A career performance from Moustapha Thiam powered the Cincinnati Bearcats to a statement 84-68 victory over No. 8 Kansas on Saturday.
Kansas sophomore Flory Bidunga led the Jayhawks with 18 points and 12 rebounds, recording his 13th career double-double and 11th of the season. But it was Cincinnati’s Moustapha Thiam who stole the spotlight, erupting for a career-high 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting while adding eight rebounds.
The win marked Cincinnati’s second victory this season over a ranked opponent, improving the Bearcats to 15-12 overall and 7-7 in the Big 12 Conference. They previously knocked off then-No. 2 Iowa State on Jan. 17.
Cincinnati received strong all-around contributions across the lineup. Baba Miller finished with 18 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, while Jalen Celeste added 14 points and eight boards, hitting 4 of 8 from beyond the arc. Day Day Thomas chipped in 10 points.
Kansas (20-7, 10-4 Big 12) stayed within striking distance for much of the afternoon. Freshman Darryn Peterson scored 17 points in 32 minutes, and senior Tre White added 11. The first half was tightly contested, featuring nine ties and 10 lead changes before Cincinnati carried a narrow 36-34 advantage into the break.
In the second half, the Bearcats consistently answered Kansas runs with timely shooting. After briefly surrendering the lead for one possession, Cincinnati regained control and never looked back. A decisive 20-8 run in the final minutes pushed the margin into double digits for the first time with under five minutes remaining.
Three-point shooting proved to be a major difference. The Bearcats connected on 12 of 21 attempts from deep, while the Jayhawks struggled at 4-of-18 from beyond the arc.
Up Next
Kansas hosts the No. 2 Houston Cougars on Monday in a key Big 12 matchup.
