the first minutes while Day Day was treating Thomas’ foot injury. He responded with a perfect half, scoring eight points in just over 11 minutes. He made his first UC 3-pointer less than a minute after entering the game. He also added his first dunk towards the end of the contest.

5. Tyler Betsey looks like a natural marksman

Much thicker than when she arrived in the spring, Betsey displays a nice shooting touch as she scores her first UC points from the arc. In fact, he cleared his first trifecta with an attacking foul coming from underneath. Even when he misses, he looks confident in his ability to successfully lob the ball into the net. Arrinten Page and Rayvon Griffith also earned their first UC points. Griffith hit a pair of free throws to score with 9:44 left, then hit a 3-pointer from the corner a minute later as the crowd cheered for the former Taft High star.

Next step in non-conference menu

The Bearcats return to Fifth Third Arena on Friday against Morehead State at 7 p.m. The Eagles played at Louisville on Monday night and lost 93-45. Like many opening games It will air on ESPN+. The Bearcats and Eagles last met on November 19, 2014, with UC winning 69-61.

The UC women’s basketball team opens against UIC in Chicago on Tuesday night at 8 p.m.

This article first appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bearcats basketball defeats Arkansas Pine-Bluff