BAYAMON, Puerto Rico — New guys to the rescue.

        With its typically dependable veterans struggling or sidelined, the University of Cincinnati got a boost Wednesday from three first-year players, who helped carry the No.22 Bearcats past Youngstown State 74-65 in the first round of the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic.

        “I don't feel very good about the way we played,” UC coach Bob Huggins said. “Bad game. We didn't defend. We didn't rebound. We didn't execute offensively. We didn't do very much right.”

        Juniors Jamaal Davis and Antwan Jones and freshman Field Williams may have saved the day. Each scored a career-high 16 points.

        Steve Logan was out the last 15:37 with a sprained left ankle, center Donald Little played just three minutes after getting kicked in the calf, and sophomores Kenny Satterfield and Leonard Stokes had their worst games of the season.

        Satterfield scored just eight points — all in the final 8 1/2 minutes — for his first game in single digits. He also had four assists and five turnovers. Stokes, the reigning Conference USA Player of the Week who averaged 20.7 points in the three previous games, went scoreless against the Penguins and took only two shots.

        Those two came in averaging a combined 34.8 points a game and totaled just eight.

        “I don't think I was into the game really like I usually am,” Satterfield said. “I think it's because of the way I started. I just know I've got to be ready for (today's) game.”

        UC (6-2) was never in danger of losing Wednesday, but it did not quite get the blowout it was hoping for in the first of three games in three days.

        The Bearcats led by seven at halftime, built their advantage to 18 with 5:23 left, then watched Youngstown cut it to 67-59 with 3:05 to play.

        “We didn't have a good day in practice the day before, and it just carried over into the game,” Satterfield said.

        “We just didn't come out ready to play,” Davis said. “I don't think that's the way the Bearcats are supposed to play. We're supposed to come out and bury this team. We have to pick it up. We're not playing like we're going to win this tournament right now.”

        Davis had his most active game of the season, hitting six of 13 shots and adding three assists and seven rebounds. He also had a block and a steal and made four of five free throws.

        “I'm the older guy here,” Davis said. “When the other guys who are leaders don't step up, you have to.”

        The Bearcats won the rebounding battle 39-24 thanks to a ca reer-high 10 from walk-on Rodney Crawford, who grabbed five offensive boards and had two points and two steals.

        Youngstown shot better than UC (.524 to .433), but that was not because of Jones and Williams, who were a combined 12-of-22 from the field. Williams was 4-of-7 from 3-point range.

        “Field's been getting better and better in practice, so we're going to play him,” Huggins said. “I think it was just a matter of time before Antwan started to play the way we thought he could play all along.”

Bearcats face Tigers minus Logan Newcomers fill void against Youngstown UC notebook

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