Cincinnati and West Virginia opened with losses to the class of the Big 12 Conference, and both are after a league win when they square off on Tuesday in Morgantown, W. Va.
In a back-and-forth affair, the Bearcats (8-6, 0-1 Big 12) lost 67-60 to then-No. 8 Houston on Saturday at home. Day Day Thomas led Cincinnati with 15 points, Moustapha Thiam pitched in 13 points and Baba Miller added 11 points.
Cincinnati led by 10 early in the second half and the game was tied at 60-60 with 3:52 to play. But Cincinnati coach Wes Miller said the Bearcats, who lost the turnover battle 15-8, have to value possessions more.
“We can’t turn it over,” he said. “We are trying to get the ball downhill more. We just can’t sit out there and jack up 3-pointers. So we are trying to get pressure on the paint and pressure on the rim.”
After Kerr Kriisa played only seven minutes, Miller said the Kentucky transfer separated his shoulder and added that he “hopes it’s not anything serious or long term.”
The Mountaineers (9-5, 0-1 Big 12) lost at No. 3 Iowa State 80-59 on Friday without Brenen Lorient, who is day-to-day with an unspecified injury.
West Virginia missed not only his 10.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, but also his 54% shooting and 36% from 3-point range. Without his 6-foot-9 frame, the Mountaineers were outrebounded 35-23 and 12-7 on the offensive glass. The Cyclones used the extra possessions to build an insurmountable second-half lead.
“When you go on the road and play one of the top three teams in the country you certainly want to have every bullet in your chamber,” West Virginia coach Ross Hodge said. “(Lorient) is one of our best athletes, one of our best rebounders and secondary playmakers.”
West Virginia leading scorer Honor Huff (16.6 ppg) was held to six points and made 1 of 8 3-point attempts. Chance Moore got his first start for the Mountaineers and had a team-high 17 points and seven rebounds.
–Field Level Media
