Recap: Cincinnati 74 Georgia State 64
The Cincinnati Bearcats moved to 2–0 on the young season Friday night with a 74–64 win over Georgia State.
UC looked flat to open the game but were able to overcome a sluggish offensive showing behind another standout performance from Baba Miller, who continues to establish himself as the early star of UC’s new-look roster.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
Game Recap
Georgia State came out firing, jumping to a 9–3 lead in the opening minutes behind Jelani Hamilton and Isaiah Sherrard. Hamilton knocked down a pair of free throws and a deep three, while Sherrard added another triple in transition. The Panthers’ quick 9–3 start forced Wes Miller to use a timeout early.
Day Day Thomas kept the Bearcats close with two early three-pointers, and from there the home team began to find rhythm. By the 13:35 mark, Jalen Celestine’s three-pointer gave the Bearcats their first lead at 15–12, capping a 9–0 run.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
The turning point of the half came midway through, when Sencire Harris sparked a burst of transition offense. He scored on consecutive possessions — two layups and a free throw — to extend the lead to 19–12.
Georgia State answered briefly with perimeter shooting from Anhtony Enoh and Ayouba Berthe, cutting the margin to a single point (18–19), but Cincinnati’s composure and execution in the paint swung the momentum back.
Miller, Moustapha Thiam, and Kerr Kriisa closed the half strong — Miller finishing a fast-break layup-and-one, and Thiam capping the period with a two-handed dunk at the buzzer to make it 39–30 Cincinnati at halftime.
Cincinnati shot efficiently inside, with 36 of their 74 points (49%) coming in the paint, compared to Georgia State’s 22%. The Bearcats also held a 17–8 advantage in fast-break points, a margin that proved decisive by night’s end.
Georgia State opened the second half with Malachi Brown’s jumper to cut the deficit to seven, but Cincinnati responded with a stretch led by Baba Miller, who scored 10 points in the first four minutes after halftime.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
Miller threw down a fast-break dunk and completed the and-one at 17:39, then added a layup and free throw to push the Bearcats’ lead to 47–32, their largest of the night to that point.
The Panthers briefly rallied behind Micah Tucker’s three-pointer and Hamilton’s perimeter shooting, trimming the deficit to 49–44 midway through the half. But each time Georgia State gained momentum, Cincinnati answered.
Jordi Rodriguez and Miller reasserted control inside, while Day Day Thomas drilled consecutive three-pointers at 9:08 and 8:33 to extend the lead back to double digits (60–48). The Bearcats’ offense struggled at times but got going in transition — scoring six of their last eight field goals off fast breaks.
Georgia State kept fighting, fueled by Hamilton’s steady scoring (team-high 26 points), but Miller continued to dominate both ends. He drew fouls, hit clutch free throws, and delivered the game’s exclamation mark with a dunk in transition at 2:19, giving Cincinnati a 72–58 advantage.
Moustapha Thiam’s slam with 1:52 remaining sealed the win, as the Bearcats closed out a gritty 74–64 performance.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
Miller’s Dominance Leads the Way
Miller delivered his second straight double-double, finishing with 24 points (8–9 FG, 1–1 3FG, 7–10 FT) and 11 rebounds in 30 minutes. The 6-foot-11 senior was nearly flawless from the field, mixing smooth perimeter shooting with powerful drives to the basket.
“Baba’s doing a really nice job of not settling,” head coach Wes Miller said. “He’s attacking, making plays off the dribble, and impacting the game on both ends. You can’t close out short because he can really shoot it.”
Through two games, Miller is averaging 21.0 points and 10.5 rebounds, shooting over 90% inside the arc.
Thomas, Thiam, and Harris Provide Support
Day Day Thomas was efficient from outside, scoring 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from deep. He also added four assists and three rebounds while committing no turnovers.
Moustapha Thiam added 10 points and 9 rebounds, finishing strong around the rim, while Sencire Harris showed grit by playing through a wrist injury to chip in 9 points (3–4 FG, 3–3 FT) off the bench.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
Despite battling illness, Shon Abaev started and logged 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in 19 minutes. Kerr Kriisa managed 8 points and 3 assists but went just 2-of-10 from the field.
“I didn’t think we played very well,” Miller said. “But I’m glad our guys never once thought about not playing. We’ve got guys sick, banged up, dealing with stuff — and they just wanted to tough it out and compete.”
Shon Abaev received an IV before the game due to illness, Jordi Rodriguez battled a serious illness of his own.
“Those kids showed a lot of toughness,” Miller said. "That’s toughness, and that’s what Cincinnati basketball is supposed to be.”
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
Bearcats Win Ugly but Stay Composed
Cincinnati’s offense was uneven throughout, shooting 40.3% from the field and 22.6% from three (7–31) while committing 16 turnovers. The Bearcats, however, made up for it with effort — dominating the paint (36–14 points in the paint) and controlling the boards (40–35 rebound edge, including 14 offensive rebounds).
“We were very careless with the ball,” Miller said. “But I loved that our guys fought through. We didn’t play well, but we found a way to win, and that’s a good sign.”
The second unit again sparked energy when needed, turning an early 12–6 deficit into a 13–0 run that helped Cincinnati build a 39–30 halftime lead. The Bearcats’ largest advantage came early in the second half at 47–32, and they held off multiple Georgia State pushes late.
“I should’ve played some of those guys more minutes. Our depth needs to be a factor for 40 minutes." Miller admitted.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
Georgia State’s Hamilton Keeps It Close
Georgia State guard Jelani Hamilton was outstanding, scoring a game-high 26 points (6–15 FG, 2–7 3FG, 12–12 FT) with 4 assists and 3 rebounds. Forward Joah Chappelle added 10 points and 9 rebounds, while Micah Tucker scored 9 points off the bench.
The Panthers shot 36.8% overall and 30.0% from three, but their 16-of-18 free throw shooting (88.9%) kept them within striking distance.
Final Thoughts:
Friday’s win wasn’t pretty, but it was revealing. Cincinnati showed the resilience and depth of a team still finding its rhythm yet refusing to back down when execution faltered. The Bearcats’ commitment to playing fast and physical — even with turnovers, missed shots, and fatigue from illness — underscores a program embracing both its identity and growing pains.
With Baba Miller’s emergence as a dynamic two-way force, Day Day Thomas’s leadership, and a roster showing flashes of toughness across the board, the pieces are clearly in place. If Wes Miller’s group can tighten its offensive discipline and maintain its defensive edge, Cincinnati looks poised to take a meaningful step forward as it heads into a marquee early-season test against Dayton.
“We’ve got work to do,” Miller said. “If we play like that on Tuesday, it’s not going to be a fun night.”
Still, the fifth-year coach emphasized perspective — that November is about growth and identity.
“We’re going to stick with playing fast,” Miller said. “It’s going to take nights like this, with some turnovers and missed shots, to get where we want to go. But when it’s good, it’s going to be great.”
Game highlights
Postgame Presser: Miller, Thomas, Miller