After defeating the Michigan Wolverines in an exhibition game in Ann Arbor, the Cincinnati Bearcats travelled to Little Rock, Arkansas, to take on John Calipari and the Razorbacks. A lot of fans were excited for the game, hoping the Bearcats could expand on their 100-point night against a top 15 preseason team, and Jalen Celestine is back from injury.
The Bearcats disappointed a lot of fans, losing 89-61 behind another poor defensive performance from a team that is supposed to have a top-five defense in the country, according to KenPom. Shon Abaev had a great night against Michigan and took a step back against Arkansas, scoring just 7 points on 2/11 shooting.