Cincinnati uses massive second-half run to blast Georgia Tech

Field Level Media|published: Wed 22nd November, 21:25 2023

Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Wes Miller speaks to his players in the first half of the NCAA basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Northern Kentucky Norse at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. credits: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Viktor Lakhin drained his first five 3-point attempts and finished with a team-leading 15 points to lead unbeaten Cincinnati to an 89-54 rout of visiting Georgia Tech on Wednesday night.

Lakhin added six rebounds while John Newman III added 12 points and CJ Fredrick scored 11 for the Bearcats (5-0), who blew open the game with a 30-2 run in the second half. Cincinnati has won all five games on its home court to start the season.

Cincinnati finished 14-for-35 from 3-point range and outscored Georgia Tech 49-22 in the second half. The Yellow Jackets (2-2) were just 5-for-17 from beyond the arc.

Kowacie Reeves led Georgia Tech with 14 points while Miles Kelly added 12 for the Yellow Jackets, who lost their first road game of the season.

With 17:14 remaining in the first half, many in the near-capacity crowd of 11,756 rose to their feet to cheer for Aziz Bandaogo, the 7-foot transfer from Utah Valley who entered for his debut after getting cleared to play by the NCAA on Monday.

Bandaogo made an immediate impact when he blocked an attempted layup by Kelly.

Less than one minute later, Bandaogo made his mark on the offensive side with a two-handed dunk.

Bandaogo wasn't the only native of Senegal making his season debut. Baye Ndongo, a 6-foot-9 freshman, missed Georgia Tech's first three games with a hand injury.

Ndongo and Bandaogo spent much of the first half battling each other when they were on the court.

Bandaogo went on to finish with eight points and nine rebounds, while Ndongo had eight points and eight boards.

Georgia Tech cut Cincinnati's lead to two at 23-21 on a pair of Reeves free throws with 6:11 left in the first half. But the Bearcats closed the half on a 17-11 run, thanks in part to Lakhin, who drained a 3-pointer with 38 seconds remaining.

Cincinnati scored the first eight points of the second half and soon used a 16-0 run to open a 64-35 lead. The run was headlined by Lakhin's 3 bookended by a pair of triples from Fredrick.

After a layup from Kelly ended the 16-point surge with 13:43 left, the Bearcats scored the next 14 points for a 41-point lead at 78-37.

—Field Level Media