3 keys to Cincinnati Bearcats basketball win at NKU Norse on Tuesday

On By Littum

The University of Cincinnati Bearcats’ last visit to Truist Arena was torture in the truest form. After using Northern Kentucky University’s field for home games while Fifth Third Arena was being renovated, then-UC athletics director Mike Bohn agreed to a few future trips over the “Big Mac” bridge to play the Norsemen.

Visiting coach Wes Miller’s second UC team from two years ago led the Bearcats 40-36 at halftime, then scored just 11 points the rest of the way as NKU’s Northmen stormed the floor with a 64-51 win. UC had the Maui Invitational ahead of it with Arizona, Ohio State and Louisville on the ledger and may have seen palm trees too soon.

“It was really tough when we went over there two years ago,” Miller said. “I know, Darrin Horn is a great coach. They lost a tough game at the buzzer (Nicholls, last week) with the lead down the stretch. They’re going to respond and be ready for the Bearcats. We’ve got to pick up our team. ready.”

Return to Highland Heights

Tuesday is UC’s return to the spooky scene, albeit with a better team. UC beat NKU 90-66 last year at Fifth Third Arena, now they must exorcise the Norse demons that haunted them Nov. 16, 2022. Current Norse starters and local products Sam Vinson (Highlands) and Trey Robinson (Hamilton) remain from group, who defeated the Bearcats. Vinson had 15 points that night and Robinson had five. Josh Reed is the only Bearcat who played in the Norse nightmare, so he may have to provide the motivation Miller doesn’t cover.

“You guys are the ones who are going to write the stories about where we are, where we’re not and all that shit,” Miller said after UC’s last win, an 86-49 win over Nicholls on Friday night. “The only thing I can control is to train on Sunday and hope we have a good one and get better.”

3 keys for the Cincinnati Bearcats to beat the NKU Norse

1. Bearcats must take care of business

The non-conference slate can sometimes give false confidence or make a team look ahead. Both, as Miller has preached, are dangerous. Even with lopsided wins, Miller has found fault with UC’s rebounding the past two games without Dan Skillings Jr. They were tied with Morehead State 30-30. Against Nicholls, they had 14 more rebounds, but that Huskies beat them on the offensive boards 17-15.

“If people can come in here and get 17 offensive rebounds, in this (Big 12) league, we’re going to be really disappointed,” Miller said.

2. Respect your opponent

UC’s No. 17 ranking likely won’t affect the Northerners, who have played on the road against Florida State and No. 14 Purdue. They played in front of 14,876 at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette. When NKU beat UC, they had 8,503 at Truist Arena in 2022. Regardless of attendance, take the opposing fans out of the game.

UC’s depth may be the answer. Miller recently played 10 Bearcats in the opening half. The last two games, 11 players got the box to score, and that’s with Skillings Jr. and Day Day Thomas unavailable. Thomas is currently medically cleared, but Miller is taking it slow with the point guard who made 35 starts last season.

“We have the ability to have so much versatility in the lineup because all of these guys are so interchangeable,” Miller said.

3. UC must guard the perimeter

The northerners are not shy about taking three-point shots. In their early games, they shot 28, 23 and 23 from behind the arc. If they fall, it could be the big equalizer. Unfortunately, NKU only connects on 24% of their triples, with opponents hitting 31%. Josh Dilling is just 7-of-28 for 25%, Hubertas Pivorius is 4-of-9 for 44%. UC’s Simas Lukošius has hit 10-of-14 at the rim so far, with UC hitting 43% of their long-range shots to 26% for the opposition.

Heading into Saturday, Lukošius was in the top five in Divison I NCAA statistics i three percentage points as his 71% was just behind leader Koby Brea of ​​Kentucky. Brea played for the Bearcats last year as a member of the Dayton Flyers.

Cincinnati Bearcats vs. NKU Norse

Tip: Tuesday at 19.00

TV/radio: ESPN+/700WLW has UC’s call, 55KRC with NKU’s

Series: UC leads 5-1

NKU Nordic scouting report

Record: 0-3

Coach: Darrin Horn (sixth season, 0-3, 98-59 overall)

Crime: 57 pages

Defense: 69 pages

Expected starting lineup

(Position, height, stats)

Trey Robinson (G, 6’7″, 10.7 ppg)

Keeyan Itejere (F, 6’9″, 8.3 ppg)

Hubertas Pivorius (G, 6’2″, 5.3 ppg)

Sam Vinson (G. 6’5″, 5.7 ppg)

Dan Gerezegher Jr. (G, 6’4″, 2.7 ppg)

Cincinnati Bearcats Scouting Report

Record: 3-0

Coach: Wes Miller (fourth season, 3-0, 66-43 at UC, 251-178 overall)

Crime: 92.7 pages

Defense: 52 pages

Expected starting lineup

Dillon Mitchell (F, 6’8″, 12 ppg)

Aziz Bandaogo (C, 7′, 9 ppg)

Simas Lukošius (GF, 6’8″, 17.7 ppg)

Jizzle James (G, 6’3″, 15 ppg)

Connor Hickman (G, 6’3″, 6.3 ppg)

Players to watch

Coming off the bench, the 6-foot-4 grad student guard Josh Dilling leads NKU in scoring with 14.3 points per He is a transfer from Northern State in South Dakota. He had 18 points against Florida State and Nicholls, but No. 14 Purdue held him to seven.

Even without Dan Skillings Jr. who hopes to return in a month or less from a knee procedure, the Bearcats are deep with multiple weapons. Simas Lukošius has been consistent and Jizzle James is always dangerous even if he has a slow start. Both have been reliable in the early games. At 75% from the field and 71% from the arc, Lukošius is at a clip that surpasses UC’s overall free throw accuracy of 63.5%. James is shooting 58% and both have 16 assists to share the team lead.

Locations

NCAA NET: Cincinnati No. 37 last season, NKU No. 183

KenPom.com: Cincinnati No. 10, NKU No. 188