GAME NOTES: The Cincinnati Bearcats get back to work on Wednesday night, as they host the Morehead State Eagles at Fifth Third Arena.

The Eagles have split their first two games of the season. They got the campaign started with a 60-59 heartbreaker at UNLV during the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic last Friday, before outlasting NAIA foe Cincinnati Christian 87-79 at home on Monday night. They will continue play in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic this Friday against Louisiana Tech.

Cincinnati only has one result on its ledger as this game nears, having bullied Saint Francis-PA in a 52-37 triumph last Friday night. Following this game, the Bearcats will be off until Sunday when they host Eastern Illinois as part of the Emerald Coast Classic.

This is the first meeting between these two schools since Cincinnati rolled to an 87-57 victory back in 1997. The Bearcats have won six straight and 10 of 12 matchups overall.

With a lesser opponent in Cincinnati Christian opposing them, the Eagles were able to spread the scoring around on Monday. Corban Collins netted 15 points to lead five players in double figures in the victory. Still, the Eagles had plenty of problems, as they only shot 40.6 percent from the floor, while turning the ball over 16 times. They will need to clean things up quickly to have any chance against the defensive-minded Bearcats.

The Eagles may have been better if not for the absence of leading scorer Angelo Warner, who tallied 21 points in the opener. Warner's status remains uncertain, but it is assumed that he will play. Collins was the top option without Warner on the floor, as his 11 field goal attempts were the most on the team. Kareem Storey played more of a distributor role in the contest, dishing out nine assists, but he tacked on 13 points, although 11 of those came from the free-throw line. Anthony Elechi and Marquel Willis got in on the action as well with 13 points apiece and Billy Read tallied 10 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

Last season, Cincinnati ranked fourth in the country in scoring defense (58.4 ppg) and 16th in opponent field goal percentage (.395). The Bearcats appear to have picked up right where they left, as they held Saint Francis to only 12 total field goals and 30 percent shooting in their season-opening win.

Unfortunately, Cincinnati also failed to be a powerful offensive team last season, scoring a modest 68.4 points per game on 42.5 percent shooting. That type of production came despite the efforts of Sean Kilpatrick (20.6 ppg), who is no longer on the roster. The offensive struggles haven't gone away either, as Cincinnati managed only 52 points, albeit on a decent 45.7 percent shooting effort. Octavius Ellis was the top scorer in the win, finishing with 13 points to go with eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Gary Clark sank 5-of-8 shots from the floor to finish with an even 10 points.

Playing at Fifth Third Arena against the tenacious Bearcats is a tough task for any team. Morehead State did battle UNLV tough on the road, so it may stay close for a bit, but Cincinnati will find a way.