Preview: Cincinnati at Colorado

by Ryan Roberts

Cincinnati will try to end a four-game losing streak Wednesday night when they travel to Colorado for a 9pm tip-off.

 

The Bearcats were held to a Fifth Third Arena low in their most recent offensive struggle, scoring just 40 points in a 54-40 loss to Kansas. 

 

The Bearcats played well enough defensively to win the game and are now up to fifth nationally in three-point defense at 27.1 percent, seventh in scoring defense (60.5 ppg) and ninth in KenPom.

 

Despite playing well defensively and limiting the Jayhawks to 2-of-21 from three, a 14-0 Kansas run starting at 6:47 of the second half put the game out of reach.

 

Offensively, Wes Millers team made 3-of-22 shots from three and were limited to 30% from the field. This performance comes one game after being held to 48 points in a 68-48 loss at Baylor. In the last two games, Cincinnati has had an eight-minute stretch with one point against Baylor, a ten-minute stretch with three points against Kansas, and another seven-minute stretch with three points in the same game against the Jayhawks. 

 

In the Bearcats' four losses, they have made 23-of-89 attempts from three, average 55.5 points per game, and are averaging 12 turnovers per game. 

 

"It's been a disappointing couple of weeks," Cincinnati head coach Wes Miller said following the Kansas loss. "There's no doubt about that. It's felt. Every part of our team and our program feels that disappointment."

 

"We're doing everything that we can think to do within reason of what our players can handle this time of year," Miller said.

 

 

While Colorado (9-6, 0-4 Big 12) hasn't seen the same level of struggle, the Buffaloes also enter Wednesday night having lost four consecutive games and winless in Big 12 play.

 

Colorado's most recent loss was a 78-70 home loss to West Virginia. Colorado dropped two road games at UCF (75-74) and Arizona State (81-61) after losing their Big 12 home opener to Iowa State (79-69).

 

Colorado is averaging 74.5 points per game, shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from 3-point range. Defensively, Colorado is allowing 71.0 points per game while opponents are shooting 42.1 percent.



The Buffaloes rank second in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (.772), sixth in defensive rebounding (26.8 drpg), while ranking seventh in assists (16.7 apg) and 3-point percentage (.353).



During Big 12 play, the Buffaloes are shooting 79.2 percent from the free throw line., Colorado is also fifth in assists (15.8 apg), steals (7.3 spg) and rebounding defense (34.0 rpg).



Colorado by the numbers:

  • Colorado ranks 87th in both Kenpom and the Net Ratings.
  • The Buffaloes are 124th is offensive efficiency, 64th in defensive efficiency.
  • Effective FG%: 52.9 (95th)
  • Turnover %: 21.3 (344th)
  • Off. Reb % : 29.7 (201st)
  • Block % : 8.5 (114th)
  • Steal % : 11.9 (333rd)
  • Non-Steal % : 9.5 (327th)

 

 

Players to know:

 

6'2" Sr G Juilan Hammond III (14.3 pts, 3.4 ast, 2.6 reb)

 

Hammond is the most experienced player in the Buffaloes roster, having played in 103 career games. Hammond leads the team in 3-point field goals (29) and is shooting 93.5 percent from the free throw line. Running Hammond off the three-point line and limiting his attempts from the free throw line will be two of the biggest keys defensively for the Bearcats.


The Denver native has scored 20 points in five games this season and is coming off a 23-point effort against West Virginia and career high 26-point showing against UCF in the last two games. Hammond was held scoreless in the game prior against Arizona State.

Hammond leads the Big 12 and ranks seventh in the nation in free throw percentage. He has made 43 of 46 on the season and has made 15-straight after an 8 of 8 performance against West Virginia.  

 

6'8" Gr F Andrej Jakimovski (11.1 pts, 4.8 reb, 1.6 ast)

 

Jakimovski has been limited to single digit scoring in six of the last seven games but is still second on the team in scoring, second on the team in rebounding and steals (17) and third in 3-point field goals (23). He had 16 points at UCF, making 4 of 5 from 3-point range. That performance pushed him over 1,000 points for his collegiate career.

 

A Washington State grad-transfer, Jakimovski averaged 11.3 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds at the Maui Invitational. He had 12 points and 10 rebounds against UConn. He also hit the eventual game-winning shot against the No. 2 ranked Huskies with under eight seconds remaining.


Jakimovski has struggled to get to the free throw line recently, but has made 86.2% of his attempts on the year. Has only made 31.9% of his three-point attempts but has shown the ability to get hot from deep. He has three games this season of four or more three-point attempts made.  
6'10" Gr C Elijah Malone (10.1 pts, 3.5 rbs, 1.5 ast)
A two-time NAIA All-American and National Player of the Year at Grace College, Malone has made a smooth transition to the Division I level. 
Malone has made 61% of his field goal attempts, which leads the team, and he is also third on the team in blocks (11) and fourth in rebounding. He scored 16 points in the upset win over UConn in Maui.
A big, strong, skilled big man, Malone earned 25 offers from high major programs after announcing his intent to grad transfer. 
Most recently, Malone has been limited to single digit scoring in six consecutive games and has also struggled to get to the free throw line, attempting one shot during Colorado's four-game losing streak. 
6'9" Gr F Trevor Baskin (9.2 pts, 6.2 rbs, 2.2 ast)
Baskin enters his first season with Colorado after being named a D2 All-American at Colorado Mesa.
Baskin leads the Buffaloes in steals (18) and is tied for the lead in blocks (13) while ranking second in overall shooting at 53.5 percent. His most complete game this season was a 23-point, 10 rebound effort against Arizona State. 
Baskin has shown an ability to consistently get to the free throw line, where he makes 69.7% of his attempts.
6'3" Soph G RJ Smith (7.1 pts, 3.1 rbs, 2.3 ast)
Smith has been one of the most consistent shooters on the team, making 48% of his field goal attempts and 49% from three.
While the sophomore has seen his production fluctuate through the first half of the season, including making 44% of his free throw attempts, he did score 14 points against Iowa State, making 3-of-6 from deep in a close home loss.
Smith missed the final 30 games of the 2023-24 season with a leg injury.

6'11 Soph F Bangot Dak (5.9 pts, 3.0 rbs)

 

Dak is tied for the team lead in blocks (13) and had a career high eight rebounds, five assists against Iowa State. His best game of the season was a career high 16 point effort against Colorado State, making 7-of-8 from the field. 

 

 

6'5" Jr G Javon Ruffin (5.6 pts, 2.4 ast, 2.2 rbs)

 

Ruffin scored in double figures in three of Colorado's first four games but has since seen his production slip, being held scoreless in four games and to 5, 5, and 9 points during his last three games. Ruffin makes 81.8% of his free throws but is shooting 25% from three.

 

 

6'8" Soph F Assane Diop (4.5 pts, 4.7 rbs)

 

Diop has nice a nice shooting touch for a big guy and is currently making 86.7% of his free throws and 42.2% of his field goal attempts. 

 

Diop scored 13 points against West Virginia hitting 3 of 4 from the field and a perfect 6 of 6 from the line. Diop is tied for third in the Big 12 in free throw shooting during league-only games at 93.8 percent (15 of 16). He's 13 of 14 from the line in the last two games after having only 16 attempts over his first 13 games. Overall on the season he  has made 26 of 30 attempts from the line.

 

 

Final Thoughts:

 

This is an important week for the Bearcats, starting with this game against Colorado. UC and Wes Miller are in a must win situation after four consecutive losses. Win this game, take care of business at home in the following two games, and things start to look a little more positive. 

 

Ideally, the Bearcats show improvement offensively and continue to defend at a high level. This is a game UC has an opportunity to dominate on the glass. It will be important for them to get off to a fast start and avoid the long scoring droughts that we have seen during their four-game losing streak.

 

Simas Lukosius could be the key to getting things back on track. Lukosius averages 15.1 ppg on 50.0 percent shooting when UC wins and 6.6 ppg on 25.6 in losses.

 

Dan Skillings is shooting 48% from deep through four league games, which ranks second in the Big 12. This team feeds off of his energy and will need him to continue to play at that level. 

 

ESPN1530's Mo Egger and I recapped the Kansas loss and discussed the contributing factors to the offensive struggles in the most recent edition of the At Large Bid Bearcats Podcast. 

 

Check out the full episode below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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