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Another game, another win.
In four games this season, Cincinnati has now scored 90+ points in three of them, including today's 99-50 win over the Arkansas Pine-Bluff Golden Lions at Fifth Third Arena in the first of four games in the Barclays Center Classic. Every Bearcat to enter the game scored at least five points with Farad Cobb leading the scoring with 20 points himself.
While the score was nearly truly in doubt, the Bearcats were tested in a way they hadn't been all season with the Golden Lions committing 37 fouls, leading to a whopping 59 free throws for the Bearcats. Cincinnati made 41 of those opportunities (69.5%), just one short of the school record. They shot 15 of 23 free throws in the first half alone.
The game began with a UAPB basket in transition, but after that, it was all Bearcats. Cincinnati scored 21 unanswered and led UAPB 39-15 at halftime. Cincinnati would eventually extend their lead to 40 points in the second half.
Cobb led the scoring, hitting four of six three-pointers while going seven of 11 from the field and two of two from the line. Octavius Ellis added 12 points in 22 tough minutes. Ellis was all over the stat sheet with five rebounds, two blocks, two steals and an assist. Most of his points came from the free throw line where he went eight of 14. Coreontae DeBerry continued his impressive early-season play with 11 points. He went five of nine on free throws and had five rebounds himself. Gary Clark and Quadri Moore each contributed 10 points. Moore led the team with eight rebounds as Shaq Thomas and Clark added seven and six rebounds, respectively. Cincinnati went 25 of 60 on field goals (45.2%) and were eight of 22 from three (36.4%).
The Cincinnati defense was tough on the Golden Lions, forcing UAPB into shooting 24.1% on field goals in the first half and 11.1% from behind the three-point line. UAPB would finish the game shooting 31.1% and 29.4% from beyond the arc. Cincinnati also pressured UAPB into 30 turnovers, resulting in 44 points. The Bearcats had 19 steals as a team, led by Cobb with four.
Cincinnati will play host to Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday with tipoff at 7 PM ET, as the Barclays Center Classic continues.