Three Man Weave: UC Entering Crosstown Shootout Undefeated After Blasting FGCU 99-62

The Bearcats are 7-0 entering a shootout for the first time since 2017.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Updated:
Dec 3, 2023 4:15 PM EST

In this story:

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati made easy work of the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles 99-62. It marked the sixth consecutive game the team's dropped 80-plus points as they really find a groove with a week break before the Crosstown Shootout.

CJ Fredrick (19 points, 5-of-6 from deep) dropped a three-point barrage in the first half to lead a balanced scoring attack that the team complemented with elite defense on the other end.

Cincinnati allowed just 41.2% shooting out of FGCU following a 50% showing from Howard. Viktor Lakhin (19 points, nine rebounds, six assists) and Aziz Bandaogo (10 points) put a no-fly zone up in the paint and the perimeter defenders answered with great three-point defense (29%).

Wes Miller's team is 7-0 for the first time since 2017 when they dropped the eighth game at Xavier.

Fredrick Fires

The Bearcats are nearly impossible to beat when they get hot outside shooting like they posted on Sunday (11-of-19 from deep). Fredrick contributed a lot of that as a wing sniper.

The veteran is proving he is still one of the best three-point shooters in the country as he carries on his first healthy stretch in years. The Kentucky transfer dropped in deep balls from the corner, wings, and pretty much all over as he remained a go-to outlet on a few of Miller's favorite things: Second chances on offensive rebounds.

It helped open up the paint as well, with Cincinnati outscoring FGCU 52-38 inside.

Fredrick posted a nasty 121% effective field goal mark. More of that in Norwood, and UC should have a great chance to win at Xavier for the first time in 22 years.

Locked In Lakhin

Cincinnati's leading scorer is playing the best basketball of his college career seven games into this season. Lakhin was the most efficient player on the floor and has really adapted well to a more split role between the outside and inside when he's playing with Bandaogo.

Lakhin led the team in efficiency on Sunday (33) and posted a blistering 213.5 offensive rating as a lot of the offense ran through him. I think the downhill attacking nature of this year's lead guards is unlocking Lakhin even more as he can clean up the offensive glass more often (team-leading four offensive rebounds).

Entering Sunday, Lakhin ranked ninth nationally in FG% among players to attempt at least 2.8 threes per game (58%). He was just as impactful defensively as on offense, posting an impressive 84.1 defensive rating.

Oh, and he had a career-high six assists.

The Russian is confident and that's showing more and more in his game as he added another outing this season with a make from outside. UC's offense is running through the middle, and Lakhin has welcomed it with hyper-efficiency.

Kellman Bruises Inside

The only hang-up for UC in this game came when FGCU forward Keeshawn Kellman (23 points, six rebounds) got the ball inside. The big fella was 10-of-15 from two-point range as he flashed some pretty interior footwork to score nearly half the Eagles' points.

Kellman was the only FGCU player to hit double figures on the day, so he didn't impact any chances of a win, but it gives Miller something for the team to work on as they try to play the tightest defense possible near the rim.

Still, hats off to the forward as he made some very difficult shots inside against the strong frontcourt trio out of UC.

He dropped 23 points but was a whopping minus-25 for the game.

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