Miller scores career-high 26 points and James returns for Cincinnati; Bearcats roll Alabama State
AP
Dec 17, 2025
Cincinnati Bearcats (AP) Baba Miller had 26 points and 14 rebounds, leading Cincinnati to an 88-51 victory over Alabama State Hornets on Wednesday night.
Miller and Shon Abaev each scored 13 points in the first half and the Bearcats roared to a 50-25 lead at the break. They had a run of 10-0 and two runs of 8-0.
Cincinnati (7-4) made 13 of 17 two-point tries in the first half and 12 of 15 in the second half. The Bearcats had 13 dunks. Their overall shooting percentage was 49% after making only 8 of 35 3-pointers.
Jizzle James scored 16 points for Cincinnati. He was reinstated to the team on Wednesday after being dismissed in July to attend to personal issues. James, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Edgerrin James, was Cincinnati's leading scorer last season.
A jumper by James capped a 10-0 run that gave Cincinnati a 38-point lead late in the second half. He hit a 3-pointer in the final minute that gave the Bearcats a 38-point lead for the second time.
Miller's career-high 26 points came on 11-of-12 shooting. He had his sixth double-double of the season.
Abaev, who did not score in the second half, had six rebounds and five assists.
Micah Simpson led Alabama State (3-8) with 13 points.
Cincinnati: The Bearcats head to South Carolina to play Clemson in the Greenville Winter Invitational on Sunday.
Alabama State: at Memphis on Monday.
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1st Half
ALST
Hornets
25
CINCY
Bearcats
50
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
(Bearcats gains possession)
19:45
+3
Baba Miller makes three point jump shot (Moustapha Thiam assists)
0-3
19:16
Asjon Anderson misses three point jump shot
19:14
Baba Miller defensive rebound
19:06
Cameron Palesse shooting foul
19:06
+1
Shon Abaev makes regular free throw 1 of 3
0-4
19:06
+1
Shon Abaev makes regular free throw 2 of 3
0-5
19:06
+1
Shon Abaev makes regular free throw 3 of 3
0-6
18:45
Micah Simpson misses two point jump shot
18:43
Micah Simpson offensive rebound
18:27
Moustapha Thiam blocks Asjon Anderson's two point layup
18:25
Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
18:21
Jerquarius Stanback personal foul
18:15
+2
Moustapha Thiam makes two point dunk (Day Day Thomas assists)
0-8
17:49
+2
Jerquarius Stanback makes two point dunk (R'Chaun King assists)
2-8
17:32
Shon Abaev misses three point jump shot
17:30
Asjon Anderson defensive rebound
17:16
Micah Simpson misses three point jump shot
17:14
Baba Miller defensive rebound
17:04
Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot
17:02
Baba Miller offensive rebound
16:58
+2
Baba Miller makes two point layup
2-10
16:38
+2
Asjon Anderson makes two point layup
4-10
16:20
R'Chaun King personal foul
16:04
Kerr Kriisa misses three point jump shot
16:02
Halvine Dzellat offensive rebound
15:59
Kerr Kriisa misses three point jump shot
15:57
Bearcats offensive rebound
15:55
TV timeout
15:54
Day Day Thomas misses two point jump shot
15:52
Micah Simpson defensive rebound
15:25
Asjon Anderson turnover (bad pass) (Halvine Dzellat steals)
15:20
+2
Halvine Dzellat makes two point dunk (Day Day Thomas assists)
4-12
15:13
+3
Micah Simpson makes three point jump shot
7-12
14:59
Kerr Kriisa misses three point jump shot
14:57
Baba Miller offensive rebound
14:53
Kerr Kriisa misses three point jump shot
14:51
Jerquarius Stanback defensive rebound
14:26
Jalen Celestine shooting foul (Tyler Mason draws the foul)
14:26
Tyler Mason misses regular free throw 1 of 2
14:26
Tyler Mason misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:26
Jordi Rodriguez defensive rebound
14:02
Sencire Harris turnover (bad pass)
13:41
Micah Simpson misses three point jump shot
13:39
Tyler Mason offensive rebound
13:29
Jalen Celestine blocks Jerquarius Stanback's two point jump shot
13:27
Bearcats defensive rebound
13:10
Jizzle James misses two point jump shot
13:08
Jerquarius Stanback defensive rebound
12:57
Asjon Anderson misses three point jump shot
12:55
Micah Simpson offensive rebound
12:46
Micah Simpson misses two point jump shot
12:44
Micah Simpson offensive rebound
12:34
Moustapha Thiam shooting foul (Tyler Byrd draws the foul)
12:34
+1
Tyler Byrd makes regular free throw 1 of 2
8-12
12:34
Tyler Byrd misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:34
Jalen Celestine defensive rebound
12:26
Jordi Rodriguez misses three point jump shot
12:24
Damarien Yates defensive rebound
12:13
+2
Tyler Mason makes two point jump shot (Cameron Palesse assists)
10-12
11:51
+2
Jizzle James makes two point layup
10-14
11:51
Micah Simpson shooting foul (Bearcats draws the foul)
11:51
TV timeout
11:51
+1
Jizzle James makes regular free throw 1 of 1
10-15
11:41
Damarien Yates misses two point jump shot
11:39
Baba Miller defensive rebound
11:12
Day Day Thomas misses two point jump shot
11:10
Damarien Yates defensive rebound
10:46
Day Day Thomas shooting foul (Cameron Palesse draws the foul)
10:46
+1
Cameron Palesse makes regular free throw 1 of 2
11-15
10:46
+1
Cameron Palesse makes regular free throw 2 of 2
12-15
10:29
+2
Baba Miller makes two point dunk (Shon Abaev assists)
12-17
10:17
Damarien Yates misses three point jump shot
10:15
Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
10:00
+3
Kerr Kriisa makes three point jump shot (Shon Abaev assists)
12-20
9:32
Moustapha Thiam blocks Tyler Byrd's two point jump shot
9:30
Mario Andrews offensive rebound
9:30
Mario Andrews misses two point layup
9:28
Mario Andrews offensive rebound
9:26
Mario Andrews misses two point layup
9:24
Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
9:19
+2
Baba Miller makes two point dunk (Shon Abaev assists)
12-22
9:17
Hornets 30 second timeout
9:03
+3
Micah Simpson makes three point jump shot (Cameron Palesse assists)
15-22
8:49
+2
Halvine Dzellat makes two point layup (Baba Miller assists)
15-24
8:49
Jerquarius Stanback shooting foul
8:49
+1
Halvine Dzellat makes regular free throw 1 of 1
15-25
8:39
Kerr Kriisa shooting foul (Micah Simpson draws the foul)
8:39
Micah Simpson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:39
+1
Micah Simpson makes regular free throw 2 of 2
16-25
8:34
+2
Shon Abaev makes two point layup (Kerr Kriisa assists)
16-27
8:21
Jerquarius Stanback misses two point jump shot
8:19
R'Chaun King offensive rebound
8:15
R'Chaun King misses two point jump shot
8:13
Shon Abaev defensive rebound
8:08
+3
Shon Abaev makes three point jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists)
16-30
7:43
Day Day Thomas personal foul
7:43
TV timeout
7:32
Micah Simpson misses two point jump shot
7:30
Jerquarius Stanback offensive rebound
7:24
Micah Simpson misses two point jump shot
7:22
Kerr Kriisa defensive rebound
7:17
Shon Abaev misses three point jump shot
7:15
Kerr Kriisa offensive rebound
7:10
+2
Baba Miller makes two point dunk (Kerr Kriisa assists)
16-32
6:46
Micah Simpson misses three point jump shot
6:44
Shon Abaev defensive rebound
6:38
+3
Jizzle James makes three point jump shot (Shon Abaev assists)
16-35
6:35
Hornets 30 second timeout
6:16
+3
Asjon Anderson makes three point jump shot
19-35
5:57
+2
Moustapha Thiam makes two point layup (Kerr Kriisa assists)
19-37
5:57
Asjon Anderson shooting foul (Moustapha Thiam draws the foul)
5:57
+1
Moustapha Thiam makes regular free throw 1 of 1
19-38
5:37
Micah Simpson misses two point jump shot
5:35
Shon Abaev defensive rebound
5:28
+2
Shon Abaev makes two point layup
19-40
5:19
Damarien Yates turnover (traveling)
5:05
Jalen Celestine misses three point jump shot
5:03
Moustapha Thiam offensive rebound
4:58
+3
Jizzle James makes three point jump shot (Jalen Celestine assists)
19-43
4:33
Asjon Anderson misses two point layup
4:31
Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
4:26
Jizzle James turnover (bad pass)
4:07
+2
Cameron Palesse makes two point jump shot
21-43
3:40
Tyler Byrd shooting foul (Shon Abaev draws the foul)
3:40
TV timeout
3:40
Shon Abaev misses regular free throw 1 of 3
3:40
+1
Shon Abaev makes regular free throw 2 of 3
21-44
3:40
+1
Shon Abaev makes regular free throw 3 of 3
21-45
3:30
Asjon Anderson turnover (bad pass) (Jalen Celestine steals)
3:26
Jalen Celestine turnover (bad pass)
3:09
Asjon Anderson turnover (bad pass) (Kerr Kriisa steals)
3:04
Moustapha Thiam misses three point jump shot
3:02
Micah Simpson defensive rebound
2:52
Micah Simpson turnover (bad pass)
2:35
Kerr Kriisa misses three point jump shot
2:33
Baba Miller offensive rebound
2:16
Kerr Kriisa misses three point jump shot
2:14
Jordi Rodriguez offensive rebound
2:12
Jordi Rodriguez misses two point layup
2:10
Cameron Palesse defensive rebound
2:03
Cameron Palesse misses two point jump shot
2:01
Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
1:49
+2
Moustapha Thiam makes two point dunk (Kerr Kriisa assists)
21-47
1:29
+2
Micah Simpson makes two point jump shot
23-47
1:08
Jalen Celestine misses three point jump shot
1:06
Tyler Byrd defensive rebound
0:45
+2
Micah Simpson makes two point jump shot
25-47
0:30
Bearcats 30 second timeout
0:15
Tyler Byrd shooting foul (Shon Abaev draws the foul)
0:15
Shon Abaev misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:15
+1
Shon Abaev makes regular free throw 2 of 2
25-48
0:08
Asjon Anderson turnover (bad pass) (Baba Miller steals)
0:04
+2
Baba Miller makes two point dunk (Kerr Kriisa assists)
25-50
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
ALST
Hornets
26
CINCY
Bearcats
38
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:40
Baba Miller misses three point jump shot
19:38
Cameron Palesse defensive rebound
19:20
Jerquarius Stanback misses two point jump shot
19:18
Cameron Palesse offensive rebound
19:07
Micah Simpson misses two point layup
19:07
Hornets turnover (shot clock violation)
18:42
Moustapha Thiam turnover (traveling)
18:23
Moustapha Thiam blocks R'Chaun King's two point layup
18:21
Hornets offensive rebound
18:19
Asjon Anderson misses three point jump shot
18:17
Shon Abaev defensive rebound
18:04
+2
Baba Miller makes two point layup (Shon Abaev assists)
25-52
18:04
Tyler Byrd shooting foul (Shon Abaev draws the foul)
18:04
+1
Baba Miller makes regular free throw 1 of 1
25-53
17:43
Moustapha Thiam blocks Tyler Byrd's two point layup
17:41
Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
17:38
Shon Abaev misses two point jump shot
17:36
Kevin Alabi defensive rebound
17:28
+2
Asjon Anderson makes two point layup
27-53
17:23
+2
Baba Miller makes two point dunk (Kerr Kriisa assists)
27-55
17:06
Asjon Anderson misses three point jump shot
17:04
Baba Miller defensive rebound
16:54
Moustapha Thiam misses two point jump shot
16:52
Damarien Yates defensive rebound
16:46
Baba Miller personal foul
16:26
Micah Simpson misses two point jump shot
16:24
Kevin Alabi offensive rebound
16:21
+2
Damarien Yates makes two point layup (Tyler Byrd assists)