Butler

[jacobkdoyle]

Game is Wednesday at 7 PM EST. I saw CBS Sports Network as the channel, but didn't Mick say ESPN in his postgame interview?

Butler is 4-1. We all know about the 144 vs Citadel...well Citadel just scored 132 themselves a couple games back. But Butler beat them (144-71), Missouri State (93-59), Temple (74-69), and SIU-Edwardsville (89-73). The loss came to Miami(FL) 85-75.

Roosevelt Jones is averaging 13.2 PPG 8.6 RPG and 5.6 APG. Kellen Dunham is averaging 21.2 PPG and shooting 41% from 3. They are averaging 13.2 Offensive Rebounds per game and 28 FT attempts. I think these 2 stats are key, since we don't foul often and we take pride in our rebounding. My concern is that they'll see we had little interest in pushing pace against Nebraska and GW, so they'll crash the offensive glass instead of worrying so much about getting back. We gotta make it a pick your poison kind of proposition. I don't care about the fast break points as much as keeping them on their heels. We'll see what happens. It'd be great to have a huge crowd. I know Mick likes to emphasize protecting our home court, so we need to come out inspired...I'm assuming that won't be any kind of concern.

Butler 64
UC 71

Our ball movement is crisp, our big guys give the wing guys a nice target, and we band together and get a great win.

 

[TheLivingLegend]

Bearcats better clean up the defensive rotations... They are giving up way to many wide open threes.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Bearcats better clean up the defensive rotations... They are giving up way to many wide open threes.

Yes, definitely agree. It takes away our depth when Mick can't trust the 2nd unit on the defensive end. We have to make them take the contested shots we want them to take, and we have to limit 2nd chance opportunities. Clark is probably going to have to play 35+ minutes. He doesn't typically pick up fouls, so I'm not worried that he'll get 4 again.

 

[Bulldog01]

Yes, definitely agree. It takes away our depth when Mick can't trust the 2nd unit on the defensive end. We have to make them take the contested shots we want them to take, and we have to limit 2nd chance opportunities. Clark is probably going to have to play 35+ minutes. He doesn't typically pick up fouls, so I'm not worried that he'll get 4 again.

Moore needs stay in rotation. Only way he's going to learn is through experience

 

[mdchick]

Moore needs stay in rotation. Only way he's going to learn is through experience

I have no problem with that process if Moore showed a glimpse of promise, but he has never wowed me, he has played ok at times but he is the only player on our team that I've never been considerably impressed with.

If it's a close game against a good team I don't want him in the game. He doesn't understand our defensive philosophy what so ever.

 

[L-T]

I have no problem with that process if Moore showed a glimpse of promise, but he has never wowed me, he has played ok at times but he is the only player on our team that I've never been considerably impressed with.

If it's a close game against a good team I don't want him in the game. He doesn't understand our defensive philosophy what so ever.

Mick is going to him, plus he reshirted a young promising player in favor of Quadri. I suspect that Mick is seeing things a lot differently than you are, which is why he is playing. At the intrasquad scrimmage, he got a lot less playing time than everyone else, so I was thinking we wouldn't be seeing much more of him in this program. But to my surprise, he suddenly is finding decent minutes and I believe he has done pretty well actually. I've gone from expecting nothing out of him to seeing the possibility of him being a decent contributer this year and possibly developing into a significant role the next two seasons.

 

[BCM]

He has at least one game-sinking turnover in him this season. It's not if but when.

 

[L-T]

He has at least one game-sinking turnover in him this season. It's not if but when.

The block he had in the 2nd half on the guy who was going in for the wide open layup was huge. There's just as much of a chance for him to get a big bucket, a great assist (Mick said he's one of the best passers on the team), or a big block ( like yesterday).

 

[L-T]

This is a huge game on national TV. If Quadri and Justin are the high risk components that most in here claim, that should play out one way or the other in this game. I still like the 10 man rotation. Justin had a somewhat rough weekend, but I hope he steps back up to show his value in the games coming up.....the same for Quadri.

 

[Bulldog01]

Mick is going to him, plus he reshirted a young promising player in favor of Quadri. I suspect that Mick is seeing things a lot differently than you are, which is why he is playing. At the intrasquad scrimmage, he got a lot less playing time than everyone else, so I was thinking we wouldn't be seeing much more of him in this program. But to my surprise, he suddenly is finding decent minutes and I believe he has done pretty well actually. I've gone from expecting nothing out of him to seeing the possibility of him being a decent contributer this year and possibly developing into a significant role the next two seasons.

Stop making sense trolling the board

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Moore needs stay in rotation. Only way he's going to learn is through experience

Not sure if we can afford that in the biggest of big games. I agree in general though.

 

[Bulldog01]

Not sure if we can afford that in the biggest of big games. I agree in general though.

You can afford 6-8min of Moore. Just needs stop trying score and focus on rebounds

 

[bearcat8290]

I agree. Those 6-8 minutes for the big men is critical. It gives others the rest they need to finish the game (Ellis and Deberry). Moore simply needs to be productive. Whether that is rebounding, second chance points, passing or shooting.

 

[waterhead]

Bearcats better clean up the defensive rotations... They are giving up way to many wide open threes.

It would be great if we can clean that up a little but it's been an issue for the style of D we play all along. All the rotations and switches we do...it's going to happen here and there but sometimes it happens too much. Bottom line is our D is extremely good in most other aspects. I feel that is one thing we have to live with from time to time to play the style we do. Last game was too many...I agree

 

[TheLongHaul]

I remember Xavier shredding the matchup zone last year forcing UC to go to man-to-man which they were much better at. I wish we'd see more man defense with switches vs the matchup zone we are playing in now. It leads to way to many open 3's and good shooting teams will have a field day with it.

 

[waterhead]

I remember Xavier shredding the matchup zone last year forcing UC to go to man-to-man which they were much better at. I wish we'd see more man defense with switches vs the matchup zone we are playing in now. It leads to way to many open 3's and good shooting teams will have a field day with it.

That may not be a bad idea but we are 4th in the nation in scoring D. Changing things around to fix one glaring issue may not be the best fix. I think we just need to be more aware of it really.

 

[TheLongHaul]

That may not be a bad idea but we are 4th in the nation in scoring D. Changing things around to fix one glaring issue may not be the best fix. I think we just need to be more aware of it really.

I think you also have to look at who we have been playing. But I think it's a good defense to use but would also like to have a pure man defense in the arsenal against teams like Butler and Xavier that are good passing/shooting teams.

 

[justinhub2003]

That may not be a bad idea but we are 4th in the nation in scoring D. Changing things around to fix one glaring issue may not be the best fix. I think we just need to be more aware of it really.

Agreed

Plus, GW was the exception, not the rule. Normally we hold teams to very low 3 point scoring %

I mean Im almost betting it was part of the game plan. You face a team with great bigs who shoot 25% from 3, the game plan is to shut down the bigs and give them the 3 point shot.

If George Washington shot there season average, UC would have won by 20. Just so happens that they had a single good game from 3

 

[cincrulz11]

I mean Im almost betting it was part of the game plan. You face a team with great bigs who shoot 25% from 3, the game plan is to shut down the bigs and give them the 3 point shot.

Exactly. Just like last year they didn't mind Dee Davis shooting 3's, he just happened to have the game of his life. The 3-point defense has always been good with Cronin here.

Gary Clark, Shaq, and Jenifer are 11-23 on the season from 3, would anybody here care if we let any of those 3 shoot wide open 3's all day? Of course not, but weird things can happen in small sample sizes.

 

[UCalum08]

Well you guys know regardless of the stats and what defense we throw at X, someone(s) will have a career day shooting and won't duplicate it again all year. It will piss all of us off and then we go about the rest of the season lol