CINCINNATI — Cincinnati opened the Jerrod Calhoun era with a 79-53 victory over American on Monday, but the Bearcats needed a strong second half to turn a close game into a comfortable win. With Green Bay visiting Fifth Third Arena on Thursday, Calhoun will be looking for his team to play with the same intensity and execution for a full 40 minutes.
The Bearcats led American just 35-33 at halftime after allowing the Eagles to erase an 11-point deficit. Cincinnati struggled to find an offensive rhythm during stretches of the opening half, settling for contested outside shots and allowing its shooting difficulties to affect its defensive effort.
Calhoun acknowledged those problems afterward, pointing to poor shot selection and defensive breakdowns. He also expressed confidence that his players would be more settled in their second game. And really, outside of a few situations, it usually takes a team a little bit of time to find their footing. For UC, it took one half of basketball.
The difference after halftime was clear. Cincinnati outscored American 44-20, using a 12-0 run to break a 37-37 tie and take control of the contest. The Bearcats also held the Eagles to 1-of-13 shooting during one stretch of nearly eight minutes, demonstrating how effective their defense can be when everyone is working together.
MJ Collins Jr. and Tyler Tejada each scored 13 points, while Collins added four steals. David Iweze contributed eight points, seven rebounds, four steals, and two blocks, helping Cincinnati eventually pull away.
The Bearcats finished with 15 steals, 20 assists, and a 48-32 rebounding advantage. They also received 41 points from their bench, giving Calhoun several encouraging signs as he continues evaluating his rotations.
Now comes the Doug Gottlieb led Green Bay Phoenix, who opened its season Monday with a 94-51 victory over Lawrence University. The Phoenix are coming off an 18-win season and feature returning forward Marcus Hall, who averaged 13.9 points per game last year.
Cincinnati will also need to monitor the status of Jayden Hastings, who was injured early against American and briefly returned before leaving the game again. His availability could affect the frontcourt rotation, although Iweze's performance provided some reassurance about the team's depth. Plus, Hastings' shoulder didn't look good and there's no reason to rush him back this early in the season, especially before conference play.
The Bearcats have several experienced scorers capable of producing on any given night. Getting those players comfortable together while maintaining the defensive pressure they showed in the second half Monday will be an big part of their early development.
