We waited a long time for Lance Stephenson’s debut, and we’ll need to wait a bit longer to witness Stephenson’s first good performance. The prep standout shot just 2-for-10, grabbed four rebounds and didn’t contribute maybe tangible peripherals (steals, assists, blocks) in 22 minutes of Cincinnati’s 69-62 win over Prairie View A&M on Monday night.

Stephenson’s poor shooting helped contribute to a first-half deficit that stood at 38-30. Cincinnati had just a 37.1 percent eFG in the first half thanks primarily to 15 misses on 3-point shots in the opening 20 minutes. Mick Cronin’s team clamped down on defense in the second half, holding Prairie View to just 24 points thanks to Cincy’s superior size and talent. Yancy Gates and Steve Toyloy combined for 19 rebounds, including eight of teammates’ misses. Cincinnati has to be happy to have the victory, but it wasn’t a fortuitous start for Stephenson or for his coach, both of whom enter crucial seasons in their careers.

This quote from junior Larry Davis has to make Bearcats fans shudder (courtesy the Cincinnati Enquirer): “We didn’t get prepared for the game. We didn’t get prepared for the game. We came out sluggish. We weren’t ready. We were kind of taking the game for granted.”

Whether that’s the coach’s fault or the players’ faults, lackluster efforts have become all too common at Cincinnati. You may not remember, but there was a time last season when Cincinnati had a very good shot to make the NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats were 18-10, 8-7 in conference, with wins over UNLV, UAB, Mississippi State, Georgetown (twice), Notre Dame and West Virginia. Cincinnati’s next four games, including the first game of the Big East Tournament, would be against three teams that would not play in the postseason, plus a trip to Syracuse. Those four games would determine the Bearcats’ fate.

UC lost all four, including a 24-point loss at Syracuse, an 11-point defeat to lowly USF and a 10-point loss to DePaul in the Big East Tournament. The Blue Demons, you may recall, entered that matchup with an 0-18 record in conference. After that embarrassing loss, UC wasn’t even invited to play in the NIT.

Entering the homestretch, Cincy’s offense had shown its first improvements under Cronin, dominating the offensive glass thanks to Gates and Mike Williams. But, in the season-ending losses to Seton Hall and DePaul, the shooting just couldn’t maintain a passable proficiency, and Cincy reverted to playing brickball.

Enter Stephenson. With his strength for a guard, Stephenson was supposed to bring Cincinnati added firepower to complement Deonta Vaughn at guard and Gates down low. Stephenson’s ability to get to the rim and draw contact would help improve the Bearcats’s woeful free-throw rate (among Big East teams, only Notre Dame got to the line less often last season) and limit their dependence on the 3-pointer, which they had taken too many of last year for a team lacking many good shooters.

One game is not a decisive sample, but it’s pretty clear that Stephenson’s impact will not be immediate. He may eventually be the player we’ve been waiting for, giving Cincinnati an explosive presence on the wing that UC has lacked since James White’s departure. But, until then, expect many more nights with low-shooting percentages, mediocre offenses and far too much dependence on Deonta Vaughn. I guess some things don’t change.