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NIT scouting report: Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Indiana State Sycamores

Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer
·5 min read

It took until Sunday afternoon but the University of Cincinnati Bearcats now know their opponent in the NIT quarterfinals. By way of a 76-64 win over Minnesota, top-seed Indiana State will host the Bearcats Tuesday night in Terre Haute.

UC needed a win by Minnesota to host a third game at Fifth Third Arena. Instead, like last year, they'll be on the road in an NIT quarterfinal hoping to advance to the semifinals the following week.

It was Indiana State's 30th win. The Sycamores had the best NCAA NET (28) of the teams not invited to the NCAA tournament. The next best were St. John's (32) and Cincinnati (37).

Bearcats guard Simas Lukosius reacts after canning a 3-pointer against Bradley. In UC's two opening NIT games, he's made 11 treys, scoring a combined 45 points. UC plays at Indiana State in the NIT quarterfinals Tuesday night.
Bearcats guard Simas Lukosius reacts after canning a 3-pointer against Bradley. In UC's two opening NIT games, he's made 11 treys, scoring a combined 45 points. UC plays at Indiana State in the NIT quarterfinals Tuesday night.

UC's path

The Bearcats advanced with a 73-72 overtime victory over San Francisco, thanks to a late Simas Lukošius 3-pointer. At the end of that game, junior point guard Day Day Thomas broke his foot. That gave freshman Jizzle James his first career start Saturday vs. Bradley and he responded with a career-high 25 points in UC's 74-57 second-round win.

"We all know what's ahead for Jizzle James and what's coming," UC coach Wes Miller said.

3 keys to beat Indiana State

Bearcats guard Day Day Thomas, who suffered a broken foot near the end of the NIT opener, talked with Jizzle James during a break in the Bradley game. With Thomas out, James scored a career-high 25 points.
Bearcats guard Day Day Thomas, who suffered a broken foot near the end of the NIT opener, talked with Jizzle James during a break in the Bradley game. With Thomas out, James scored a career-high 25 points.

1. Don't judge, just guard

Yes, he wears protective goggles that stir up images of George Mikan. No, he's not sculpted like many Division I big men. But, Robbie Avila can play and the proof is in his production Even though he was held to 11 points and three rebounds against Minnesota, he dished out seven assists from the pivot to lead the team.

Indiana State center Robbie Avila is a key to the Sycamores offense. Despite being held to 11 points and three rebounds in the victory over Minnesota, he did hand out seven assists.
Indiana State center Robbie Avila is a key to the Sycamores offense. Despite being held to 11 points and three rebounds in the victory over Minnesota, he did hand out seven assists.

2. Guard perimeter without fouls

The Sycamores are going to play perimeter Pop-A-Shot. As of Sunday, they lead the nation in effective field goal percentage (which factors in threes) at around 60%, they're third in traditional field goal percentage, eighth in scoring, fourth in made 3-pointers and ninth from the arc at over 38%. All five starters average in double figures and all shoot 35% from the perimeter at minimum. Julian Larry hits 47% of his and Ryan Conwell 42%.

"They're very skilled, high-fueled, high IQ players," Bradley coach Brian Wardle said of Indiana State, which beat the Braves twice. "They can really shoot it. Cincinnati will pose some problems with their size and length. They've got to guard the three and shoot the three like they did against us."

As UC found out the hard way in a disappointing loss at Oklahoma, fouling 3-point shooters can hurt, particularly when four of the five Indiana State starters shoot over 80% from the free throw line.

3. Target defense number is 70

Indiana State has only been held below 70 points twice, losing their only home game to Illinois State Feb. 13, 80-67, then following that with a loss at Southern Illinois 74-69. Their other losses were to NCAA tournament teams: Alabama, Michigan State and Drake (twice).

Cincinnati vs. Indiana State

Tip: Tuesday, 9 p.m. at Hulman Center (9,000)

TV/Radio: ESPN/700WLW

Series: UC leads 11-1 (last meeting 1986)

Scouting report for Indiana State Sycamores

Record: 30-6 (17-3 Missouri Valley)

Coach: Josh Schertz (third season, 64-39)

Offense: 84.6 ppg

Defense: 72.3 ppg

Projected lineup

(Position, Height, Stats)

Jayson Kent (F, 6'8", 13.6 ppg)

Ryan Conwell (G, 6'4", 16.6 ppg)

Robbie Avila (C, 6'10", 17.1 ppg)

Julian Larry (G, 6'3", 10.8 ppg)

Isaiah Swope (G, 5'10", 15.9 ppg)

Cincinnati Bearcats scouting report

Record: 22-14 (7-11 Big 12 regular season)

Coach: Wes Miller (third season, 63-42)

Offense: 74.6 ppg

Defense: 67.7 ppg

Projected lineup

Dan Skillings Jr. (F, 6'6", 12.9 ppg)

Simas Lukošius (G, 6'8", 11.4 ppg)

John Newman III (F, 6'5", 9.3 ppg)

Jizzle James (G, 6'1", 8.5 ppg)

Aziz Bandaogo (C, 7', 6.5 ppg)

Indiana State center Robbie Avila, here driving past a defender in Sunday's victory over Minnesota, heads the list of all five Sycamore starters averaging in double figures with a team-high 17.1 points per game.
Indiana State center Robbie Avila, here driving past a defender in Sunday's victory over Minnesota, heads the list of all five Sycamore starters averaging in double figures with a team-high 17.1 points per game.

Players to watch

Indiana State sophomore Robbie Avila at 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds has taken college basketball by storm with the nicknames "Cream Abdul-Jabbar" and "Larry Nerd" (Larry Bird was a noted Sycamore). He's a 17-point, seven-rebound guy who had a season-high 35 points against Evansville and pulled down 14 rebounds against Tennessee State. He's only been held below double figures in four games and has only fouled out once.

Bearcats forward Aziz Bandaogo (55) will be challenged by Indiana State's 6-foot-10 center Robbie Avila in the paint Tuesday night in the NIT quarterfinals.
Bearcats forward Aziz Bandaogo (55) will be challenged by Indiana State's 6-foot-10 center Robbie Avila in the paint Tuesday night in the NIT quarterfinals.

The Bearcats will counter with their tandem of 7-foot Aziz Bandaogo and 6-foot-11 Jamille Reynolds. If Viktor Lakhin, who played only two minutes in the first game and none against Bradley returns, he still is a threat to score 9-10 points and grab six rebounds. The loss of Day Day Thomas at guard hurts, but Jizzle James didn't play like a freshman vs. Bradley with 25 points and just one turnover.

Early season meeting

UC and Indiana State played in a preseason "secret scrimmage" in late October. Reports had the Sycamores winning 70-68 but the Bearcats were minus big men Bandaogo and Reynolds at the time as they were not yet eligible. It was reported Ryan Conwell had 19 points. Conwell played for USF last season and had two points in each of their games against UC.

Rankings

NCAA NET: Indiana State is No. 28, UC is No. 37

KenPom.com: UC is No. 38, Indiana State is No. 40

With a win....

UC would play Tuesday, April 2 in the NIT semifinals in Indianapolis at 9 p.m. (ESPN2). The NIT championship is Thursday, April 4 at 7 p.m. (ESPN). All games are at Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Scouting UC Bearcats basketball NIT third-round game vs. Indiana State