GAME NOTES: The undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats will try to keep the ball rolling as they square off with the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in the third round of the inaugural Emerald Coast Classic at The Arena.

Mick Cronin's Bearcats improved to 4-0 on Tuesday with a 59-50 victory over North Carolina Central. All of Cincinnati's games this season have taken place on its home court at Fifth Third Arena. The Bearcats have been extremely impressive in regular-season non-conference tournaments during the Cronin era, winning 90 percent of those contests (18-2). Although Cincinnati is the only remaining unbeaten team in the American Athletic Conference, it ranks last in the league in scoring offense at 58.5 ppg. However, Cronin's squad is also pacing its conference in scoring defense with an allowance of just 49.2 ppg.

Middle Tennessee bounced back from a 68-49 loss to Murray State with back-to- back decisions over Southern (66-48) and Northern Arizona (65-53) to arrive at a 3-1 overall ledger. During Kermit Davis Jr.'s tenure as the program's head coach, the Blue Raiders are 18-19 at neutral sites. Davis has done a stellar job during his time in Murfreesboro, as Middle Tennessee tied the school record with its third consecutive 20-win season in 2013-14. The Blue Raiders are ranked 10th out of 14 teams in the Conference USA in scoring with 64.2 ppg, but are the third best team in the league defensively with an opponent average of 57.2 ppg.

This will be the fourth meeting in history between the Blue Raiders and Cincinnati on the hardwood. The Bearcats have won all the previous encounters, including a 69-48 win over Middle Tennessee on Dec. 21, 2013 in the most recent matchup.

The Bearcats have leaned heavily on 6-foot-10 junior forward Octavius Ellis through their first four games without superstar guard Sean Kilpatrick. Ellis has been selected to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll twice in as many weeks and is posting team-leading averages of 11.8 points, 9.0 rebounds (first in AAC) and 2.8 blocks. Rookie forward Gary Clark has wasted no time making an impact for Cincinnati, as he is tallying seven points and 7.5 rpg. Sophomore guard Troy Caupain is the most valuable player in Cronin's backcourt with 10.5 ppg and 2.8 apg. Junior college transfer Farad Cobb has also been solid, ranking third on the team in scoring (9.3 ppg) and fourth in the AAC in makes from behind the 3-point line (2.3) per tilt.

In its triumph over NAU, four players scored in double-figures for MT. Perrin Buford led the charge with 16 points, followed by Reggie Upshaw, Jr. (12), Jacquez Rozier (10 and Marcus Tarrance (10). Upshaw has played well in the early part of his sophomore campaign, averaging team-highs of 11.3 ppg and 7.3 rpg. Upshaw also pulled down 11 boards to notch the second double-double of the season for an MT player. Rozier, the lone four-year veteran on the squad, is posting 9.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg.

Both of these teams take pride in their performance on the defensive end of the floor. The Bearcats are a more athletic and physical unit, which should help them pull away, but MT is not going to be a walk in the park. The Blue Raiders could pull off an upset if they can find a way to start hitting on shots from beyond the arc.