Three Man Weave: Cincinnati Bearcats Stay Undefeated With Dispatching of Nicholls State

Wes Miller beat one of his former players in Nicholls State head coach Tevon Saddler.

Nov 4, 2024; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats forward Dillon Mitchell (23) puts up a shot over Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions forward Kyle Brown (24) in the first half of the NCAA mens basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions at Fifth Third Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Sam Greene/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Bearcats ran a tired Nicholls State Colonels team out of the gym on Friday night 86-49. Dillon Mitchell (12 points, nine rebounds, one block) led with his energy from tip-off. His size, along with the rest of UC's might, was far too much for NSU to compete with after playing Northern Kentucky last night.

Cincinnati held the Colonels to just 30.4% shooting, and they only made four threes with some tired legs. Cincinnati is now 3-0 on the season after beating the 185th-ranked team on KenPom.

Simas Lukošius (19 points, six rebounds, six assists) complemented Mitchell well on offense with a sharp shooting stroke and lead-creator duties. It helped lead to a 20-0 run at the end of the first half into the early second.

Motorin' Mitchell

Mitchell has taken the mantle of UC's top player through this very early stretch of the season. He showed why he's that and analytically one of the top-five players in the country with an elite showing powered by his unrelenting energy.

The long wing's night was encapsulated by an early sequence, grabbing multiple offensive rebounds on the same possession, with him finishing it on a layup. He has seemingly gotten harder to deal with over the past two games on the glass with Dan Skillings Jr. injured.

Across the other end, he brought the same energy, notching deflections, steals, and blocks all night. It led to a team-high +41 plus/minus and a stout 65.1 defensive rating.

All that's missing from Mitchell's game is a reliable jump shot, but if that starts hitting, he could be a first-team All-Big 12 player.

Triples Flowin

Cincinnati will be nearly impossible to beat home when they shoot 40%-plus from downtown this season. They went 7-2 doing it last year and added another win in that category tonight (40.7%), thanks in large part to a red-hot evening from Lukošius (5-7 from deep).

The Lithuanian has that deep ball fully dialed in this season amidst his healthiest period at UC. It's all systems go for Lukošius as UC works through the early schedule, and he's playing like a seasoned veteran with the right shot decision-making and heady fakes to create space.

He entered the game with a scorching 71.4% three-point mark and that didn't go down after this one. A few other Bearcats sprinkled threes around him as UC kept the attempts to 27 total with a massive interior matchup advantage. 

But mostly, it was a Simas Showcase from deep, and one Bearcats fans hope can continue along this same rate for the next few months.

Defense Getting Dialed

Cincinnati hasn't faced any real offensive competition just yet, but they are doing what they're largely supposed to on that end against smaller opponents. The blocks were flowing on Friday, led by Arrinten Page (five blocks) and Aziz Bandaogo's four.

In the end, Cincinnati posted 14 blocks as a team, the most in a game under Wes Miller. The combination of Nicholls's small size and clear lack of burst from a back-to-back was a dastardly elixir.

The lane was a no-fly-zone for much of the evening, amidst Page playing his best game of an early Bearcats career on Friday night. Cincinnati's depth and a double wave of starting-level talent just wore out Nicholls and left them with a bunch of late-clock heaves.

Cincinnati holds the 19th-best defensive efficiency mark nationally on KenPom and tonight continued showing why. They now travel to face a much worse offensive team in Northern Kentucky (301st in offensive efficiency).

Bookmark Bearcats Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, and so much more. Check out our YouTube page as well, starting with the video below.

You may also like:

Recruiting Roundup: Cincinnati Offers Four-Star 2026 Wide Receiver Travis Johnson

Wes Miller Updates Cincinnati Bearcats Injuries And More Ahead of Nicholls State Game

Wes Miller Introduces Four-Star 2025 Point Guard Keyshuan Tillery After Signing

Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball Storylines: Nicholls State Colonels

Watch: Gavin Gerhardt Discusses Elevated Pass Blocking, Road Game Mentality, And More

Watch: UC Defensive Coordinator Tyson Veidt Discusses Return to Iowa State

Joe Royer Preaches Confidence in Bowl Pursuit, Brendan Sorsby Following West Virginia Loss

Look: Cincinnati Releases Uniform Combination For Home Matchup Against West Virginia

Cincinnati Bearcats Football Keys to the Game: West Virginia Mountaineers

Cincinnati Bearcats Football Completes 2027 Non-Conference Schedule

Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball Storylines: Morehead State Eagles

Watch: Joe Royer Discusses Falling in Love With Football Again, Source of Sure Hands, And More

Brendan Sorsby Ready to Bounce Back In Friendly Home Confines Following Bye Week

Watch: Desmond Ridder Throws First NFL TD This Season

Watch: Jason Kelce Heckled by Taylor Swift Troll, Smashes Phone

Cincinnati Loses Three-Star Defensive Lineman Commit Benny Patterson to Michigan

Watch: Cincinnati Linebacker Jonathan Thompson Discusses Strong String of Performances

Cincinnati Bearcats Slight Betting Favorites Over West Virginia

Brendan Sorsby Named to Davey O'Brien Award Class of 2024

Look: Cincinnati Football Announces Sellout For West Virginia Game

Recruiting Roundup: Cincinnati Offers 2026 Three-Star QB Bowe Bentley

-----

Be sure to keep it locked on Bearcats Talk all the time!

Follow Bearcats Talk on Twitter: @BearcatsTalk

Like Bearcats Talk on Facebook: Bearcats Talk