By JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Redshirt freshman guard Sean Kilpatrick scored 21 points and Cincinnati's press forced 20 turnovers on Monday night, setting up a 69-59 victory over Mount St. Mary's (Md.).
Cincinnati (1-0) lost its top two scorers -- Deonta Vaughn and Lance Stephenson -- off a team that was one of the Big East's worst at shooting last season. The 6-foot-4 Kilpatrick became a catalyst, scoring 13 points during a 22-6 run that put the Bearcats up 40-21 at halftime.
Kilpatrick finished 6 of 11 from the field in his first collegiate game, including 3 of 6 from behind the arc. The school record for points in a debut is 30 by Dontonio Wingfield in 1993. Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson had 28 in his debut.
Power forward Yancy Gates added 15 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out.
Mount St. Mary's (0-2) got rattled by Cincinnati's full-court press, committing 16 turnovers in the first half while falling behind by 19. Gates' pull-up jumper pushed it to 42-21 at the start of the second half.
Cincinnati then fell into a familiar pattern. The Bearcats couldn't make a shot -- they had only seven field goals in the second half while shooting 29 percent from the field -- preventing them from setting up their press. The Bearcats also missed free throws, allowing the Mountaineers to slowly cut into their lead.
Julian Norfleet's 3-pointer from the right wing cut it to 62-58 with 58 seconds to go, drawing groans from the crowd of 4,083. Cincinnati held on by going 7 of 8 from the line the rest of the way.
Shawn Atupem scored 14 for the Mountaineers, who have opened their first season under coach Robert Burke by losing at Dayton 67-52 and at Cincinnati within a three-day span.
Updated November 15, 2010
