Dec 28, 2002

Box Score

CINCINNATI (AP) - Leonard Stokes scored a game-high 18 points to lead Cincinnati to a 66-54 victory over Miami on Saturday night.

Stokes scored 13 of those points in the first half and went on to hit the 1,001-points mark in his career.

Miami (3-6) opened up the game with a seven-point lead, 8-1, sparked by three pointers from Matt Jameson and Juby Johnson. Cincinnati (6-3) then made an 11-0 run late in the first half to take control of the game. The score was tied at 19 at the 5:39 mark when Jason Maxiell started the run with a pair of free throws. Stokes hit a driving layup and Armein Kirkland added two more free throws to give Cincinnati a 25-19 lead over Miami (3-6) with 3:47 remaining in the half.

Maxiell then hit a dunk, and Barker made a steal to complete a three-point play and give the Bearcats a 30-19 lead at the 2:23 mark in the first half. Cincinnati led 36-24 at the half.

The RedHawks kept the game in the eight- to 10-point range for most of the second half, but foul trouble and the Bearcats' size advantage inside left Miami struggling down the stretch.

Cincinnati held Miami to just six points over the final five minutes of the game to pull away for the victory.

Maxiell and Field Williams each added 11 points for Cincinnati.

Chet Mason led scoring for Miami with 13 points, while Johnson added 12.

Cincinnati shot 48 percent from the field and held Miami to 38 percent.