After losing a tough one to a very well-rounded #21 Rhode Island team, on Sunday afternoon the Bearcats disposed of the Penn State Nittany Lions. Not even the field goal kicking sensation Batman could save PSU.
UC shot 50% from the field and got off to a 32-10 lead in the first half. NC State transfer forward Kyle Washington had 16 points and 17 rebounds. Washington now has 3 double-doubles in his first 4 games at UC. Jacob Evans continues to add valuable drives and jump shots, contributing 14 in this one. He is UC’s leading scorer through four games and there is no reason he should not average 20 points per game the rest of the season.
Not a lot of analysis is necessary for this one. It was a great matchup for UC and they took full advantage. I am still dreaming of seeing a Duke vs. UC game over the weekend, but maybe in late March? The Rhode Island defeat should teach this young squad a lot, including the importance of offensive rebounding and preventing the kick-out for open 3’s.
Next up the Cats face Samford on Wednesday evening at Fifth Third Arena at 7 p.m. The game will steam on ESPN3.
By Andy Smith