10 games left

[JasonS]

The offense was good with Jackson up until Syracuse realized he is a pass only player. If you recall Boeheim called a timeout midway through the second half and then after Jackson was pretty much a non-factor. You know that Boeheim told him players to quit closing in on Jackson and that is exactly what they did.

But in a unintentional way I think you guys are proving my point. You all think he played one of his best games last night. So if his best game was 27 minutes, 2-7 shooting, 4 points, 2 rebounds, 4 turnovers, 1 block, and 3 assists and you all think that was great, I guess we just have different expectations.

I never claimed he was great either. You should stop putting words in people's mouths and actually read what they wrote. My point was that the offense was at it's best last night with Jackson on the floor. When he came out of the game, the offense became stagnant. There is no other player on this roster right now that can play the high post well enough to attack a zone. I wish Jackson looked to shoot that 15 footer a little more often to force the zone to collapse on him a bit more but no one else can play that spot and that is why this team will struggle against a zone with the length of Syracuse's. There are two ways to beat a zone. Dribble drive to the middle or pass to the high post. The length of the Syracuse zone makes it hard to be effective with a dribble drive. It is hard to make the pass out of there or get a shot off without it being blocked or affected. Gates isn't dynamic enough to play the high post. You need the ball to get into the high post and move quickly to force the zone to move and get it out of position. Gates can't do that. Cheik can't do that. Gaines can't do that. Parker is too small to do that against the Syracuse zone. It's not really the spot for SK either. Jackson is really the only option there. And it was obvious when he was in the game, especially early in the second half.

 

[Amberlycolonel]

The Bearcats are going to have to crack the top 60 in RPI to get in to the tourney. No doubt about it. They have 4 games left which will help them achieve that goal in Marquette (twice), Louisville, and Seton Hall. Win 3 of those four, not lose to the others who are all below the 100 threshold, and we can squeak in. A single loss to the poor is that final nail however. Does not look good IMO. We will see.

 

[bearcat jeff]

I never claimed he was great either. You should stop putting words in people's mouths and actually read what they wrote. My point was that the offense was at it's best last night with Jackson on the floor. When he came out of the game, the offense became stagnant. There is no other player on this roster right now that can play the high post well enough to attack a zone. I wish Jackson looked to shoot that 15 footer a little more often to force the zone to collapse on him a bit more but no one else can play that spot and that is why this team will struggle against a zone with the length of Syracuse's. There are two ways to beat a zone. Dribble drive to the middle or pass to the high post. The length of the Syracuse zone makes it hard to be effective with a dribble drive. It is hard to make the pass out of there or get a shot off without it being blocked or affected. Gates isn't dynamic enough to play the high post. You need the ball to get into the high post and move quickly to force the zone to move and get it out of position. Gates can't do that. Cheik can't do that. Gaines can't do that. Parker is too small to do that against the Syracuse zone. It's not really the spot for SK either. Jackson is really the only option there. And it was obvious when he was in the game, especially early in the second half.

I'm out of town and didn't see the game but followed it on my computer. Sanders had 2 assists in the game I believe and I think last night was the kind of game he could have helped in. He can shoot the midrange shot. Jackson has to finish plays. You can't get next to nothing out of Dixon and Jackson and beat top teams and you certainly can't have your bench give you zilch. That was part of the problem early in the season. Jackson fouls to often and turns the ball over needlessly too much. Kilpatrick outrebounded him.

Jackson gives good energy but imo he is a guy that should play in spurts in both halves. Thomas would have been so valuable to this team this season. He would have given them a guy off the bench who could have attacked and scored.

That said there is no way this team is left out of the tournament if they win 11 big east games. People put them on the bubble last season and they were a 6th seed which means there was no danger of being left out. But they have to close games. They should have won Saturday and they should have won yesterday but quit playing defense the last 10 minutes. Cash is getting smoked at the point defensively. He has to step it up or Mick has to look at bringing him off the bench. He doesn't seem to be able to consistently stay between his man and the basket. He gets some steals and runs the point ok but his defense has been horrible.

 

[JasonS]

The Bearcats are going to have to crack the top 60 in RPI to get in to the tourney. No doubt about it. They have 4 games left which will help them achieve that goal in Marquette (twice), Louisville, and Seton Hall. Win 3 of those four, not lose to the others who are all below the 100 threshold, and we can squeak in. A single loss to the poor is that final nail however. Does not look good IMO. We will see.

Squeak in? Really? Mike Decourcy today said that he thinks UC is no doubt a tourney team. He doesn't even think it is close. He admitted that the RPI doesn't help but also pointed out that their RPI will continue to improve to respectability.

The fact is that I have seen several bracket experts that have UC as a 9 seed or better right now. That is not squeaking in. Yes, UC needs to continue to win, but so do every other team. Things DO look good and this team will be dancing in March. Mark it down.

 

[TheLongHaul]

I never claimed he was great either. You should stop putting words in people's mouths and actually read what they wrote. My point was that the offense was at it's best last night with Jackson on the floor. When he came out of the game, the offense became stagnant. There is no other player on this roster right now that can play the high post well enough to attack a zone. I wish Jackson looked to shoot that 15 footer a little more often to force the zone to collapse on him a bit more but no one else can play that spot and that is why this team will struggle against a zone with the length of Syracuse's. There are two ways to beat a zone. Dribble drive to the middle or pass to the high post. The length of the Syracuse zone makes it hard to be effective with a dribble drive. It is hard to make the pass out of there or get a shot off without it being blocked or affected. Gates isn't dynamic enough to play the high post. You need the ball to get into the high post and move quickly to force the zone to move and get it out of position. Gates can't do that. Cheik can't do that. Gaines can't do that. Parker is too small to do that against the Syracuse zone. It's not really the spot for SK either. Jackson is really the only option there. And it was obvious when he was in the game, especially early in the second half.

And you should learn what hyperbole is. One person said it was one of his best games and another said he is playing the best he has ever seen of him. Sorry you took me literally when I said you all. I'll clarify next time that I didn't in fact mean every poster on this board.

But you aren't the only one that wishes he would take the 15 footer more often. Every defense they have faced wishes the same thing. I'd be okay with his complete lack of offense if he was good on defense. But he really isn't. His shot blocking isn't that great since BE play and his rebounding isn't good. Zero defensive rebounds in 27 minutes? He really needs to learn how to rebound. If he can play defense, rebound, and get some offensive rebounds he could be effective.

 

[bearcat jeff]

Jackson played 27 minutes with 4 points, 2 rebounds and 4 turnovers. He did have 3 assists but Sanders had 2 in 5 minutes. Dixon had 5 points and 5 reb in 35 minutes. Thats 9 points and 7 reb in 62 player minutes between DD and JJ. Parker, Kilpatrick and Dixon all outrebounded Jackson and Cash equalled Jacksons total. That's unacceptable. The bench gave them 3 points and 5 rebounds in 43 player minutes.

 

[TheLongHaul]

Squeak in? Really? Mike Decourcy today said that he thinks UC is no doubt a tourney team. He doesn't even think it is close. He admitted that the RPI doesn't help but also pointed out that their RPI will continue to improve to respectability.

The fact is that I have seen several bracket experts that have UC as a 9 seed or better right now. That is not squeaking in. Yes, UC needs to continue to win, but so do every other team. Things DO look good and this team will be dancing in March. Mark it down.

And Jerry Palm has UC out. I think UC gets in but they have a loonnnggg way to go. If they finish strong they could get a very good seed but if they don't finish strong they could be left out. Their rpi is miserable and whether you want to admit it or not, it's going to hurt them. It's at 93 right now and there is no way a team with an rpi close to that will get in w/o winning their conf. tournament.

 

[JasonS]

And Jerry Palm has UC out. I think UC gets in but they have a loonnnggg way to go. If they finish strong they could get a very good seed but if they don't finish strong they could be left out. Their rpi is miserable and whether you want to admit it or not, it's going to hurt them. It's at 93 right now and there is no way a team with an rpi close to that will get in w/o winning their conf. tournament.

Their RPI will be much better than 93 when this season ends. I predict it will be somewhere around 50 or 55. UC has to take care of the games like Rutgers and Depaul and everything should take care of itself. I have never paid much attention to Jerry Palm.

 

[UCBearcats]

Squeak in? Really? Mike Decourcy today said that he thinks UC is no doubt a tourney team. He doesn't even think it is close. He admitted that the RPI doesn't help but also pointed out that their RPI will continue to improve to respectability.

The fact is that I have seen several bracket experts that have UC as a 9 seed or better right now. That is not squeaking in. Yes, UC needs to continue to win, but so do every other team. Things DO look good and this team will be dancing in March. Mark it down.

Mike Decourcey is an a$$-hat

 

[the_one_32]

I think 6-4 rest of the schedule and 2 wins in BEast tourney gets us in. This team has the chance to make a deep run in March as long as the D stays consistant and we hit the 3's regularly.

 

[JasonS]

Mike Decourcey is an a$$-hat

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, even when it is wrong.

 

[waterhead]

We need SK healthy. Its evident he is being hampered by this injury. To help make up for it, Dixon is trying to do too much.

On the flip side, Cashmere and Justin Jackson are playing the best I've ever seen them play. We're going to need a lot more of that.

Its as simple as this:

Protect your home court and try to go win a couple on the road.

Providence, Seton Hall, Depaul, Marquette, and Louisville are must wins.

Win 2/5 on the road (At StJ, At Nova come to mind as the least difficult) and we're looking at a record of

22-9.

We have one game within a period of a week and a half. If SK isn't ready after that he may not be all season.

That being said. 6-4 with a little help (say 1-2 wins in BE tourney) or 7-3 straight up gets us in.

 

[waterhead]

We have one game within a period of a week and a half. If SK isn't ready after that he may not be all season.

That being said. 6-4 with a little help (say 1-2 wins in BE tourney) or 7-3 straight up gets us in.

I know this is a new season and that last year's "experiment" with 11 Big East teams didn't go well but...BUT...I would be shocked if the difference from one year to the next was 9-9 gets in vs 11-7 is not in.

I agree that 12-6 is a lock. I think 11-7 is basically a lock too. Has a Big East team ever been left out at 11-7 or with a similar win %? I do think 10-8 is probably going to be out this year...unless it's a team with a GREAT SOS...which of course is not UC.