Cincinnati, OH – Sean Kilpatrick poured in a game-high 20 points to go with seven rebounds as the 24th-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats rolled past Mississippi Valley State, 102-60, on Tuesday.
"He is a complete all-around offensive player," Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin said of Kilpatrick. "He doesn't need to take challenged threes. When he drives to close out, puts the ball on the floor, makes people defend him off the dribble, and doesn't settle for tough jumpers, he's going to get 20 every night give or take."
JaQuon Parker added 13 points for the Bearcats (2-0), who got 11 points and five assists from Cashmere Wright. Cheikh Mbodj blocked four shots, while Justin Jackson contributed eight boards in the victory.
Davon Usher scored 14 points for the Delta Devils (0-2). Darryl Marshall had 13 points and Matt Smith added nine points with five rebounds in defeat.
"They outrebounded us, 54-26. That's unheard of," Delta Devils head coach Chico Potts said.
Usher's trey pulled MVSU within 14-10 with just over seven minutes played in the opening half, but Cincinnati assumed control for good with a 23-4 run.
Wright responded with a three to push the edge back to seven, Titus Rubles contributed a triple and Parker scored three in a row to make it 29-14 with 6:35 left before halftime. Wright connected on another from long distance to cap the burst at 37-14 with 5:05 to go.
The hosts went to the break ahead by a 43-23 score.
A dunk from Mbodj pushed Cincinnati's lead to 31, at 61-30, with 14:10 to play, and the hosts kept the pressure on, eventually opening up a 40-point spread inside of two minutes to go after a shot from Jeremiah Davis III extended the Bearcats' margin to 98-58.
Game Notes
Cincinnati has won both meetings...Davis finished with nine points and four rebounds with two assists ... The Bearcats shot 55.7 percent (39-of-70) from the floor, including 8-of-18 from beyond the arc ... MVSU shot just 34.4 percent from the field (22-of-64).
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