Golden Lions Holiday Gift For Cronin

Bearcats head coach Mick Cronin has seen his team’s ups and downs this season and Monday night the Golden Lions of Arkansas-Pine Bluff gave Cronin an early holiday gift in the form of an easy 79-49 victory.

Two runs set the stage for Mick Cronin’s Cincinnati Bearcats victory over Arkansas Pine-Bluff on Monday night. The first was a 19-2 run and then prior to the end of the first half the Bearcats ripped off a 14-3 run giving them a 43-16 advantage.

During the first half nine Bearcats scored and things stayed the same the rest of the game.

Three Bearcats would each score 14-points as freshman Yancy Gates, junior Steve Toyloy and junior Deonta Vaughn paced the Bearcats in the win. Toyloy and Gates would pull down nine and eight rebounds a piece with Gates also getting two blocks.

The bench was cleared as eleven Bearcats would score overall.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff was paced by Gavin Montgomery who scored 18 points but would also commit 7 turnovers.

Despite the victory there are things the Bearcats need to work on as the only hit 60-percent from the free throw line.

The team if off until next Monday night when they’ll take on Memphis at 9 p.m. (ET) on the road.

Bearcat Insider Game Ball

Yancy Gates – Freshman

Gates showed why he was considered a top prospect coming out of high school. He continues to improve his game and that makes the Bearcats more of a threat in the coming weeks. On the night Gates went 6-7 shooting. 2-2 from the free throw line and pulled down 8 boards to go with a steal and two blocked shots.