Winners and Losers from Cincinnati's 74-69 loss to No. 7 Kansas

Wes Miller and the Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team couldn't overcome The Phog in hopes of a top 10 victory.

Author:
Neil Meyer
Jan 24, 2024 6:58 AM EST

In this story:

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bearcats fell to No. 7 Kansas on Monday in front of a sold-out Allen Fieldhouse, as the Jayhawks defeated the Bearcats 74-69.

"You look down and see you’re playing a great team, in a great environment, that was a special opportunity," said UC head coach Wes Miller. “To play in places like Allen Fieldhouse, on Big Monday was pretty special. I thought our team has been pretty resilient over the last three weeks. It has been an awesome stretch because as a competitor, you want to play against the best teams every night. Six straight vs teams in the top 25, that is a hell of a challenge, and we love that. It hasn't gone our way. We were a couple of possessions away from us feeling really good about the last three weeks. The facts are we are 2-4, and our team continues to fight and be resilient."

Winners

Dan Skillings was a huge bright spot for the Bearcats on Monday night as the sophomore provided the spark the Bearcats needed early off the bench. Cincinnati trailed 19-7 early in this contest, but Skillings came off the bench and made an immediate impact as he willed the Bearcats to their first-half comeback. The 6-foot-6 guard flashed tremendously across the opening frame after leading the Bearcats with 14 first-half points.

Skillings finished with a team-high 16 points and five rebounds and was a huge driving force for the Bearcats on the biggest stage of the season to date.

"We were struggling to score early, and Dan got us going," Miller said. "Dan knows this, he is just scratching the surface. He is a terrific young player who is getting better each week. I think that should give him confidence and is a great sign for the program moving forward."

"Dan Skillings is a great player," said Kansas head coach Bill Self. "Cincinnati has a few good players, who are capable of getting their own on any giving night. Having a guy like Skillings come off the bench is a true luxury to have."

Aziz Bandaogo

The Bearcats dominated the glass as they outrebounded the Jayhawks 40-29, including 16-6 on the offensive boards. This was great for the Bearcats after being outrebounded the last two games.

Bandaogo made it physically tough for a guy like Hunter Dickinson to get anything going. Dickinson finished with just 10 points and six rebounds after entering this contest averaging nearly 19 points, and 11 rebounds per game. The Big 12 preseason player of the year was held scoreless in the second half, and a huge reason why was the play of Aziz Bandaogo.

Despite finishing with only six points, Bandaogo grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, which the Bearcats needed in a game like this. Bandaogo is looking like his old self before the back injury and had an immediate impact on the Bearcats, which is great to see as they approach the back half of conference play.

Losers

Junior guard Simas Lukošius continues to struggle on the road as the Lithuanian shot just 1-of-9 from the field in the Bearcats loss. Lukošius is shooting just 2-23 from the field outside of Fifth Third Arena. That is something that will need the change as the season goes forward. The Bearcats will desperately need a guy like Lukosisus to step up and be a huge threat on offense, with CJ Fredrick still sidelined due to injury.

Lukosius looked to find his stride as of late after leading the Bearcats in scoring against Oklahoma and Texas but has continued to struggle outside of Fifth Third Arena. Everyone knows the kind of ability he brings to the table in terms of offense, as fans got a great glimpse of it down the final stretch vs Texas. But the Bearcats need some consistent production out of the junior guard moving forward.

Catch Bearcats athletics action on fuboTV! Start your free trial here.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel on all things Bearcats athletics and Bearcat Blitz on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

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

You may also like:

Report: Big 12 Finalizes 2024 Football Schedule Release Date

Watch: Travis Kelce Celebrates TD With Heart Hands Celebration to Taylor Swift, Jason Kelce Gets Shirtless After Score

Look: Jason Kelce Takes Shots at Tailgate Ahead of Chiefs Matchup With Bills in NFL Playoffs

Winners and Losers from Cincinnati's 69-65 loss to No. 15 Oklahoma

Watch: Wes Miller, John Newman III Address Media Following 69-65 Loss to Oklahoma

Wes Miller Frustrated With Bearcats' Rebounding in 69-65 Loss to Oklahoma

Three Man Weave: Cincinnati Shooting Woes Leads to 69-65 Loss Against Oklahoma

Bearcats Continue Record Performance in Ranked Overtime Games Following 81-77 Win Over TCU