Three Man Weave: Guard Trio Powers Cincinnati to 73-58 Performance Over Bryant

Cincinnati has now led at halftime in all nine of its games this season.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Dec 6, 2021 8:22 AM EST

CINCINNATI — Senior guard David Dejulius and sophomore center Viktor Lahkin used dueling halves to lift the Cincinnati Bearcats (7-2) over the Bryant Bulldogs (3-6) on Sunday 73-58.

Cincinnati started 0-for-11 from the field, but their strong defense kept them afloat and anchored the blowout once shots started falling. They've now led at halftime in all nine games this season (35-30 against Bryant).

"I think there is a lot of things we can improve on," Cincinnati head coach Wes Miller said in his postgame comments. "A lot of things we got to do better. I pushed them really hard in practice this week. I am pleased we found a way to win and found a way to put some defensive stops together and run in transition at times. That was some of the good stuff."

Outside of the shocking 61-59 home loss to Monmouth, Cincinnati couldn't have asked for a much better start heading into the Crosstown Shootout next weekend. Here's our Three Man Weave on the night at fifth Third Arena.

Lofty Heights for Lahkin

Viktor Lahkin hit a bit of a lull over the past ten days, but he busted out of it in a big way against Bryant. The Russian finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, career-highs in both categories.

It also marked his first-career double-double, highlighting his consistent growth since missing his freshman campaign with an injury. Lahkin posted 19 points in his past four games, but he showed off all the tools on Sunday.

Lahkin displayed silky touch on running layups, jump shots, and in transition. He and Mike Saunders (14 points, four assists, two steals) had great on-court chemistry and combined for the exclamation-point alley-oop in the final three minutes.

Saunders and Dejulius lead a guard unit well-complemented by big men who operate well in transition. They are finding a winning identity nine games into the season, and Lahkin is a big reason why.

Guard Triple Threat

Wes Miller held arguably the Bearcats best player out of Sunday's game due to a minor injury. Junior guard Jeremiah Davenport didn't see the floor for the first time this season, but it was barely noticeable because of the most consistent part of this Bearcats team: depth.

Saunders, Dejulius, and Adams-Woods combined for 40 of the team's 73 points and were the only Bearcats to make a three-pointer (5-for-10, rest of the team 0-for-3).

It didn't matter who had the ball because all of them knew the best way to initiate the offense. The transition displays were where they made a big impact. The trio took timely shots while the Bulldogs were getting set—and busted open the jump-shooting seal.

"I can have some fun after we win," Miller said postgame. "We had a great start at Miami. It has been different things. Tonight, the free-throw line had a lot to do with the slow start. I think John (Newman III, wing) missed a two-incher. So, we missed a couple two inchers; we missed a couple free throws. I think if those things go in, we are feeling we had a good start."

Cincinnati missed its first 11 shots but made eight of the next nine. Unsurprisingly, Miller's jacket was off early in the former stretch.

Bad Matchup For Bulldogs

Bryant is among the national leaders in three-point attempts per game (11th) while hitting just 29.6% of those shots (297th). That losing formula continued against one of the best three-point defenses in the land.

Cincinnati ranks 38th defending the triple and forced Bryant to go 5-for-28 from downtown. Leading-scorer Peter Kiss scored a game-high 15 points, but UC made him highly inefficient. Kiss went 6-for-19 from the field and 1-for-7 from deep.

Overall, the Bulldogs finished 5-for-28 from outside and 19-for-59 from the field. UC is one of the least consistent teams in the country on offense, but it's the opposite story on the other end.

They've allowed over 70 points once this season and rank among the top defenses in the country. Cincinnati allows 58.1 PPG (21st nationally) and a defensive rating of 85.3 (22nd nationally).

That formula bodes well for tough road games all-conference season and their toughest road test in December. That comes next Saturday against Xavier at the Cintas Center. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Make sure you bookmark All Bearcats for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

You May Also Like:

Bearcats Open as Double-Digit Underdogs in Cotton Bowl Against Alabama

Game Preview: UC Faces Bryant in Final Test Before Crosstown Shootout

Final Huddle: Bearcats Capture AAC Title 35-20 Over Houston

Report: Luke Fickell Interviewed With Lions Last Year, More NFL Teams Could be Interested

Luke Fickell Weighs in on the Bearcats' College Football Playoff Hopes

Watch: Luke Fickell and Desmond Ridder Discuss Bearcats' Win Over Houston

Ticket Punched: Luke Fickell's Bearcats Defy Odds, Should be Playoff Bound After Win Over Houston

Watch: UC Sets Stage for 'Blackcats' Defense in AAC Championship Game

Report: Bearcats Offensive Lineman Marcelo Mendiola Entering Transfer Portal

Listen: Wes Miller Discusses Swift Jacket Removals During Games