Cincinnati Bearcats vs. UNLV Runnin' Rebels Preview and Predictions 12-01-2018
NCAAB PREDICTIONS BY GRACENOTE
Cincinnati hasn't stopped winning since an season-opening loss to Ohio State and takes aim at their seventh straight victory Saturday at UNLV. The Bearcats' latest conquest was a 105-49 rout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in which they scored more points in the first half (59) than their opponent's total.
The visit to Las Vegas will be Cincinnati's first true road game of the season. The Bearcats won two neutral-site contests last weekend, beating George Mason and Mississippi in the Emerald Coast Classic. UNLV had a four-game win streak going until stumbling to a 72-64 loss at home Wednesday night to Valparaiso in the Mountain West-Missouri Valley Conference Challenge. "We've got to handle the road trip in a business manner and understand that everybody is tough at home," Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said, according to the school's website. "People don't go away at home. Even if you get up early, teams don't go away at home."
TV: 6 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network
ABOUT CINCINNATI (6-1): Freshman point guard Logan Johnson has earned early praise from Cronin for his contribution despite averaging only 3.6 points and 1.6 assists in 13.6 minutes. The California native is the younger brother of Justin Johnson, who plays for the NBA's Miami Heat, and Cronin said "Logan is such a great defender and a very good rebounded for a guy who plays point ... he's a superior athlete, just like his brother." Jarron Cumberland is averaging 17.0 points, six more per game than the team's second leading scorer, Cane Broome (11.0).
ABOUT UNLV (4-2): The Runnin' Rebels have held teams to 39.8 percent shooting from the field and have built an advantage of 11.9 rebounds per game over their opponents. Shakur Juiston, a 6-foot-7 forward who was second-team All-Mountain West a year ago, is averaging a double-double (12.3 points, 10.3 rebounds per game). UNLV's big man in the middle is 6-11 Cheikh Mbacke Diong, who is shooting 71 percent from the floor and averaging 9.2 points and 6.2 rebounds.
TIP-INS
1. Cincinnati forced 31 turnovers and had 67 deflections in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a record for the Bearcats under Cronin.
2. Cincinnati will resume playing Power Five opponents after the game at UNLV with Xavier, Mississippi State and UCLA on the schedule in December.
3. The Runnin' Rebels, who will wrap up a seven-game homestand to start the season, have outrebounded all six opponents.
PREDICTION: UNLV 75, Cincinnati 73
NCAAB PREDICTIONS BY GRACENOTE
Cincinnati hasn't stopped winning since an season-opening loss to Ohio State and takes aim at their seventh straight victory Saturday at UNLV. The Bearcats' latest conquest was a 105-49 rout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in which they scored more points in the first half (59) than their opponent's total.
The visit to Las Vegas will be Cincinnati's first true road game of the season. The Bearcats won two neutral-site contests last weekend, beating George Mason and Mississippi in the Emerald Coast Classic. UNLV had a four-game win streak going until stumbling to a 72-64 loss at home Wednesday night to Valparaiso in the Mountain West-Missouri Valley Conference Challenge. "We've got to handle the road trip in a business manner and understand that everybody is tough at home," Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said, according to the school's website. "People don't go away at home. Even if you get up early, teams don't go away at home."
TV: 6 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network
ABOUT CINCINNATI (6-1): Freshman point guard Logan Johnson has earned early praise from Cronin for his contribution despite averaging only 3.6 points and 1.6 assists in 13.6 minutes. The California native is the younger brother of Justin Johnson, who plays for the NBA's Miami Heat, and Cronin said "Logan is such a great defender and a very good rebounded for a guy who plays point ... he's a superior athlete, just like his brother." Jarron Cumberland is averaging 17.0 points, six more per game than the team's second leading scorer, Cane Broome (11.0).
ABOUT UNLV (4-2): The Runnin' Rebels have held teams to 39.8 percent shooting from the field and have built an advantage of 11.9 rebounds per game over their opponents. Shakur Juiston, a 6-foot-7 forward who was second-team All-Mountain West a year ago, is averaging a double-double (12.3 points, 10.3 rebounds per game). UNLV's big man in the middle is 6-11 Cheikh Mbacke Diong, who is shooting 71 percent from the floor and averaging 9.2 points and 6.2 rebounds.
TIP-INS
1. Cincinnati forced 31 turnovers and had 67 deflections in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a record for the Bearcats under Cronin.
2. Cincinnati will resume playing Power Five opponents after the game at UNLV with Xavier, Mississippi State and UCLA on the schedule in December.
3. The Runnin' Rebels, who will wrap up a seven-game homestand to start the season, have outrebounded all six opponents.
PREDICTION: UNLV 75, Cincinnati 73