Sean Kilpatrick led Cincinnati in scoring last season, but now he's taken his game to a whole new level.
The junior standout tries to keep rolling as the No. 22 Bearcats host Campbell on Tuesday night.
After averaging 14.3 points and helping Cincinnati reach the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament, Kilpatrick appears more than capable of carrying the team even farther in 2012-13.
The 6-foot-4 swingman has scored 49 points in his last 51 minutes, posting 20 in last Tuesday's 102-60 win over Mississippi Valley State and a career-high 29 during Sunday's 93-39 rout of North Carolina A&T.
Kilpatrick went 10 of 15 from the field against the Aggies, making a career-high eight 3-pointers on 12 attempts.
"None of that surprises me because his preparation every day for every game is as good as I've ever been around as a coach. It's off the charts," coach Mick Cronin said.
While Cincinnati has outscored much weaker competition by an average of 39.7 points during its 3-0 start, Cronin knows there's still plenty of room for improvement before the schedule gets tougher. The Bearcats face Iowa State - their first opponent from a major conference - Friday as they continue the Global Sports Invitational in Las Vegas.
"I'm sure some people are wondering how good are we? I can tell you this: We aren't good enough yet, but nobody is," Cronin said. "That is my job. Using these games to try and improve and get guys minutes. Make sure our guys continue to understand what is out there for us, and our veteran guys know that. If you see me during the game that is what I'm reminding guys of constantly."
Cincinnati, which has never faced Campbell, has won 40 of 43 home matchups against unranked non-conference foes - including seven straight by an average of 34.6 points.
The Fighting Camels (2-2) are coming off Sunday's 88-68 road loss to the Cyclones. Senior Darren White, whose 25.5 points per game rank among the most in the country, scored 20 while Trey Freeman and Darian Hooker added 13 and 12, respectively.
Campbell, shooting 29.0 percent from beyond the arc, went 4 for 16 from long distance.
"Overall, I was pleased. Our effort was great," coach Robbie Laing told the school's official athletics website. "I think we would have been better if our bench wasn't so thin right now due to injuries. But you have to play with what you're dealt.
"While the outcome score-wise wasn't what we wanted, I think we were able to get some things across to our guys about what you can and can't get away with at this level. Tonight helped us build for a better future."
Laing went with a four-guard lineup for the first time Sunday but his plans for this game are unknown.
Campbell lost 70-60 at then-No. 21 Virginia Tech on Nov. 12, 2010, in its only matchup against a ranked team over the last seven seasons.
