Evansville at Cincinnati Preview
The Bearcats will wrap up the non-conference portion of their schedule Friday night when Evansville (10-2) travels to Cincinnati for a 7 pm tip-off inside Fifth Third Arena.
Coming off a week long holiday break and entering the final non-conference game of the season, there are still plenty of opportunities for improvement for Wes Miller's Bearcats as they continue to try to get healthy for Big 12 play.
Cincinnati shot an efficient 51.6 percent from the field in their 83-75 win over Stetson last Friday. Wes Miller has talked about how good his team can be when they share the ball. Every player who entered the game recorded an assist as UC rebounded from its season-low 65 points against Merrimack (also allowing season-low 49) by scoring 80-plus points for the eighth time this season. UC hasn't lost this season when scoring over 80.
Evansville enters Friday night's match up having won 3 straight after losing 2-of-3 following a 7-0 start to the season.
Evansville by the numbers:
- The 10 wins mark the first time Evansville has reached double digit wins since the 2018-19 season.
- The Aces are currently #159 in the Kenpom rankings and enter Friday night's matchup 201 in adjusted offense and 140 in adjusted defense. They are ranked 60th in adjusted tempo. UC is 122, for comparison.
- Evansville ranks 46th nationally in points per game. They are one spot behind UC and have scored one less point through 12 games.
- Evansville has been efficient from the field. They rank 48th in field goal percentage (48 percent). Shooting has been a struggle, however. They rank 234th in 3-point percentage (32.3 percent) and convert 73.1 percent of their free thows.
- Evansville pulls down 36.5 rebounds per game, which ranks 56th nationally.
Players to Watch:
- 6'9" Sr Forward Ben Humrichous ( 16.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 55.6 FG% , 48.4 3FG%)
The Huntington (Ind) University transfer was a perfect 5-for-5 from deep on his way to 15 points and was recognized as the MVC Newcomer of the Week for the second time this season after the win over Tennessee Tech.
Humrichous has scored in double figures in 10 of 11 games this season. He finished with 8 points, 6 rebounds in the loss to BYU.
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(Photo: Evansville athletics)
- 6'5" Fr Guard Chuck Bailey III ( 10.7 ppg, 3 rpg, 45 FG% , 44.4 3FG%)
Bailey has been named Missouri Valley Conference freshman of the week four times this season, including the past two weeks. He scored 18 points in the win over Tennessee Tech and had a season high 27 points against Missouri State.
The freshman has made 6 of his last 11 attempts from 3-point range.
- 6'10" Sr Center Yacine Toumi (10.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 60.7 FG%)
The Tunisia native has scored in double figures in four consecutive games. He scored a season high 20 against Southeast Missouri and is coming off a double double (10 points, 10 rebounds) in the win over Tennessee Tech.
- 6'6 Fifth Year Sr G Kenny Strawbridge Jr (9.7 ppg , 3.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 41.1 FG%)
Strawbridge Jr was a third team Missouri Valley All Conference selection last season and was a preseason second team selection this season.
Strawbridge spent two season at Alabama State prior to coming to Evansville. He has scored in double figures in 5 games this season, with his season high 21 points coming against Tennessee-Martin.
- 6'2 Fifth Year Sr G Antonio Thomas (8.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.8 apg, 45.7 FG%, 31.6 3FG%)
Thomas has been the second best free throw shooter on the team through 12 games (82.2 percent). Not a big time scorer but did have 27 points in the win over Northern Iowa. Has scored 8 or more points in 9 games this season.
- 6'10" Fr Forward Joshua Hughes (8.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 57.6 FG%, 35.7 3FG%)
The first year big man is shooting 61.5% from the field and 66.7% from long range over the past 5 games. His scoring numbers have fluctuated throughout the season but he did have 21 points in a win over SEMO.
He is tied for 6th in the MVC with 1.25 blocks per game.
- 6'7" JR G Tanner Cuff (7.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.5 apg, 52.4 FG% , 26.7 3FG%)
Cuff is 4-for-15 on the year from deep but has been efficient when going to the rim and setting his teammates up. He leads the team in assists per game and is third on the team in free throw percentage (78.9).
- 6'2" Soph G Cam Haffner (4.8 ppg)
Role player off the bench that typically comes in and gets shots up from outside. Has struggled from the field (36.9 percent) and from 3-point range (25 percent).
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