CINCINNATI (AP) — Bubba Miller led the Bearcats with 18 points and 17 rebounds as Cincinnati secured a 67-57 victory over Baylor on Wednesday evening. Jizzle James contributed 17 points, shooting 6-for-11, helping Cincinnati improve to 11-10 overall and 3-5 in Big 12 play. Miller achieved his ninth double-double of the season, ranking second in the conference.
Cincinnati shot 39% from the field, including 28% from three-point range, while Baylor managed 35% shooting and 23% from beyond the arc. Miller was perfect from the free-throw line, hitting all six attempts, with Cincinnati making 11 of 14 as a team, compared to Baylor’s 5 of 9.
The Bearcats maintained the lead throughout the game, starting strong with an early dunk by Miller just four seconds into the first half. Though Baylor responded with a 10-0 run after Cincinnati’s brief 8-0 spurt, Cincinnati entered halftime ahead 35-28. Mustafa Thiam’s 3-point play with 16:14 remaining extended the lead to 45-35, and Cincinnati kept a double-digit advantage for the rest of the contest.
Thiam finished with 14 points on 6-for-12 shooting, while Jalen Celestin and Day-Day Thomas each dished out four assists. For the Bears, who suffered their fourth consecutive loss and fell to 11-9 overall and 1-7 in the Big 12, Tunde Yesufu scored 16 points and Obi Agbim added 14. Cameron Carr and Dan Skillings Jr. both grabbed seven rebounds.
Looking ahead, Baylor will take on West Virginia on Saturday, and Cincinnati is set to face No. 10 Houston the same day.
Fan Take: This game highlights Cincinnati’s resilience and potential to climb in the Big 12 standings, making them a team to watch as the season progresses. For basketball fans, it signals more competitive balance in the conference, promising exciting matchups and unpredictable outcomes moving forward.
