BearcatLair.com - Bearcats Crush The Cardinals in first Exhibition

November 5, 2009

Ryan Pence

The Cincinnati Bearcats defeated the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals in 87-56 in the first exhibition game of the 2009-2010 season on Thursday, and several Bearcats made their debuts along the way.

Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin said after the game that he was pleased with the effort he saw from his team despite being challenged by a feisty Cardinal squad.

"I was happy with our effort," said Cronin. Saginaw Valley did a great job of not panicking. We pressed them all night. They didn't panic and their guards have good quickness. They made us play defense. It was a good test."

Lance Stephenson, JaQuon Parker, Sean Kilpatrick, and Cashmere Wright all saw got their first taste of college basketball action on this night, and each showed flashes of the tremendous talent they bring to the table.

Stephenson, who was declared eligible for the entire 2009 season just hours before tipoff, was easily the most-hyped among the group, and while his debut didn't go as smoothly as he may have hoped, he did show those in attendance why he has been given the infamous nickname "Born Ready."

Stephenson played just 18 minutes off the bench tonight, and scored just 9 points on 4-of-14 shooting. Understandable considering he had no idea he would be suiting up tonight until the last moment. While his shot may have been off, other parts of his game certainly were not. His passing was especially impressive, an ability that could make him a dominant force in college basketball if he can harness it.

The team's senior leader Deonta Vaughn said after the game that --whether he wants to admit it or not--Lance was probably a little nervous entering the first game of his college career.

"It wasn't the normal hyper Lance that we're used to seeing," said Vaughn. "It was his first game, and whether or not he wants to admit it he's going to be a little nervous. He just needs to get his confidence up."

Despite all of that, head coach Mick Cronin said after the game he was happy with the effort he saw from the freshman.

"He's going to have better shooting nights," said Cronin. "I was happy with his two offensive rebounds and his energy. He couldn't get in a flow in the first half because of the fouls, but I'm OK with him getting fouls hustling. I have no doubt he's going to score the basketball. He's going to have nights where every shot goes in, so I'm more worried about his defense."

Deonta Vaughn, who played just 19 minutes off the bench despite not being in any sort of foul trouble, talked after the game about embracing his new role with the team. Seeing Vaughn play just 19 minutes is a different sight for Bearcat fans considering the immense workload Vaughn has been forced to take on throughout his career.

"It impacts my game a lot," said Vaughn. "I just have to get used to it. I want to be able to come in and help the team with substitutions and things like that. It's going to take me a minute to get used to it, but it's really going to help the team to have that many players who can contribute."

The other newcomers, Parker, Wright, and Kilpatrick, had their moments as well. Wright started the game and played 17 minutes, scoring just 3 points but recording 7 assists and making very few, if any, freshman mistakes. Parker, who played 14 minutes off the bench, recorded 3 assists as well. The last newcomer, Sean Kilpatrick, played just 9 minutes off the bench but scored 6 points in the win.

Yancy Gates (16), Dion Dixon (12), and Deonta Vaughn (10) all scored in double figures for the Bearcats in the win. On top of his 16 points, Yancy Gates pulled in 7 rebounds. Steve Toyloy, who scored 2 points, posted a team-high 9 rebounds on the night.

Overall, the Bearcats looked solid in their debut, easily disposing of the Cardinals. And, as Deonta Vaughn will tell you, games like this are often the most important part of a team's preseason, as they allow the team to gel and improve on the little things that make a good team great.

"We played well, but we still need to work on some things to get where we need to be as a team," said Vaughn. "It was great to play a team like this so we can practice and figure out what we need to do as a team to get better."

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