Big 12 Tournament Recap: Cincinnati 73 Utah 66

Cincinnati struggled out of the gate, but Jalen Celestine caught fire from beyond the arc and senior forward Baba Miller delivered his 13th double-double of the season as the ninth-seeded Cincinnati Bearcats rallied past the Utah Utes, 73-66, Tuesday in the opening round of the Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T‑Mobile Center.

(Photo: Taylor Keeton/ Bearcatsportshub)

Cincinnati advances to face eighth-seeded UCF Knights in Wednesday’s second round.

Game Recap

Cincinnati struck first when Celestine drilled a three-pointer just under two minutes into the game. Utah responded quickly, however, tying the game with a three from Keanu Dawes before taking control with an 8-0 run fueled by Terrence Brown free throws and interior baskets.

The Utes pushed their advantage to 15-6 with 11:41 remaining in the first half, their largest lead of the night. Brown was aggressive early, drawing contact and scoring inside, while Utah’s defense forced the Bearcats into a cold start offensively.

Head coach Wes Miller said the team relied on its defense during that stretch.

“We stayed in it with our defense in the first half… there was a little bit of a lid on it early, but our defense kept us in it.”

The Bearcats slowly chipped away. Celestine and Moustapha Thiam knocked down threes while Miller began asserting himself on the glass.

A layup by Sencire Harris cut the deficit to 20-19 with under three minutes remaining in the half before Celestine gave Cincinnati its first lead of the game with a driving layup.

(Photo: Taylor Keeton/ Bearcatsportshub)

That basket sparked a 12-0 run to close the half. Fast-break layups from Keyshuan Tillery and Harris and a transition dunk by Baba Miller highlighted the burst, sending Cincinnati into halftime ahead 29-20.

Miller credited the defensive intensity that fueled the momentum shift.

“Defense led the offense. We got stuff in the open court and extra possessions on the offensive boards.”

Utah briefly cut the margin to seven early in the second half, but Celestine answered again, draining a three-pointer to restore momentum.

From there Cincinnati’s offense found rhythm. Jumper and layups from Jizzle James and Day Day Thomas, combined with another Celestine three, extended the Bearcats’ advantage to double digits.

Back-to-back baskets from Baba Miller gave Cincinnati its largest lead of the game at 48-33 with 12:58 remaining.

Celestine’s shooting performance proved pivotal. The graduate wing finished with 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point range, while also surpassing the 1,000-point mark in his college career.

“It’s just a blessing to have teammates and coaches that put me in position to score and help the team win,” Celestine said. “Whether it’s hitting threes like today or rebounding, the end goal is just to win.”

Utah refused to fade. Terrence Brown heated up from the mid-range, repeatedly attacking the Bearcats’ defense to fuel a comeback.

A pair of jumpers from Brown cut the deficit to five points with just over four minutes remaining. Head coach Wes Miller acknowledged how difficult it was to slow the Utes’ leading scorer.

“It feels like Terrence Brown made every mid-range shot during that run, so give him some credit.”

But each time Utah threatened, Cincinnati responded. Celestine drilled another three with 3:16 remaining to push the lead back to eight, and James followed with a layup that helped stabilize the Bearcats.

(Photo: Taylor Keeton/ Bearcatsportshub)

Utah trimmed the margin to four in the final minute, but Cincinnati calmly closed the game at the free-throw line. Thomas and Celestine combined for five late free throws to secure the 73-66 victory.

The Bearcats finished with a 40-37 rebounding advantage and shot 45 percent from the field, including 39 percent from three.

Key Takeaways

Jalen Celestine’s shooting lifted Cincinnati.
Jalen Celestine provided the offensive spark the Bearcats needed, finishing with 19 points while shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 5-of-8 from three-point range. His perimeter shooting stretched the Utes' defense and repeatedly halted Utah runs throughout the game. Several of his threes came at key moments when Utah was trying to regain momentum.

Baba Miller dominated the glass and filled the stat sheet.
Miller recorded his 13th double-double of the season with 11 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists while anchoring Cincinnati’s rebounding effort. Utah held a significant early advantage on the boards, leading 12-4 in the opening minutes, but Miller’s activity helped the Bearcats flip the script as the game progressed. Cincinnati ultimately finished with a 40-37 rebounding edge, and Miller’s playmaking from the frontcourt helped keep the offense flowing. 

(Photo: Taylor Keeton/ Bearcatsportshub)

Thiam's presence on both ends 
Moustapha Thiam added a strong performance inside with 14 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double, including seven defensive boards and three offensive rebounds. He shot 5-of-13 from the field and added three free throws while also contributing two blocks in 33 minutes. Thiam’s impact grew in the second half, when he scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds, highlighted by a dunk midway through the period that helped maintain Cincinnati’s cushion. His activity on the glass and rim protection gave the Bearcats another reliable presence in the paint.

Cincinnati’s bench sparked the decisive momentum swing.
The Bearcats’ reserves played a major role in the pivotal 12-0 run that closed the first half and turned a deficit into a nine-point halftime lead. Cincinnati’s bench outscored Utah’s 18-7 and brought energy on both ends of the floor during that stretch. Head coach Wes Miller credited the second unit for shifting the game’s momentum, saying afterward, “I thought our bench was the catalyst to our success tonight… It was a complete team effort.”

Defense created Cincinnati’s best offensive moments.
Cincinnati’s defensive pressure consistently translated into scoring opportunities. The Bearcats recorded eight blocked shots and held Utah to just 37 percent shooting from the field. Many of Cincinnati’s best offensive sequences came immediately after defensive stops, allowing the Bearcats to push the pace in transition and generate easier looks.

Final Thoughts