Three Man Weave: Bearcats Post First Big 12 Win of 2025-26 Season Against Colorado

CINCINNATI — The Bearcats got off the big 12 mat on Wednesday night amidst a 77-68 win over Colorado to move to 8-1 all-time against the Buffaloes.

Cincinnati focused on the interior attack and got a great all-around outing from Baba Miller (25 points, 10 rebounds, four assists). His explosion helped power the wire-to-wire that showed what this offense's ceiling could be if it can tap into consistent showings.

It was Cincinnati's first Big 12 win of the 2025-26 season and a needed confidence boost for a team welcoming in No. 3 Iowa State to Fifth Third Arena on Saturday. The victory is also UC's first Quad 1 or Quad 2 triumph (1-7 in those games this season).

The Bearcats held a Colorado offense averaging over 85.5 points per game to just 45% shooting and forced 17 turnovers.

Bruising Down Low

The Bearcats couldn't buy an outside shot for most of this win that stretched from 21-point leads in the first half, down to five in the final 10 minutes.

The Bearcats got some closer plays out of Day Day Thomas (nine points, four assists) to tap into that rarity this season, but the paint work built the foundation for this win. Miller and Moustapha Thiam (15 points, two rebounds) combined to be the offensive engine on Wednesday.

It's something Cincinnati should probably lean into the rest of the season and stop trying to shoot so many threes as a basis of the offense. They were just outside the top-300 teams nationally in three-point percentage entering this game, and that's going to fall further (19% on Wednesday).

At home, on the road, and at neutral sites, it hasn't mattered for this team. It's time to focus on crushing the paint, getting to the foul line more, winning the offensive glass, and doing all you can to overcome the loss of efficiency that great three-point shooting brings a team.

Cincinnati shot less than 38% from the floor in the second half after 43 points in the first half. The full-game inconsistencies are still there, but maybe just maybe Miller and Thiam can start consistently carrying the offense inside to overcome the outside shooting.

Bearcats Player Of The Game: Baba Miller

The dynamic forward showed his whole menu of skills for the first time against a tougher opponent this season. Miller found efficient close looks near the rim and was crucial in keeping the pace pushed up after his rebounds or forced turnovers.

Miller has been hyper-efficient with his shot selection during big outings this season, and that was true again tonight. He went 7-8 in the first half, only missing a three-pointer, and had another massive efficiency score (29).

He scored just about every way you can in the paint, and helped Cincinnati easily wash away another rough outside shooting night.

Colorado sports a pretty middling defense (128th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom), so this isn't a massive accomplishment to think the season will get saved from here on out with huge Miller games each contest, but it was a good sign. Those have been hard to come by this season.

Miller and his teammates got to enjoy the fruits of their hard work across 40 minutes and leave no doubt along the way. It marked his fifth career 20-plus point game.

Cincinnati battles Iowa State at 2 p.m. ET on Peacock.

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