Cincinnati Earns Scrappy Dwelling Win Over Georgia State – College of Cincinnati Athletics

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati males’s basketball workforce earned its second win of the 2025-26 marketing campaign, defeating Georgia State 74-64 to maneuver its report to 2-0 on Friday night time inside Fifth Third Arena.

“I have three good things. First one, we won. Sometimes you play like that and lose. Give Georgia State credit,” Cincinnati head coach Wes Miller stated. “There are going to be nights we don’t play as well as we want, and you find a way to win. That’s something. That’s good news. The second thing is, Baba [Miller] has been so good for us here to start the season. We’ve seen that in practice. It’s nice to see him carrying that over. The third thing is, we know it’s going to be a process early this year. There’s been nights, whether it’s in exhibitions, we’re doing some really good things, and you can see that we’re going to be a really good team. Then there’s been some stretches that we have, and we’re working through those things to become the good team we’re going to be. You’re going to have some nights like tonight, but it’s an opportunity for us to work and improve, and we’ll do that.” 

Cincinnati ahead Baba Miller delivered a dominant efficiency, pouring in 24 factors on an environment friendly 8-of-9 capturing whereas hauling in 11 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double. The senior additionally swatted away three pictures.

Miller turned the primary Bearcat with back-to-back double-doubles to open a season since Bobby Brannen in the course of the 1997-98 marketing campaign. The Mallorca, Spain native additionally posted simply the ninth sport of at the very least 24 factors, 10 rebounds and three blocks by a Bearcat since 1996-97.

Graduate pupil Day Day Thomas and sophomore Moustapha Thiam additionally reached double figures. Thomas knocked down 4 3-pointers en path to 12 factors, whereas Thiam tallied 10 factors and swiped a career-high three steals. Junior Sencire Harris contributed 9 factors on 3-of-4 capturing from the sector.

Jelani Hamilton paced the Panthers with 26.

Both groups struggled offensively, capturing under 40% from the sector (UC: 40%, GSU: 37%). The Bearcats, nevertheless, made their mark within the paint with 36 factors and managed the glass with 14 offensive rebounds that generated 13 second-chance factors. Cincinnati additionally capitalized in transition, forcing 17 turnovers that led to 23 factors.

After Georgia State got here out aggressively on its technique to a 12-6 lead on the under-16 timeout, Cincinnati tightened up the defensive strain with its second unit to attain the subsequent 13 to take a 19-12 lead on a Harris fastbreak layup on the 12:24 mark. However, after forcing 4 turnovers and 4 consecutive contested missed jumpers, the Panthers’ Anthony Enoh banked in a 3 and Ayouba Berthe adopted with a 3 of his personal to make it a 19-18 contest halfway by the opening half.

Cincinnati after which Georgia State every adopted with their very own 8-2 run because the Hamilton trimmed the Bearcats result in 29-28 on a fastbreak layup with 3:51 remaining. But, as was the case for a lot of the primary half, a spurt ensued as Cincinnati closed the opening 20 minutes on a 10-2 run, capped by a Thiam dunk within the waning seconds, to take a 39-30 lead into the break.

Harris led the Bearcats with 9 within the first half, whereas Miller added seven factors, eight boards and two blocks. Hamilton paced the Panthers with 13.

Highlighted by a Miller thunderous and-one slam, the Bearcats rattled off an early 7-0 run within the second half, extending their result in 46-32 and forcing the Panthers to name a fast timeout. With 8:33 remaining within the sport, redshirt freshman Tyler McKinley hauled in an offensive board earlier than kicking it again out to Thomas, who drilled a 3-pointer to push UC forward 60-48.

UC discovered itself again up 14 factors after a 7-2 run with 2:19 remaining within the sport to increase its result in 72-58, earlier than closing out the victory 74-64.

Cincinnati welcomes Dayton to Fifth Third Arena at 7 p.m. Tuesday in its third of four-straight at residence to begin the season.