Cincinnati Stumbles as Texas Tech’s Scorching Offense Takes Charge

CINCINNATI – Texas Tech made 12 three-pointers and contributed 32 points from the bench, overcoming the Cincinnati men’s basketball squad, 81-71, at Fifth Third Arena on Tuesday night.

The Red Raiders excelled from beyond the arc, with a shooting percentage of 39% (12-of-31, including 8-of-17 in the first half) while acquiring 10 offensive rebounds.

Cincinnati managed a 52% shooting rate (27-of-52) from the floor and achieved 40 points in the paint. JT Toppin was the standout for Texas Tech, scoring 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field, while Christian Anderson (18), Chance McMillian (15), and Kevin Overrton (14) also scored in double digits.

Jizzle James had a magnificent performance for the Bearcats, racking up 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting, marking his best game in Big 12 competition. Dillon Mitchell added 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting and recorded three blocks.

With 6:16 left in the game, Simas Lukosius invigorated the crowd with a steal, leading to a fast-break dunk by James, energizing Fifth Third Arena. Shortly after, a key three-pointer by freshman wing Tyler Betsey brought the arena alive as the Bearcats narrowed the deficit to five, making it 68-63.

Texas Tech countered with a swift 7-0 run, establishing a 12-point lead, silencing the Fifth Third crowd with 3:42 left. Cincinnati managed to stay at bay for the remainder of the game.

Cincinnati posted a shooting percentage of 60% in the first half, but Texas Tech nailed 8-of-17 three-pointers to secure a 42-38 lead at halftime. After beginning 1-of-8, the Red Raiders found their rhythm thanks to Overton and Anderson, who together scored 25 points in the first half.

James had a strong first half, scoring 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

At 13:24 remaining in the first half, senior Day Day Thomas entered the game and quickly energized the Bearcats with four rapid points, putting the Bearcats ahead 12-5.

FROM WES MILLER

“I must express my disappointment. It was a significant opportunity here at home against a solid team, and we fell short. They’re a really exceptional offensive team. I genuinely believe we have the capability to become a great defensive team. Unfortunately, we did not defend effectively tonight. Our offense is still working to find its rhythm and improve. There were positive moments throughout the game. Of course, I was frustrated with our execution in the last two and a half to three minutes of the game. The defense didn’t perform well, generally when you’re geared up, your deflection statistics look good, and the offensive rebounds align with defensive effort because it’s all about movement to the ball and commitment to loose balls. We fell short in these battles tonight, which was quite frustrating.

“There were some encouraging aspects… AP [Arrinten Page] is sitting right here. He is starting to develop as a young player. We’ve discussed various minor adjustments he can make to enhance his effectiveness. He was quite impactful in his minutes. Tyler Betsey also had several good moments, which are crucial. He was effective. We need these young players to continue progressing to provide us with depth, and they possess the talent to make an impact. That is a positive note, and I’m proud of those two. It was refreshing to see Jizzle James break out, as it has been a challenging stretch for him. It’s nice to see him make some shots.”

Arrinten Page regarding his recent performance, including nine points in 10 minutes

“I would say that the coach has clarified my role, making it easier for me to enter the court knowing what I need to do to assist my team in winning… being aggressive in the post can greatly benefit our team.”

UP NEXT

Cincinnati embarks on a five-day road trip to Utah, facing BYU at 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday and Utah on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET.