Tylen Riley, Tyler Tejada lead UC Bearcats 2nd-half comeback over OSU

MASON – It was a beautiful, warm afternoon at the Lindner Tennis Center. The sun was so bright both coaches had to wear shades.

The University of Cincinnati rallied in the second half to defeat Ohio State 79-68 in an outdoor exhibition basketball game with Tylen Riley and Tyler Tejada leading the Bearcats' comeback.

Ohio State led 35-30 at halftime. UC outscored the Buckeyes 49-33 in the second half, with Riley scoring 18 of his 23 points and Tejada scoring 15 of his 17 in the final 20 minutes.

Center Jayden Hastings finished with 16 points and six rebounds for UC in just over 21 minutes of playing time.

"It was Tyler Tejada, Tylen Riley and Jayden," UC head coach Jerrod Calhoun said. "That was really good basketball for a big portion of that second half."

Said Riley: "It can be anybody's night anytime. Myles Colvin went out early (injured). MJ (Collins) is out. We have a lot of threats. This is a dangerous team."

Colvin tumbled out of bounds in the first half and only played 2:41 with two points. It was a precautionary move, and he's expected at practice Friday.

Ohio State was led by John Mobley Jr. with 15 points, 10 coming in the first half.

The Bearcats outrebounded the Buckeyes 45-35 and outshot them 48% to 41%. UC was 4-for-19 on 3-pointers with Ohio State just 4-of-23. The Bearcats were 19-of-32 shooting free throws.

It won’t go down as a classic, but the Bearcats are 1-0 in the exhibition season with their next game coming against another Big Ten opponent, Illinois, on Oct. 17. Ohio State will next host Butler in an exhibition in Columbus on Oct. 25.

"I'm happy with the way we competed," Ohio State coach Jake Diebler said. "We just didn't execute to some degree. We are a much better shooting team than 4-for-23, and I don't know how many airballs we had."

Cincinnati Bearcats transfers deliver with 2nd half run

Riley, who came from Tulsa, and Tejada, from Towson, led the UC comeback, but Trevian Carson from North Dakota State also drew special praise. Carson made UC's first 3-pointer of the game and added two assists and three steals, giving up a plus/minus total of 24, the best of any player on the floor.

Carson played 30:44, longer than anyone.

"I know when I line up and I see him on my side, I'm confident we're going to win the game," Riley said. "He's a difference maker on the defensive end."

Elijah Perryman led UC with five assists.

Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Ohio State Buckeyes overcome glare in outdoor show

Sun is nice in October but not necessarily for shooting baskets

The game began with UC shooting at the lone shady basket and Ohio State in the sun. As the half progressed, UC's end was about half-and-half, which apparently was disruptive as the Bearcats didn't hit a 3-point shot until 2:56 left in the half with Carson canning his first points. Adlan Elamin added one before the break, but UC was just 2-for-12.

Free-throw shooting was also shaky with the Bearcats 6-of-14 for the first 20 minutes. Ohio State was 2-for-8 on 3s and 9-for-15 from the foul line.

With both teams in the sun for the second half, there were some adjustments. The Bearcats clearly could see the rim better, at one time shooting nearly 70%. In the end, UC outshot Ohio State 65% to 36% in the second half.

"We knew the game was going to be ugly," Calhoun said. "I think for a first-year group to have that ugliness and still come out with that aggression the last eight minutes, I thought it was a toughness level and togetherness. To beat a team that went to the Round of 32 with some guys back, that's a pretty good sign."

UC Bearcats length showed

Despite their early shooting woes, the Bearcats dominated the boards in the first half, 26-14. UC played 11 guys in the first half, with the Buckeyes sending 10 to the court. All 13 available Bearcats got into the game.

On the boards, UC outrebounded the Buckeyes, 45-35. Elamin led UC with eight and Eric Mahaffey had seven.

October games aren't factored in to NCAA Tournament decisions

UC had a decisive win over Ohio State in 2024 and knocked off the 2026 NCAA national champion Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor last year. As fun as those wins may have been for fans, they were in the distant past by March.

Those Wes Miller teams finished with 18 and 19 wins, respectively and out of NCAA Tournament consideration.

Keep in mind, UC was minus Collins (eligibility still being played out in court) and Javontae Campbell (foot injury). Between the two, they averaged over 35 points per game last season. Collins is a Utah State transfer and Campbell came from Bowling Green in early September.

Naismith Hall of Famer spotted at UC, OSU game

Scottie Pippen, famous for the Chicago Bulls world championship teams and the Dream Team, was spotted at the opener. Pippen's son Justin Pippen is an Ohio State starter.

Illinois on deck for UC Bearcats

The Bearcats next play Illinois, which made it to last year's national semifinals. The tipoff at Fifth Third Arena has been changed from 7 p.m. to 5 p.m. Cincinnati Bearcats football plays at noon that day in Morgantown vs. West Virginia.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Tylen Riley, Tyler Tejada lead UC Bearcats 2nd-half comeback over OSU