CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bearcats opened their 2026-27 basketball season with a 79-53 victory over American University on Monday night at Fifth Third Arena, using a dominant second half to turn a close contest into a comfortable win.
Cincinnati held a narrow 35-33 advantage at halftime after struggling to put away an American team that refused to go quietly. However, the Bearcats found their rhythm after the break, outscoring the Eagles 44-20 over the final 20 minutes to give head coach Jerrod Calhoun a victory in his regular-season debut.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with Cincinnati building a 27-16 lead before American fought its way back. Madden Collins led the Eagles' comeback, connecting on two three-pointers and repeatedly getting to the free-throw line. American eventually tied the game at 33 before MJ Collins Jr. converted two free throws with 19 seconds remaining to give Cincinnati its halftime lead.
The teams exchanged baskets early in the second half before American briefly tied the game at 37 with 17:44 remaining. Cincinnati responded with 12 unanswered points, getting baskets from Tylen Riley and Tyler Tejada, along with a three-pointer from MJ Collins Jr. The surge gave the Bearcats a 49-37 advantage with just over 14 minutes remaining.
Cincinnati continued building its lead behind a balanced offensive attack. Tejada connected on another three-pointer, David Iweze contributed a layup and a three-pointer, and Collins Jr. added consecutive baskets following American turnovers. By the time Collins Jr. threw down a dunk with 7:52 remaining, the Bearcats had stretched their advantage to 62-41.
American never seriously threatened again as Cincinnati continued to control the action. Akai Fleming contributed two late baskets, including a dunk, while Eric Mahaffey added another dunk in the closing minutes.
The second-half performance was a welcome change for Cincinnati after an uneven opening 20 minutes. The Bearcats were more aggressive defensively, created opportunities off turnovers, moved the ball very well, and received scoring contributions throughout the lineup.
What's Next
Cincinnati returns to Fifth Third Arena on Thursday, November 5, when the Bearcats host Green Bay. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, with the game available on ESPN+.
