UC Bearcats, Jerrod Calhoun seek sellout vs. Big Ten's Minnesota

Coach Jerrod Calhoun's new Cincinnati Bearcats squad will be challenged significantly more this week as they host their first power conference opponent, Minnesota, Monday, Nov. 9.

In two games, the Bearcats have played somewhat sluggish opening halves, only to rebound and pull away in the final 20 minutes, beating American by 26 and Green Bay by 17. Helping in those wins were a combined 36 steals.

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"We want to be a Top 10 team in the country at stealing the basketball," Calhoun said. "We're averaging 18 a game. That's pretty good, no matter who you're playing. We've got to score the ball better in transition."

The squad Green Bay coach Doug Gottlied called a "mid-major-plus all-star team," will have to turn it up a notch against a Big Ten team and hope the Fifth Third Arena fans respond by cranking up the volume.

"The Big 12 is the best conference in college basketball, but if you want to be great, show up," Gottlieb said of UC fans. "He'll get this thing turned around because winners win. He was great at Youngstown, great at Utah State and I would expect no less here at UC."

Twyman-Stokes Classic

The game will be the Twyman-Stokes Classic, honoring former Bearcat and Cincinnati Royal Jack Twyman, who became the guardian of teammate Maurice Stokes when a life-changing injury ended Stokes' NBA career. Twyman's No. 27 is retired at UC, and he's a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer. They are the namesake of the NBA's Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.

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3 keys for Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Highlights from last night's 81-64 win over Green Bay:🔺 Colvin: 31p, 7r, 2b🔺 Lyles: 14p, 4r🔺 Collins Jr.: 11p, 6a, 2s🔺 Mahaffey: 11p, 3a, 2s https://t.co/0HcHClZS6D

— Cincinnati Men’s Hoops (@GoBearcatsMBB) November 6, 2026

1. UC must crash boards more effectively

At his Nov. 4 radio show from the Original Montgomery Inn on 700 WLW, Coach Calhoun wasn't pleased with UC's "crash rate" in the first half against American. Green Bay outrebounded UC in the first half, then Calhoun switched to a bigger lineup. Eventually, the Bearcats won on the boards 30-25, including a 13-7 offensive rebound margin.

2. UC Bearcats coach calls for sellout

Calhoun liked the student section in the opener with 9,420 fans and was hoping for 10,000 or more in Fifth Third Arena vs. Green Bay. While the crowd was decent at 9,003, he had hoped for 10,000. For the Monday, Nov. 9 Minnesota game, Calhoun hopes for a sellout.

UC's last sellout was March 3 last season when Senior Night against BYU was sold out, and fans were rewarded with a 90-68 win. When Calhoun was an assistant here, sellouts were 13,176 in the old configuration of the Shoemaker Center.

Speaking of the old configuration, the Bearcats and Gophers opened the building Nov. 25, 1989 with the Bob Huggins Bearcats knocking off No. 20 Minnesota on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Steve Sanders, 66-64.

Sanders recently told The Enquirer, "We were just trying to throw the ball to the front of the rim. The last thing he (Coach Huggins) said was, 'Steve, you have to be ready. If he can't throw it inside, he's going to throw it to you.'"

UC returns to the trip to Minnesota in 2027-28.

3. UC must pile up non-conference wins

Again, on his radio show, Calhoun guessed an 11-3 non-conference mark and 10-8 in the Big 12 would probably be mathematically good enough to make the NCAA Tournament. For those attending the Minnesota game, a win for Calhoun would be his 300th as a head coach.

Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Minnesota tip time

Tip: 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 9, Fifth Third Arena (12,012)

TV/Radio: ESPN+/700WLW

Series: UC leads 7-2 (Bearcats won last meeting in 2006 NIT, 76-62)

Minnesota Golden Gophers scouting report

Record: 2-0

Coach: Niko Medved (second season, 17-18, 239-190 overall)

Offense: 80.5 ppg

Defense: 56.0 ppg

Minnesota projected starters

(Position, Height, Stats)

Bobby Durkin (F, 6'7", 10.5 ppg)

Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (F, 6'8", 15.5 ppg)

Isaac Asuma (G, 6'3", 16.5 ppg)

Grayson Grove (F, 6'9", 10.5 ppg)

Kyan Evans (G, 6'2", 6.0 ppg)

Cincinnati Bearcats scouting report

Record: 2-0

Coach: Jerrod Calhoun, first year, 2-0 (299-159 overall with five seasons in Division II and nine in Division I)

Offense: 80.0 ppg

Defense: 58.5 ppg

Cincinnati Bearcats projected starters

(Position, Height, Stats)

Tylen Riley (G, 6'3", 5.5 ppg)

Myles Colvin (G, 6'6", 17.0 ppg)

Riley Allenspach (C, 6'11", 5.0 ppg)

MJ Collins (G, 6'2", 12.0 ppg)

Tyler Tejada (F, 6'9", 6.5 ppg)

Cincinnati Bearcats, Minnesota players to watch

The Golden Gophers had all five starters in double figures in their opening game. Guard Asuma and forwards Crocker-Johnson and Durkin were all double-figure scorers a year ago when Minnesota knocked off ranked teams Indiana, Iowa and Michigan State.

For the Bearcats, Trevian Carson put 14 points on the Golden Gophers a year ago while at North Dakota State. Outside of that, Myles Colvin has the most experience against them from his two seasons at Purdue. Based on his 31-point performance against Green Bay, he'll likely be a Minnesota focus.

Assuming UC center Jayden Hastings remains out, it would mean more minutes for 6-foot-9 Amani Lyles, who delivered 14 points vs. Green Bay. If Akai Fleming remains out, Eric Mahaffey gets more minutes as well.

"We have so many guys, we don't have time to have slumps," Calhoun said. "We've got to win. Whoever's playing well is going to play. When guys aren't playing well, we've got other options. That's the bottom line."

Cincinnati Bearcats, Minnesota rankings

KenPom.com: UC is No. 32, Minnesota No. 41

2025-26 final NCAA NET: UC was No. 49, Minnesota was No. 82

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC Bearcats, Jerrod Calhoun seek sellout vs. Big Ten's Minnesota

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