Cincinnati delivered a commanding 91-62 win over Kansas State Wednesday night in Manhattan, fueled by hot shooting and a fast start.
Jizzle James scored 24 points and drained six three-pointers, while Baba Miller posted a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Miller also added six assists and four blocks. Jalen Celestine contributed 18 points as the Bearcats knocked down 16 of 28 shots from beyond the arc.
Cincinnati jumped ahead early, hitting six of its first eight three-point attempts to build a 30-11 lead in the opening eight minutes. The Bearcats carried a 53-31 advantage into halftime and later stretched the margin to as many as 32 points. The victory marked Cincinnati’s first true road win of the season after starting 0-6 away from home.
Sencire Harris finished with 12 points and Day Day Thomas added 10 for the Bearcats, who improved to 13-12 overall and 5-7 in Big 12 play.
For Kansas State, P.J. Haggerty scored 24 points and is now just seven shy of reaching 2,000 for his career. The Wildcats dropped their fifth straight game and fell to 10-14 overall, including 1-10 in conference play.
After the loss, head coach Jerome Tang did not hold back, criticizing his players’ effort and pride.
“These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform,” Tang said, adding that he was embarrassed for the university, the fans, and the student section. He suggested many current players may not return next season and questioned their commitment to the program.
Some students wore paper bags over their heads during the game in frustration — a reaction Tang said he understood.
Kansas State will try to regroup on Saturday with a road matchup against No. 3 Houston, while Cincinnati returns home to face Utah on Sunday.