Scouting report: Bearcats to open Maui Invitational against top-15 opponent Arizona
The University of Cincinnati men's basketball team had Thursday off. It was a day for the Bearcats to "decompress," graduate guard David DeJulius said.
Cincinnati on Wednesday scored just 11 points in the second half of a 64-51 loss at Northern Kentucky. DeJulius, the reigning American Athletic Conference Player of the Week, managed just nine points in the defeat, well below his 21.3 points-per-game average through the first three games that helped him earn the honor.
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UC basketball NKU lossCincinnati Bearcats basketball goes cold, suffers 1st loss of the season at NKU
It was the Bearcats' first loss of the season and their first-ever defeat to their neighbors from across the Ohio River (8-1).
Cincinnati (3-1) got back to work Friday and then landed in Hawaii on Saturday. But the Bearcats aren't headed to the beach for another day of decompression. What awaits them is a daunting field of opponents in the Maui Invitational, including a clash Monday with No. 14/12 (Associated Press/coaches) Arizona (3-0).
The tournament field also includes No. 9/10 Arkansas (3-0), No. 10/9 Creighton (4-0), No. 17/19 San Diego State (3-0), No. 23/22 Texas Tech (3-0), Ohio State (3-0) and Louisville (0-3), which has opened the season with three straight one-point losses at home.
The game
Tipoff: 11:30 p.m. ET on Monday at Lahaina Civic Center in Lahaina, Hawaii
TV/Radio: ESPN2/WLW-AM (700)
Series info: Cincinnati and Arizona are set to meet for the fourth time, with the Wildcats winning each of the previous three matchups. Arizona defeated the Bearcats 79-76 in their last meeting Feb. 11, 1996, in Phoenix.
Scouting report
Cincinnati (3-1)
Coach: Wes Miller, second season (21-16)
Offense: 76.3 ppg
Defense: 61.5 ppg
Projected lineup
Player (Position, Height, Key Stat)
Mika Adams-Woods (G, 6’3”, 7.8 ppg)
David DeJulius (G, 6’0", 18.3 ppg)
Landers Nolley II (G, 6’7”, 14 ppg)
Jeremiah Davenport (G, 6'7", 12 ppg)
Viktor Lakhin (F, 6’11”, 8.5 rpg)
Arizona (3-0)
Coach: Tommy Lloyd, second season (36-4)
Offense: 105.3 ppg
Defense: 76.7 ppg
Projected lineup
Player (Position, Height, Key Stat)
Kerr Kriisa (G, 6'4", 8 apg)
Pelle Larsson (G, 6'5", 15.7 ppg)
Cedric Henderson Jr. (G/F, 6'6", 9.3 ppg)
Azuolas Tubelis (F, 6'11", 20 ppg)
Oumar Ballo (C, 7'0", 2.3 bpg)
Players to watch
David DeJulius
David DeJulius was the Bearcats' standout performer through the first three games. The 6-foot guard shot 56.1% from the field (23-of-41) and 77.8% from 3-point range (7-for-9) in the three-game stretch. But DeJulius managed just nine points on 4-for-13 shooting (1-for-6 from 3) in Wednesday's loss at NKU. If Cincinnati is going to have a successful trip to Maui, DeJulius will need to have a bounceback performance and lead the charge.
Kerr Kriisa
Kerr Kriisa is gaining momentum. The junior Tartu, Estonia, native had a triple-double (14 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists) for the Wildcats in their 95-78 win over Southern University on Nov. 11. He then followed that by scoring a game-high and career-high 24 points, including six made 3-pointers, in a 104-77 victory against Utah Tech on Thursday. Kriisa also made all six of his attempts from the foul line in the 27-point win.
Key to the game
Run
If Cincinnati is going to land the upset over Arizona, the Bearcats can't allow the Wildcats to get set defensively. They need to grab the ball and go. Owning a decisive edge in fast-break points and neutralizing Arizona's size, particularly big man Oumar Ballo, will be key for Cincinnati. The 7-foot, 260-pound Ballo (17 ppg and 9.3 rpg) has the ability to completely take over a game. He had five blocks against Southern. But he can't dominate defensively if he's struggling to keep up with the Bearcats' quickness.
Rankings
KenPom.com: Cincinnati (62); Arizona (12)
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati basketball: Bearcats to face Arizona in Maui Invitational
