Sophomore point guard Jizzle James secured his first career double-double with 12 points and 10 assists to lead the No. 20 Cincinnati men's basketball team to a 109-54 victory over Arkansas Pine Bluff on Monday to open the 2024-25 season at Fifth Third Arena.
James added seven rebounds to his stat line and became the first player since David DeJulius (12) against East Carolina on Jan. 11, 2023, to log 10 or more assists. James and Skillings are also the first two UC teammates with double-doubles since DeJulius and Landers Nolley II in that ECU contest.
Junior wing Dan Skillings Jr. secured his fifth career double-double, tallying 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Six Bearcats notched double dight scoring nights overall with junior Dillon Mitchell (10), senior Simas Lukošius (17), senior Connor Hickman (13) and fifth year Aziz Bandaogo (11) joining James and Skillings.
Cincinnati outscored Arkansas-Pine Bluff 56-28 in the paint and forced the Golden Lions into 17 turnovers.
The Bearcats shot lights out from behind the arc in the first half, shooting 63% (8-of-13) from deep.
Cincinnati closed the first half on a 14-1 run, shutting down Arkansas Pine Bluff, keeping the visitors without a field goal for the final six minutes before the break. Including the start of the second half, UC allowed only seven points over an 11-minute stretch.
James stamped the impressive first half for the Bearcats with a buzzer beating 3-pointer, giving Cincinnati a 23-point lead at the half, 55-32.
Skillings Jr. threw down an electrifying dunk to get the Fifth Third crowd going early in the midst of a Cincinnati 8-0 run, extending the lead to 18-11.
With 3:06 left in the first half, Mitchell had an erasing chase down block leading to an alley-oop jam from Bandaogo off an assist from freshman Tyler Betsey, extending the Bearcats lead to 15.
Mitchell showcased his jaw dropping athleticism with a high-flying slam five minutes into the second half, as well. He sprinted down the floor and finished a double clutch layup extending the Bearcats lead to 35.
Late in the second half, multiple Bearcats and Golden Lions hit the floor for a loose ball. James dove into the pile and found himself escaping with the ball before flying in for a layup to put Cincinnati up 44 during a 9-0 run.
UP NEXT
The Bearcats welcome Morehead State to Fifth Third Arena at 7 p.m. on Friday.