Lance Stephenson scored 19 points and led a first-half run that put No. 25 Cincinnati in control after a shaky start Saturday, setting up an 80-52 victory over Lipscomb that got the Bearcats settled after a rough week.
The Bearcats (7-3) had lost their last two games and knew this would be their final one as a ranked team for some time. After a poor offensive start, Stephenson got them going, scoring 11 points during an 18-4 run that put the Bearcats in control.
Lipscomb (4-6) fell to 0-4 all-time against ranked teams. Adnan Hodzic scored 18 points for the Bisons, who came into the game averaging 78.8 points _ eighth-best nationally. It was Hodzic's 37th straight game in double figures, the longest active streak in the nation.
Cincinnati's tight man-to-man defense held the Bisons to their lowest scoring total of the season.
The Bearcats moved into the Top 25 three weeks ago, their first appearance in the rankings in four years. Then, they fell apart.
A double-overtime loss at crosstown rival Xavier on Sunday _ a physical game full of technical fouls and taunting _ seemed to carry over three days later at UAB, where the Bearcats lost 64-47. They shot only 32 percent from the field and got outrebounded 47-32, looking listless and uninterested.
The mood fit the moment when they returned home.
When they beat Texas Southern on Dec. 1 _ their first home game as a ranked team this season _ coach Mick Cronin complained about the lack of fan support. Cincinnati sold only 6,825 tickets for that one, leaving the arena half-empty.
In their first home-court game since, the Bearcats didn't see any more support. There were only five students in the section behind their basket when they came out to warm up 28 minutes before the tip-off. They sold 6,647 tickets for the game.
Like at UAB, the Bearcats started poorly and fell behind. They opened the game by going 6:21 without a field goal, missing their first six shots while turning it over three times against one of the nation's worst defenses. Six of Lipscomb's 10 opponents have shot better than 50 percent from the field.
Stephenson finally got them going, scoring those 11 points during the 18-4 run. Most of his baskets came off one-on-one moves against a defender. The Bearcats led 35-24 at halftime, when Stephenson and Dion Dixon each had 13 points.
Cincinnati started the second half with a 7-0 run that pushed the lead to 18 points. The Bearcats were never challenged again.
Cronin made several notable lineup changes. He benched point guard Cashmere Wright, who had been 1 for 9 from the field in the last two games. He finally got into the game with 13:40 left and Cincinnati up by 20. He had four assists but didn't score. Forward Yancy Gates played only 4 minutes and didn't take a shot.
