College basketball’s exhibition slate is rolling now, and Wednesday gave fans a full helping of box scores to chew on, with five games on the board and several notable programs getting their first real tune-up work.
The Ohio-based doubleheader delivered the night’s most interesting back-and-forth. Cincinnati erased an early gap and rode a strong second half to a 79-68 win over Ohio State, while Xavier handled Dayton 82-76 in another competitive in-state showdown. Elsewhere, Murray State outlasted Wichita State 93-87, Georgia cruised past Georgia State 94-61, and Utah topped UNLV 79-69.
Cincinnati’s comeback was built on a 49-33 second-half edge, with Tylen Riley and Tyler Tejada doing the heavy lifting down the stretch. Riley finished with 23 points, while Tejada added 17. The Bearcats also played without Myles Colvin after he left with an injury minutes into the game, though the source noted he will be fine going forward.
On the Ohio State side, John Mobley Jr. led the Buckeyes with 15 points and appears lined up to step into the lead guard role after Bruce Thornton’s four-year run. But Ohio State never found enough scoring behind him. Five-star freshman Anthony Thompson had a quiet introduction, finishing with two points and four rebounds in 20 minutes.
Xavier’s win came with a big stat line from LSU transfer center Michael Nwoko, who posted 19 points and 11 rebounds. The catch was foul trouble - he picked up five fouls within the first eight minutes and ended up with nine. Ruben Dominguez, the former Texas A&M wing, supplied the shooting punch with 16 points on 4-of-6 from deep.
Dayton still came away with some encouraging signs from its revamped backcourt. Marquette transfer Zaide Lowery led the Flyers with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting, Marshall transfer Landen Joseph scored 13, and top-100 freshman guard Aiden Derkack added 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting.
Murray State and Wichita State played the night’s highest-scoring game, and the Racers looked every bit like a team ready to contend in the Missouri Valley Conference. Sophomore Roman Domon paced Murray State with 17 points and six assists, and three more teammates reached double figures. Brayden Shorter was especially sharp from long range, knocking down 4 of 7 triples on his way to 16 points.
Wichita State was missing multiple key players, but there were still productive minutes from pieces expected to matter. Dillon Battie, who averaged 7.6 points per game last season, led the Shockers with 19 points and 10 rebounds. George Mason transfer Jahari Long also made his mark, finishing with 17 points and five assists.
Georgia’s 94-61 win over Georgia State was the kind of lopsided exhibition result that largely did what it was supposed to do. Penn State transfer Freddie Dilione V debuted with 14 points, and freshman forward David Ugonna added eight points and four rebounds inside. For Georgia State, the bright spot was Jacob Meyer, the UAB transfer, who scored 20 points to lead the Panthers.
Utah’s 79-69 victory over UNLV had its own personnel wrinkle. Northern Iowa transfer Trey Campbell, who had gotten a court-ordered injunction to play, made a major impact with 17 points on 5-of-12 shooting. Wright State transfer TJ Burch also reached double figures with 16.
UNLV was short-handed, including the absence of Ole Miss transfer AJ Storr, but Missouri transfer Sebastian Mack still delivered a strong night with 25 points and eight rebounds on 10-of-22 shooting. Former Florida State guard Cam Miles added 16 points, and he was the only other Rebel to score more than seven.
In Other News...
Georgias Biggest Alabama Worry Is Getting Harder To Ignore
Georgias trip to Alabama always comes with the usual layer of stress, but this matchup feels especially tied to the kind of game the Bulldogs can least afford to let slip. Georgia has the benefit of a veteran quarterback in Gunner Stockton, and that matters in a hostile setting where every possession can get compressed fast. Still, the bigger picture here is less about experience than about whether Georgia can match a Crimson Tide team that has found ways to make opponents pay for mistakes on both sides of the ball.
Alabamas offense has settled into a balance that can test a defense in different ways, and that is where the concern starts to sharpen for Kirby Smarts group. The Bulldogs already know they need their pass rush to show up if they want to keep the game on schedule, because letting Alabama operate comfortably would hand the home team too much control. Georgia has the pieces to make this interesting, but the question hanging over the week is whether its front can create enough disruption before Alabamas rhythm becomes the story. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias First Alabama Injury Report Raises New Concern Before Saturday
Georgias first injury report of the week brought a little more uncertainty into a game already carrying plenty of stakes, with six Bulldogs appearing on the list before Saturdays matchup with Alabama. The notable new names were running back Chauncey Bowens and wide receiver Thomas Blackshear, both added after getting hurt in the previous game, a reminder that the grind of a season can change a teams plans quickly even before the opponent gets on the field.
The broader report also showed Alabama dealing with its own issues, with five defensive players ruled out and two more listed as questionable, including tight end Josh Ford, who is optimistic about playing despite a broken arm. For Georgia, the concern is less about any single name than the accumulation of injuries at a time when every available body matters, and the next few days will tell whether the Bulldogs can get through the week with the same depth they need to handle Alabama. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Is Suddenly In The Mix For A Surging In-State RB
Austin Stinsons senior season has turned into one of the more eye-catching recruiting climbs in the state, and Georgia is now part of the conversation. The Warner Robins Houston County running back, already committed to Colorado State, has taken a major leap after changing his diet and training routine, and the production has followed.
Through five games, Stinson has piled up 1,264 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, enough to draw fresh attention from several programs as he sorts through his options. He plans to take visits before making a final college decision ahead of the Early Signing Period, setting up another recruiting race that Bulldogs fans will want to watch closely. [Read more 🡒]