College basketball roundup: Cincinnati coasts to opening night victory

College basketball is officially back and teams around the Greater Cincinnati area were in action on Monday night to tip off the 2024-25 season.The Cincinnati Bearcats and Xavier Musketeers both picked up victories at home against low-major teams, while the Northern Kentucky Norse traveled south to take on ACC foe Florida State.UC cruises to win over Arkansas Pine-BluffThe Bearcats enter the new season with high expectations, ranked at No. 20 in the Associated Press Top 25, thanks in part to a returning core led by Dan Skillings Jr., Simas Lukosius and Jizzle James.With Arkansas Pine-Bluff in Cincinnati on Monday night, the Bearcats got off to a scorching start shooting the ball, connecting on 42 percent of their threes and 58 percent from the field in the opening half to take a 55-32 lead into halftime.The returning stars led the way for UC on Monday night, with James recording 12 points and 10 assists, Lukosius recording 20 points and Skillings pouring in 17 points. Center Aziz Bandaogo added 11 points and eight rebounds as the Bearcats cruised to a 109-54 rout.The Bearcats will stay at home for their next game Friday night, hosting the Morehead State Eagles at Fifth Third Arena.Xavier shakes off slow start, beats Texas SouthernLike the Bearcats, Xavier enters the 2024-25 season with high expectations, as head coach Sean Miller brings in a group of talented transfers, alongside returners Dayvion McKnight, Zach Freemantle and Jerome Hunter.Both Freemantle and Hunter made their returns to the court Monday night after they both missed the entirety of last season while battling medical issues.Texas Southern jumped out to a hot start at Cintas Center on Monday night, taking a nine-point lead with just over six minutes remaining and a 38-34 lead into the locker room.Xavier would rebound, however, led by Indiana State transfer guard Ryan Conwell, who poured in a team-high 21 points to fuel Xavier’s second-half comeback win, 78-69.Freemantle, playing in his first game since Jan. 28, 2023, was sensational in the post, scoring 19 points with 11 rebounds. McKnight added 19 points as the Musketeers improved to 1-0 before taking on IU Indianapolis on Friday night.Norse give Florida State a battle but come up shortDown in the Sunshine State, Darrin Horn’s NKU Norse took on an ACC opponent to begin the season, traveling to face the Florida State Seminoles on Monday night.The Norse lost their all-time leading scorer, guard Marques Warrick, to the transfer portal but retained several All-Horizon League caliber players, including Sam Vinson and Trey Robinson.In their first test against power-conference opposition, Vinson and Robinson combined for just 12 points, with the former playing his first game since tearing his ACL last December.Florida State, boasting a size advantage over the Norse, took a 12-point lead into halftime and did not look back Monday night, with forwards Jamir Watkins and Taylor Bol Bowen leading the way with 17 points each as Florida State won 74-62.NKU was led offensively by transfer guard Josh Dilling, who chipped in 18 points in his first game with the Norse. Guard Randall Pettus II added 12 points and three assists.NKU will continue its tough week in non-conference action, traveling to Purdue to take on last season’s national runner-up Boilermakers on Friday night.

College basketball is officially back and teams around the Greater Cincinnati area were in action on Monday night to tip off the 2024-25 season.

The Cincinnati Bearcats and Xavier Musketeers both picked up victories at home against low-major teams, while the Northern Kentucky Norse traveled south to take on ACC foe Florida State.

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UC cruises to win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff

The Bearcats enter the new season with high expectations, ranked at No. 20 in the Associated Press Top 25, thanks in part to a returning core led by Dan Skillings Jr., Simas Lukosius and Jizzle James.

With Arkansas Pine-Bluff in Cincinnati on Monday night, the Bearcats got off to a scorching start shooting the ball, connecting on 42 percent of their threes and 58 percent from the field in the opening half to take a 55-32 lead into halftime.

The returning stars led the way for UC on Monday night, with James recording 12 points and 10 assists, Lukosius recording 20 points and Skillings pouring in 17 points. Center Aziz Bandaogo added 11 points and eight rebounds as the Bearcats cruised to a 109-54 rout.

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The Bearcats will stay at home for their next game Friday night, hosting the Morehead State Eagles at Fifth Third Arena.

Xavier shakes off slow start, beats Texas Southern

Like the Bearcats, Xavier enters the 2024-25 season with high expectations, as head coach Sean Miller brings in a group of talented transfers, alongside returners Dayvion McKnight, Zach Freemantle and Jerome Hunter.

Both Freemantle and Hunter made their returns to the court Monday night after they both missed the entirety of last season while battling medical issues.

Texas Southern jumped out to a hot start at Cintas Center on Monday night, taking a nine-point lead with just over six minutes remaining and a 38-34 lead into the locker room.

Xavier would rebound, however, led by Indiana State transfer guard Ryan Conwell, who poured in a team-high 21 points to fuel Xavier’s second-half comeback win, 78-69.

Freemantle, playing in his first game since Jan. 28, 2023, was sensational in the post, scoring 19 points with 11 rebounds. McKnight added 19 points as the Musketeers improved to 1-0 before taking on IU Indianapolis on Friday night.

Norse give Florida State a battle but come up short

Down in the Sunshine State, Darrin Horn’s NKU Norse took on an ACC opponent to begin the season, traveling to face the Florida State Seminoles on Monday night.

The Norse lost their all-time leading scorer, guard Marques Warrick, to the transfer portal but retained several All-Horizon League caliber players, including Sam Vinson and Trey Robinson.

In their first test against power-conference opposition, Vinson and Robinson combined for just 12 points, with the former playing his first game since tearing his ACL last December.

Florida State, boasting a size advantage over the Norse, took a 12-point lead into halftime and did not look back Monday night, with forwards Jamir Watkins and Taylor Bol Bowen leading the way with 17 points each as Florida State won 74-62.

NKU was led offensively by transfer guard Josh Dilling, who chipped in 18 points in his first game with the Norse. Guard Randall Pettus II added 12 points and three assists.

NKU will continue its tough week in non-conference action, traveling to Purdue to take on last season’s national runner-up Boilermakers on Friday night.

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