UC Bearcats' Viktor Lakhin notches double-double in 85-73 win vs. EWU
The visiting Eastern Washington Eagles simply had no answer for Cincinnati Bearcats senior forward Viktor Lakhin.
UC dispatched Eastern Washington, 85-73, Sunday afternoon at Fifth Third Arena to improve to 3-0 early in head coach Wes Miller's third season in charge of the program. Lakhin paced all scorers with 26 points (9 of 11 shooting) and added 11 boards to earn his second career double-double.
Bearcats freshman Jizzle James went for 13 points (3 of 4 shooting), too, as Miller's team started 3-0 for the third straight season.
EWU (0-3), a National Invitation Tournament participant last season, received 19 points from freshman Cedric Coward and Casey Jones went for 14 points.
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"That's a really good basketball team that has a system, an identity. Their system and their identity fit the parts. It's a program," Miller said in his opening remarks afterward. "And then you look back and they won 18 games in a row at one point last year and won their league. They're a good basketball team . . . when you beat a good basketball team by double-figures, that's a good win.
"Obviously, I'm glad Viktor decided to show up to play for us this year in the 2023-24 season. I'm being sarcastic but he had a really good preseason, a really good offseason. He's really improved and I've got to see that most days in practice. I'm glad that everybody else that was watching got to see that today."
With Eastern Washington hanging around at the midway point in the second half, Lakhin made two free throws and two close-range shots, amassing six points in less than one minute on the game clock. That pushed UC's lead to a game-high 15 points at 62-57.
EWU wouldn't recover from that blow. Lakhin made sure of it.
On the Bearcats' next possession, Lakhin banged home a hook shot to hit the 20-point threshold. On UC's next possession, he threw his body around to collect a loose ball that ultimately resulted in two points for the hosts.
Lakhin rebounded a miss on EWU's ensuing trip down the court. Back on the offensive end, he spotted up for a 3-pointer to give him 23 points on 8-for-10 shooting.
You get the idea. And with EWU still hanging in the game via a 72-62 deficit with more than four minutes to play, Lakhin banged home another three-ball for the host's second of three 15-point leads in the contest. That sent some spectators headed for the exits.
All told, it was a full, 40-minute showing from Lakhin. He was active on both ends of the court throughout the contest.
"First two games (of the season) didn't exactly, necessarily show how my preseason went because it was really good. In both scrimmages, I played really well," Lakhin said. "I'm mature enough to handle it the right way and now I start."
At the outset of the noon game, the Bearcats opened up an 18-7 lead by the halfway mark in the first half. That was sparked by a 14-1 run in which Lakhin scored six points, which was then a team high.
Lakhin ended the half with a eight points. Graduate wing John Newman III was 2 of 2 from 3-point territory for six points in the period before eventually finishing with 10. Junior guard Simas Lukosius added six points of his own before finishing with 11.
The Bearcats’ lead ebbed and flowed ahead of the intermission with the hosts ultimately taking a 38-30 lead into the break.
The Eagles rebounded literally and figuratively from the 18-7 deficit. Eastern Washington out-rebounded UC, 17-15, and forced four Bearcats turnovers while committing just two of their own. Then, eight of the 10 players that saw time in the first half scored with junior guard Andre Mulibea and redshirt freshman guard LeJuan Watts scoring six points apiece.
What’s next for UC?
Eastern Washington was the first non-Horizon League opponent of 2023-24 for UC but the Bearcats go back to the Horizon League well for its next game, and that contest should invite far more interest from local media.
UC will host Northern Kentucky on Sunday (2 p.m., ESPN+). The game will be the Bearcats first of the season against an NCAA Tournament participant from last year as the Norse went 22-11 in 2022-23 en route to the Horizon League postseason championship.
NKU upended UC Nov. 16, 2022 in an early-season tilt in Highland Heights, Kentucky.
The Norse are 0-2 on the young 2023-24 season after losses to Middle Tennessee and Washington. The Norse on Tuesday will play DePauw, an NCAA Division III program, as a tune-up for their trip north to Fifth Third Arena.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC Bearcats' Viktor Lakhin notches double-double in 85-73 win vs. EWU
