Mick Cronin did not expect a masterpiece, after a long layoff. The University of Cincinnati basketball coach did get some crisp shooting and a customary Bearcats defensive showing, and that was quite enough for an easy 82-48 win over Memphis on Sunday afternoon.
The No. 21-ranked Bearcats opened the American Athletic Conference portion of their season by throttling the overmatched Tigers at Northern Kentucky University's BB&T Arena. Memphis has 11 newcomers this season, and the chemistry just is not quite there.
"Obviously, rough night for Memphis," Cronin said. "They didn't shoot the ball well."
Memphis shot just 32.1 percent from the field, including 18.2 percent from 3-point range (4-for-22). The Tigers also were just 8-for-17 from the foul line and made 13 turnovers.
Shooting guard Jarron Cumberland led UC with 15 points, and he also had eight rebounds and four assists. Forward Gary Clark had 13 points and 10 rebounds; guard Jacob Evans III had 12 points, six assists and five rebounds; and freshman shooting guard Trevor Moore scored a career-high 12 points.
"I thought Jarron Cumberland was great," Cronin said. "He was highly efficient. Early on, his passing was excellent. Then it loosened them up when Trevor Moore made some shots, and then Jarron took the game over, scoring."
Attendance was a home season-high 8,423.
Analysis, notes and more:
BACK IN ACTION: Cronin had said he did not expect the Bearcats to be at full efficiency, with UC not having played since an 81-62 home win over Cleveland State on Dec. 21. Memphis, for its part, had played as recently as Thursday (71-61 home loss to LSU).
Memphis (9-5, 0-1 AAC) could not get in rhythm, with a combination of the Tigers' awful shooting and the Bearcats' tenacious defense. UC forced multiple shot-clock violations, and when Memphis did get off a shot, it often occurred with less than 10 seconds left on the shot clock. Memphis launched eight airballs in the first half alone.
UC (12-2, 1-0 AAC) started somewhat sluggishly on offense, as the Bearcats led just 12-7 with the game more than eight minutes old. UC found its stroke thereafter and was especially hot after halftime. UC shot 52.5 percent for the game and 58 percent in the second half.
"We looked rusty on offense early, with Gary (Clark) and Kyle (Washington) missing some shots that are fans are used to them never missing," Cronin said. "Trevor Moore got the lid off the rim for us. Once that happened, our offense got to flowing."
Memphis was led by guard Kareem Brewton Jr. with 17 points. Usual Memphis scoring leader Jeremiah Martin, a point guard, scored only eight points on 4-for-14 shooting. Martin was averaging 18.2 points.
BROOME OUT: UC junior point guard Cane Broome did not play because of an ankle sprain. Cronin said he did not know how long Broome would be out, but a UC source said that Broome should not miss extensive time.
"With a sprained ankle, you just don't know," Cronin said. "Until he can cut and move, he's out. Every day he's gonna go out there and try it, and I'm probably gonna hold him two extra days, to be honest with you, after he maybe tries to talk me into playing.
"It's a long year. We've got plenty of guys. I'm not going to rush him back out there until I know he's 100 percent. We don't need him out there on one ankle."
Broome entered Sunday as the team's fifth-leading scorer, at 9.8 points per game. Broome backs up Justin Jenifer at point guard but the two players essentially share time, with each averaging 20.4 minutes per game.
Sunday, Evans actually saw substantial time at point guard along with his customary wing position.
"I'm pretty comfortable at that position," Evans said, referring to the '1' spot. "I know if Cane's out, I can step in and take that."
TOO STRONG: Memphis is not particularly physical, and UC took advantage. The Bearcats out-rebounded the Tigers 45-30 and held a 36-24 advantage on points in the paint.
UC also dished out 23 assists, a high number. The Bearcats also had only nine turnovers, a respectable showing.
"We were passing the ball well the entire game," Cronin said. "That's the key. If you continue to pass the ball well, you're gonna get open shots. Eventually you're gonna knock some down, and then we can set up our defense and try to disrupt a young team."
ON TOP: UC was picked to win the league in a preseason poll of AAC coaches. Memphis was voted No. 9 in the 12-team league.
UC trailed only once, at 2-0. The Bearcats led 35-16 at halftime, essentially icing the game with a 17-5 run to close the half.
UC has now won five straight games.
FRESHMEN PRODUCE: Cronin has said that freshmen guards Moore and Keith Williams will be keys to how UC performs in conference play. Cronin has tried to get the two shooting guards some minutes in pre-conference play, and they got more than expected Sunday with Broome out.
Moore had 12 points, a career high. Moore, from Houston, is considered one of the best shooters UC has recruited in the 12-year Cronin era. Moore was 3 for 6 from distance Sunday, as he played 16 minutes.
"Coach is always telling me to just stay ready to shoot," Moore said. "I've been shooting my whole life, so I was ready."
Williams, from Brooklyn, New York, is another offensive-minded player and, like Moore, is still learning what it takes to play defense on this level. Williams had three points in 17 minutes Sunday.
NEW FACES: Memphis went 19-13 last season, and the Tigers are almost starting over this season. Memphis returned only two lettermen from last season's team after a mass exodus of players, including several transfers.
Memphis junior guard Malik Rhodes, from Cincinnati Clark Montessori, had three points Sunday. Rhodes played 15 minutes.
For Memphis coach Tubby Smith, it was the first game he coached in the state of Kentucky since he was University of Kentucky head coach on Feb. 28, 2007 (82-70 win over Georgia). Smith is in his second year as Memphis coach.
“We just weren’t ready," Smith said. "I thought we came ready, but we were intimidated early on, especially with our turnovers, we played so poorly, shot so poorly. Against a good team like Cincinnati, they will make you look bad and they’ll beat you like this if you have any letdown at all. We just lost our focus and this is the result of it.”
Said Cronin, "I know what coach Smith is going through right now, because I was there 12 years ago."
Cronin was referring to his early UC days, when he had to rebuild the program essentially from scratch.
STREAKING: UC extended its homecourt winning streak to 34 games, the longest active streak in America. That includes 8-0 this season at BB&T Arena, the Bearcats' one-year home while Fifth Third Arena is being renovated.
UC has not lost at home since Dec. 29, 2015, a 77-70 decision to Temple at Fifth Third Arena.
ON DECK: The Bearcats next will visit Temple (7-6, 0-2 AAC) on Thursday at 9 p.m. in Philadelphia.
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