Illinois-Chicago Flames vs Cincinnati Bearcats Box Score on Nov 06, 2023

Day Day Thomas scored 15 points and Dan Skillings Jr. added 13 to lead the Cincinnati Bearcats past the visiting UIC Flames, 69-58, Monday night in the season opener.

CJ Fredrick's 3 with 8:56 left in the first half gave Cincinnati a lead -- 20-18 -- the Bearcats would not relinquish. Fredrick finished with 11 points and was the only other Cincinnati player in double figures in scoring.

UIC senior guard Toby Okani posted a double-double and scored 13 of his team-high 20 points in the first half, helping to keep the Flames close. Okani grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds and blocked six shots.

Leading 43-38 with 15:41 remaining on an Okani putback layup, the Bearcats rattled off the next nine points to take a 52-38 lead.

Thomas had a pair of baskets during the stretch. Simas Lukosius drilled a three-pointer with 9:38 remaining to spark a 13-5 Cincinnati run capped by a Jizzle James layup that give the Bearcats their biggest lead, 63-47, with six minutes remaining.

CJ Jones and Ethan Pickett had 13 points apiece for UIC.

In a seesaw game with no true perimeter threats, the lead changed several times in the first half before the Bearcats closed on a 14-4 run for a 40-30 lead.

Cincinnati, playing their first season in the Big 12, outscored UIC 20-2 in points off turnovers.

UIC converted just 2 of 16 from 3-point range while the Bearcats made 5 of 25.

--Field Level Media