CINCINNATI (Interstat) — The Cincinnati Bearcats used a dominant first-half performance and a balanced offensive attack to overwhelm the Lipscomb Bisons 89-62 in a nonconference men’s basketball game Monday night at a near-capacity Fifth Third Arena.

A crowd of 9,793 watched the Bearcats improve to 8-5 on the season, while Lipscomb fell to 7-6.

The most important part of the game was Cincinnati’s immediate and sustained defensive pressure, which created a decisive first-half advantage from which Lipscomb never recovered. The Bearcats opened the contest with a 10-0 run, fueled by active hands and disruptive length. That set the tone for a half where Cincinnati forced nine Lipscomb turnovers, blocked four shots and held the Bisons to just 24 points on 30% shooting from the field. The Bearcats’ defense seamlessly translated into offense, generating easy transition opportunities and building a 44-24 halftime lead that effectively decided the contest.

Lipscomb showed brief signs of life early in the second half, cutting the deficit to 16 points on a couple of occasions, but could not mount a sustained challenge. Cincinnati’s offense, operating with high efficiency, answered every mini-run. The Bearcats scored 89 points on just 72 possessions, an offensive rating of 123.1, and shot 48% from the field. They also dominated the glass, outrebounding Lipscomb 45-30 and grabbing 14 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points.

Cincinnati’s victory was a collective effort, with six players scoring at least eight points. Moustapha Thiam, a 7-foot-2 center from Dakar, Senegal, led the way with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting, showcasing his touch around the rim. Guard Jizzle James added 16 points and five assists, orchestrating the offense, while Estonian guard Kerr Kriisa chipped in 15 points, including three 3-pointers. Forward Baba Miller of Spain filled the stat sheet with 11 points, seven assists and two blocks, serving as a key facilitator and defensive anchor.

Lipscomb was led by guard Ross Candelino of Jacksonville, Florida, who scored a team-high 20 points. Forward Grant Asman of Kimberly, Wisconsin, added nine points. The Bisons struggled mightily with ball movement and shot creation, managing only two assists as a team against 13 turnovers. They finished the game shooting 38.6% from the field and just 32.4% from 3-point range.

The Bearcats, who entered the game as 13.5-point favorites according to sportsbooks, easily covered the spread. The combined score of 151 points fell under the pregame over/under line of 148.5. National statistical models gave Cincinnati an 81.5% probability to win.

Cincinnati now looks ahead to its Big 12 Conference opener against Houston on Saturday. Lipscomb returns home to begin Atlantic Sun Conference play against Jacksonville on Thursday.