Cincinnati Bearcats coach Wes Miller, Aziz Bandaogo on Dayton
Cincinnati Bearcats coach Wes Miller, Aziz Bandaogo on Dayton Friday at Heritage Financial institution Area
The Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout is over and one impediment is out of the best way for the College of Cincinnati males’s basketball program. Now, a second space workforce awaits with a stronger resumé than Xavier.
For the second straight yr, the UC Bearcats will play the Dayton Flyers in Cincinnati and might be outnumbered primarily based on final yr’s ticket gross sales. The Easy Fact Hoops Traditional offered by CareSource involves Heritage Financial institution Middle Friday the place 12,547 watched the Flyers knock down the Bearcats 82-68 final yr. The sport once more is just not included in both workforce’s season ticket packages.
Cincinnati Bearcats, Dayton Flyers each ranked
The current rankings of each groups improve the sport. UC went as much as No. 19 within the newest Related Press ballot, with Dayton getting into at No. 22. The USA At the moment Coaches ballot has the Bearcats at No. 20 and Dayton at No. 24. The final time UC was ranked and performed a ranked workforce was the March 17, 2019 American Athletic Convention championship sport in Memphis, when the Twenty second-ranked Bearcats defeated No. 11 Houston 69-57.
Wes Miller’s squad has not performed a ranked workforce this season, whereas head coach Anthony Grant and the Flyers will likely be dealing with their fifth Prime 25 opponent. Their solely two losses got here within the Maui Invitational, dropping a two-point sport to No. 12 North Carolina and a five-point affair to No. 5 Iowa State. Earlier than they left the island they wiped the ground with No. 2 Connecticut, the defending nationwide champion. 85-67.
On Saturday, after UC prevailed within the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout over Xavier, Dayton defeated No. 6 Marquette 71-63. Tuesday, they hosted UNLV and wanted a late three-point play from guard Malachi Smith to beat the Runnin’ Rebels 66-65.
“Give that workers credit score for the retention which everyone knows is troublesome on this period of faculty basketball,” UC coach Wes Miller stated. “They added a pair impactful good items as properly. It is a workforce that is gained collectively they usually’ve finished a pleasant job including some new components.”
Cincinnati Bearcats will attempt to ice Dayton’s Flyers downtown
Final yr, Dayton managed the sport and crowd at Heritage Financial institution Area. UC had a pair transient leads within the first half however trailed by six at halftime and acquired down by as many as 18 earlier than shedding by 14. Whereas the sector was as soon as UC’s dwelling ground earlier than their present on-campus facility, it has been some time because the Bearcats prevailed by the river. You need to return almost a dozen years when the UC/Xavier sport was briefly coined the “Crosstown Traditional” and moved from the college websites after the notorious 2011 brawl at Cintas Middle. UC gained the Traditional 60-45 in 2012, then misplaced a yr later 64-47.
As a substitute of coming off a loss to Xavier this yr, UC is available in using excessive, however so do the Flyers.
3 keys for Cincinnati Bearcats to beat Dayton Flyers
1. Guard 3-pointers whereas sinking 3-pointers
Xavier was the primary workforce to outshoot UC from the perimeter, hitting 6-of-19 3-pointers to their 5-of-20. In UC’s solely loss, at Villanova, each groups made eight treys. Each different sport the Bearcats have had the benefit on the deep ball.
Dayton final yr made eight to UC’s six, with Koby Brea (now at Kentucky) making 4. Three of Dayton’s starters are hitting properly over 40% from long-range (Malachi Smith, Nate Santos Enoch Cheeks) with Javon Bennett near 40%. Regardless of an uncharacteristic 1-for-7 from behind the arc vs. Xavier, Simas Lukošius remains to be at 48% for the season. Final yr he was 3-for-8 on triples in opposition to Dayton.
“This workforce is a high 10 workforce in offense in most analytical breakdowns,” Miller stated of the Flyers. “We’ll be challenged to defend probably the greatest offenses in America.”
UNLV held Dayton to a 5-of-21 evening from the arc Tuesday.
2. Cincinnati Bearcats should make the most of size, expertise
Dayton is lacking 55 factors from its beginning lineup a yr in the past with DaRon Holmes II and Kobe Elvis gone. Consider Koby Brea’s 12 factors and that is 67 of final yr’s 82 factors. Clearly, the Flyers have recovered properly primarily based on their document.
UC returns three of its starters from a yr in the past, however just one is at the moment within the lineup, Aziz Bandaogo. From an expertise standpoint, they return 54 of final yr’s 68 factors. Final December, Lukošius, Dan Skillings Jr. and Jizzle James all got here off the bench.
The Bearcats supply extra size with 6-foot-8 newcomer Dillon Mitchell added to the 6-foot-6 Skillings and 7-footer Bandaogo. Dayton’s tallest starter is 6-foot-8 Zed Key. They do have 7-foot-1 freshman Frenchman Amaël L’Etang who had 10 factors and 6 rebounds in opposition to UNLV off the bench.
A yr in the past Bandaogo handled again points throughout and after the Dayton sport and had simply completed battling the NCAA for eligibility. Now after having fun with one rivalry win, he is able to tackle one other problem.
“It was actually enjoyable, I am not going to lie,” Bandaogo stated of the Shootout. “I actually loved the followers. It was nice to be within the ambiance. I am grateful to be a part of it. We simply must prepare for the following sport, attempt to be higher and have the identical method.”
Bandaogo admits he is aware of some French that he is been studying with roommate Halvine Dzellat so he could have some “trash speak” for Dayton’s L’Etang.
3. Take Dayton’s crowd out, get Cincinnati Bearcats followers in seats
UC’s Mitchell talked about after the Xavier sport that he could not see anybody beating UC at Fifth Third Area with the presence that confirmed (12,513). Final yr, it might be truthful to say Heritage Financial institution Middle had extra Dayton followers than Bearcats supporters.
“I do not care what you concentrate on the sector, to me it would not matter,” Miller stated. “It is 94 ft, there’s two targets which might be 10 ft and we’re taking part in probably the greatest groups in school basketball. We’re doing it proper right here in Cincinnati. Final yr there have been extra Dayton followers than there have been Cincinnati followers. We want all the assistance we are able to get. This can be a big-time sport and it is in our group, so please, please come out.”
What UC would not wish to hear once more is Dayton’s parting chant on the buzzer final yr: “That is our home!”
Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Dayton Flyers
Tip: Friday evening, 8:30, Heritage Financial institution Middle (17,000)
TV/Radio: ESPNU/700WLW
Collection: UC leads 60-32 (Dayton gained final yr 82-68)
Dayton Flyers scouting report
File: 10-2
Coach: Anthony Grant (eighth season, 159-74)
Offense: 78.7 ppg
Protection: 67.3 ppg
Projected beginning lineup
(Place, Peak, Stats)
Javon Bennett (G, 5’10”, 9.1 ppg)
Zed Key (F, 6’8″, 12.4 ppg)
Enoch Cheeks (G, 6’3″, 14.7 ppg)
Nate Santos (F, 6’7″, 13.8 ppg)
Malachi Smith (G, 6′, 11.1 ppg)
Cincinnati Bearcats scouting report
File: 8-1
Coach: Wes Miller (fourth season, 71-44, general 256-179)
Offense: 80.4 ppg
Protection: 59.6 ppg
Projected beginning lineup
(Place, Peak, Stats)
Simas Lukošius (G-F, 6’8″, 16 ppg)
Jizzle James (G, 6’3″, 12.3 ppg)
Dillon Mitchell (F, 6’8″, 11.8 ppg)
Dan Skillings Jr. (G-F, 6’6″, 9.7 ppg)
Aziz Bandaogo (C, 7′, 9.4 ppg)
Gamers to observe
Enoch Cheeks began all 33 video games final yr for Dayton and now could be their high scorer and rebounder. Nevertheless, UNLV held him to 4 factors Tuesday. Cheeks can be one of many Atlantic 10’s high defenders.
Jizzle James got here off the bench final yr vs. Xavier and Dayton and is coming off his worst capturing day as a Bearcat going 0-for-11 within the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout win. That is not prone to occur once more because the sophomore guard has loads of motivation to enhance in a sport involving two ranked groups.
“Most guys on an evening after they cannot purchase one (a basket) it is going to have an effect on them in each method,” Miller stated. “It should have an effect on how they defend, their mentality, their management, their method. You wouldn’t be capable of inform the distinction watching Jizzle play the sport. I believe that claims we have a rattling good level guard, a rattling good winner and a Bearcat in Jizzle James.”
Rankings
KenPom.com: UC is at No. 23 with Dayton at No. 31 (UC is No. 19 in AP, Dayton No. 22/USA At the moment has UC No. 20, Dayton No. 24)
NCAA NET: UC is at No. 30 with Dayton No. 34.
