2016-2017 Season

[WAITE HOYT 2]

I agree WH. I like our starting 5 much better than last years, but I like our bench and depth less. Although, the further we went into last season, the thinner our bench got. Guys he showed confidence in early were relegated to has-been status later on. I thought Deberry's playing time would increase substantially as a senior, but it didn't. Our bench and depth appeared to be an early season strength and became a liability as the season went on. Some of our starters looked strong on paper before the season, and disappointed in the end. When both the starters and bench ended up disappointing, you have the so-so season that we had. I still think that team was much more talented than it performed.

L-T our bench has JJ, Quadri, Scott, Brooks and either KJ or Cumberland. The only difference from last year is Shaq will be replaced by Scott and Brooks will replace DeBerry.

I think you are going to love Scott. He will at least be a wash with Shaq. Long and athletic. Brooks will have a ways to go to replace DeBerry but I really think the staff will add someone before the season starts. I look for JJ and Quadri to be better suited for their roles then last year.

Confidence is earned in practice and games. If JJ wants to play more he needs to perform better. You don't get minutes for playing bad. You earn them by playing well. I think he will be a more the adequate sub for TC this coming year.

 

[justinhub2003]

Confidence is earned in practice and games. If JJ wants to play more he needs to perform better. You don't get minutes for playing bad. You earn them by playing well. I think he will be a more the adequate sub for TC this coming year.

Exactly. JJ played amazing against the worst teams in college basketball. But when the better teams took the floor, his role was already going to be limited and in those limited minutes, he'd turn the ball over or Foul a 3 point shooter (seriously he had to have down than 2 or 3 times last year). He is far better than he Played but he has to show that he has worth in big games. Not be a liability

 

[Bearcatboy]

One thing this season is for sure jj will play less than 5 minutes a game....

 

[GarradJ21]

Exactly. JJ played amazing against the worst teams in college basketball. But when the better teams took the floor, his role was already going to be limited and in those limited minutes, he'd turn the ball over or Foul a 3 point shooter (seriously he had to have down than 2 or 3 times last year). He is far better than he Played but he has to show that he has worth in big games. Not be a liability

I do remember the ISU game though he played for a minute or so and he got in and attacked and drew a foul on the defense. But yes, he didn't do much in big games. I think he will play better. I hope to see our guards draw more fouls and get to the line or at least get the foul count up. I feel like Cane will do that for us a lot the year after next.

 

[UCBearcats]

Last season was my personal turning point for the coach. He is going to have to raise the bar to another level for my full support/optimism. Of course I will support the players and program all the way and I have optimism because of some of the players we have right now.

I am disappointed we are currently very thin with talent and depth. We should have landed 1 or 2 more recruits. I am optimistic we can be a very good team if we stay healthy but we don't have enough quality depth to compete for very long if someone gets hurt for a while (knock on wood). That is a major mistake IMO if we go into the season this thin.

It's an absolute travesty that he didn't accept the UNLV job.......the energy and hype around this program would be so much better right now if we were talking about next season under a new staff instead of preparing ourselves for another year of excuses and letdowns.

 

[#BearcatNation]

It's an absolute travesty that he didn't accept the UNLV job.......the energy and hype around this program would be so much better right now if we were talking about next season under a new staff instead of preparing ourselves for another year of excuses and letdowns.

Maybe if you personally are controlling the energy and hype, because there are plenty that are glad he's here. But let's not get into that again.

I just don't like to see singular people speak for an entire fanbase.

 

[justinhub2003]

It's an absolute travesty that he didn't accept the UNLV job.......the energy and hype around this program would be so much better right now if we were talking about next season under a new staff instead of preparing ourselves for another year of excuses and letdowns.

Oh come on. Had he left, multiple players could have transferred out as well. Could have been a complete disaster.

 

[waterhead]

One thing this season is for sure jj will play less than 5 minutes a game....

I'll take the over on that. The only other player (Cobb) who ran point behind TC is gone. We are extremely thin on the wing. Just one ankle sprain and he will see significant minutes. At PG he won't get any more than 5 minutes in big games (if everyone is healthy). Troy will go 35+ in big games.

 

[L-T]

Oh come on. Had he left, multiple players could have transferred out as well. Could have been a complete disaster.

Lol, I seriously doubt that a single player would ever transfer if Cronin left. We're not talking about a marquee coach here. 10 years of sub-par recruiting, no championships, and early tournament exits doesn't build a whole lot of player loyalty. I know his small following on sites like this love to overstate his impact, but when you're the first coach in program history to allow Xavier to rule the city, there wouldn't be many fans or players going into depression if he left.

 

[L-T]

It's an absolute travesty that he didn't accept the UNLV job.......the energy and hype around this program would be so much better right now if we were talking about next season under a new staff instead of preparing ourselves for another year of excuses and letdowns.

Yeah, he followed his UNLV "Dog and Pony Show" with a stellar spring recruiting season didn't he? This amazing energy and hype going on right now is difficult to endure. November can't get here soon enough.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

My expectation for the season is compete for conference and tourney titles. Win 23-25 games. Make the NCAA tourney and get a 6 or lower seed.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Maybe if you personally are controlling the energy and hype, because there are plenty that are glad he's here. But let's not get into that again.

I just don't like to see singular people speak for an entire fanbase.

Very nice post.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Lol, I seriously doubt that a single player would ever transfer if Cronin left. We're not talking about a marquee coach here. 10 years of sub-par recruiting, no championships, and early tournament exits doesn't build a whole lot of player loyalty. I know his small following on sites like this love to overstate his impact, but when you're the first coach in program history to allow Xavier to rule the city, there wouldn't be many fans or players going into depression if he left.

and yet he still makes 2.3 mil a year and you attend every game. Your new name should be easy money.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

My expectation for the season is compete for conference and tourney titles. Win 23-25 games. Make the NCAA tourney and get a 6 or lower seed.

Agreed.

 

[jds513]

Agreed.

I would be disappointed with 23 wins. You aren't winning any titles with 23 wins and not getting a 6 seed or lower in this conference with 23 wins.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I would be disappointed with 23 wins. You aren't winning any titles with 23 wins and not getting a 6 seed or lower in this conference with 23 wins.

23 wins on the low end would be a 23-8 record in the regular season. If that's worst case, I could live with that.

 

[L-T]

and yet he still makes 2.3 mil a year and you attend every game. Your new name should be easy money.

I pay my money to support my university, the basketball and football programs, and the student athletes, because I attended the university, I have a degree from the university, all my children have degrees from the university, and my mom was a retiree of the university. The fact that we have a grossly overpaid, underachieving university employee (coach), has absolutely zero impact on my loyalty and love for the school and my support of it, nor does the incompetent administrators who tore the program to shreds and continue to extend this coach for mediocre recruiting and results. I have lasted thru more incompetent coaches than we have now, so this guy certainly won't drive me away.

 

[L-T]

23 wins on the low end would be a 23-8 record in the regular season. If that's worst case, I could live with that.

However many wins it takes to win a conference championship and/or conference tournament championship and earn a seed low enough to avoid a 1/2 seed in the second round, is where my expectations are. We have competed enough for these championships. It's time to finally win some. It's also time to win some NCAA tournament games (plural). Anything less than this is, once again, a disappointment.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

I pay my money to support my university, the basketball and football programs, and the student athletes, because I attended the university, I have a degree from the university, all my children have degrees from the university, and my mom was a retiree of the university. The fact that we have a grossly overpaid, underachieving university employee (coach), has absolutely zero impact on my loyalty and love for the school and my support of it, nor does the incompetent administrators who tore the program to shreds and continue to extend this coach for mediocre recruiting and results. I have lasted thru more incompetent coaches than we have now, so this guy certainly won't drive me away.

Congrats on a great family tradition. But to continue to financially support a product that you say is completely mismanaged from top to bottom is more enabling then support. Why would they change??? A better question is why haven't they changed????

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

I would be disappointed with 23 wins. You aren't winning any titles with 23 wins and not getting a 6 seed or lower in this conference with 23 wins.

4 teams made the dance out of this conference last year. That's not counting SMU who won the league.

This conference is really not the cake walk some think.

current men’s head coaches

School Current Coach Years

Cincinnati Bearcats Mick Cronin 2006-
Connecticut Huskies Kevin Ollie 2012-
East Carolina Pirates Jeff Lebo 2010-
Houston Cougars Kelvin Sampson 2014-
Memphis Tigers Tubby Smith 2016-
SMU Mustangs Larry Brown 2012-
South Florida Bulls Orlando Antigua 2014-
Temple Owls Fran Dunphy 2006-
Tulane Green Wave Mike Dunleavy 2016-
Tulsa Golden Hurricane Frank Haith 2014-
UCF Knights Johnny Dawkins 2016-


That is not a bad group. Its not the Big east but it isn't a dumpster fire either. What remains is how much the lack of being in a P-5 conference will widen the financial gap making it more and more difficult to compete as the years go by.