CINCINNATI (AP) — Yancy Gates scored 15 points in his 14th career double-double and No. 21 Cincinnati opened its regular season with a 65-40 win over Alabama State on Sunday.
Gates, a 6-foot-9 senior, finished with 11 rebounds to help the Bearcats improve to 18-2 in season openers at Fifth-Third Arena, where they will play their first six games this season, including Tuesday against Jacksonville State.
Sean Kilpatrick just missed his first career double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds, Dion Dixon scored 14 points and Cashmere Wright finished with 10 for Cincinnati, which led by as many as 29 points during the second half.
Kenderek Washington scored 18 points and Luther Page added 12 points for Alabama State (0-2), which opened the season with a 67-49 loss at Marshall on Friday.
The Bearcats went 9-0 against nonconference opponents last season at home.
