Cincinnati's Cronin has Bearcats on rise

[cincycpaw]

Jeff, you told me at the beginning of the year that this team was going to be much better. Now you are saying the talent level has hit their veiling and this is as good as they can be? Which is it?

You seem to have some great basketball knowledge, but I think you put to much faith in this team and mick.

 

[swg]

I think it's apparent to me at least that this team is what it is.

Cronin hasn't done a bang up job on player development. Maybe it's on his coaches, or even on the players themselves as well.
Biggie is finally playing like we thought he would last year....contributing.
Bishop and Dixon started out solid, but both can disappear..along with Gates.
Cash has been around for awhile, and still the offense doesn't flow well.

I think the team has talent, but like Jeff says...this may be as good as it gets.

 

[bearcat jeff]

Cpaw I stand squarely behind what I said about this team. With 7 games and the post season left they have equalled their win total of last year. Predicted 22 - 23 wins and they are right on target to do so. Said they'd have a shot at the NCAA and they are in good position to do so.

As far as talent, this team has 5 seniors. They will have moments or a run of games where they will play really well but by and large they are what they are. We're not waking up tomorrow and finding Larry Davis is Michael Jordan.

My faith in the team so far is right on. Don't see how you or anyone else can argue that. They've done everything I said they would. Mick is another matter.

After last season I said a change would be good. Mick hasn't demonstrated he can raise his teams consistently above their talent level to compete with better teams. I respect the many good things he has done and the truth is the program would be better off if he is successful and doesn't need to start over. Mick is a subject I won't get into while the team is playing. I'm not going to be part of that distraction. I support this program so I support him. I have been critical of his game planning and will continue to do so when warranted. The rest will wait till after the season.

 

[cincycpaw]

The Pre conference schedule was so bad, they were bound to win more games. Lets see rhett improvement in the conference record. Gotta beat st. johhns since they now own a great win...one that we currently lack. Still opportunities out there though.

 

[psax889906]

The Pre conference schedule was so bad, they were bound to win more games. Lets see rhett improvement in the conference record. Gotta beat st. johhns since they now own a great win...one that we currently lack. Still opportunities out there though.

Since they now own a great win? They beat Duke two weeks ago. They beat Georgetown. St. John's has multiple signature wins. They also have two VERY bad losses. They are a different team away from home and hopefully that shows through Sunday.

 

[rallie25]

Mick first couple of teams played hard but didn't have the talent to beat the real good Beast teams! IMO I think the recruitment of Yancy is killing Mick! To be the building block of this program is scary! His lack of desire out there seems to kill the other guys! I believe if we had some other big man beside Gates this team would look better! I really think Mick can coach but his players don't seem to have any Basketball IQ! Stuff they should have learned in High School! IMO he needs better players then I can make a judgement call on his coaching!

 

[psax889906]

Mick first couple of teams played hard but didn't have the talent to beat the real good Beast teams! IMO I think the recruitment of Yancy is killing Mick! To be the building block of this program is scary! His lack of desire out there seems to kill the other guys! I believe if we had some other big man beside Gates this team would look better! I really think Mick can coach but his players don't seem to have any Basketball IQ! Stuff they should have learned in High School! IMO he needs better players then I can make a judgement call on his coaching!

It's a process. If all of what you say is true it should be a testament to Mick then when this team ends up earning an NCAA bid.

 

[rallie25]

You are right! It just kills me we have guy with so much potential and doesn't seem to try! I see guys with less ability and height give it thier all out on the court! I just want Gates to figure it out! I love UC and want them to do well!

 

[vielhaber]

You are right! It just kills me we have guy with so much potential and doesn't seem to try! I see guys with less ability and height give it thier all out on the court! I just want Gates to figure it out! I love UC and want them to do well!

Do you end every sentence with an exclamation point?

 

[psax889906]

You are right! It just kills me we have guy with so much potential and doesn't seem to try! I see guys with less ability and height give it thier all out on the court! I just want Gates to figure it out! I love UC and want them to do well!

We all get frustrated by Yancy, that's for sure. You'd hope passionate play from guys like JJ would rub off on him, but it hasn't seemed to as of yet.

 

[cincycpaw]

Since they now own a great win? They beat Duke two weeks ago. They beat Georgetown. St. John's has multiple signature wins. They also have two VERY bad losses. They are a different team away from home and hopefully that shows through Sunday.

Yeah, I many some great wins, just highlighting the most recent. It worries me that wr can't beat these teams

 

[psax889906]

Yeah, I many some great wins, just highlighting the most recent. It worries me that wr can't beat these teams

UC will get it's opportunities for signature wins in the next two weeks. It all starts Sunday though. Beat St. John's again and things are looking great.

 

[bearcat jeff]

The Pre conference schedule was so bad, they were bound to win more games. Lets see rhett improvement in the conference record. Gotta beat st. johhns since they now own a great win...one that we currently lack. Still opportunities out there though.

Buddy the schedule is the schedule. The players can't help that. Everyone thought Dayton would be better. Oklahoma's program issues made them replacing the Duke game UC was suppose to play worse. The Xavier win looks better. Realistically, if Dayton had lived up to expectations and the Duke game didn't get nixed that would have given us three solid games in non conference. As it stands Dayton, Xavier and Miami are all top 100 non conf games at 62, 22, and 100 respectfully.Wright State sits just outside the top 100 at 102 and Oklahoma is at 121. It's the other games that have drug them down. St. Johns now has 4 top 25 wins and yes it is a huge game.

 

[BearcatAlum1]

Buddy the schedule is the schedule. The players can't help that. Everyone thought Dayton would be better. Oklahoma's program issues made them replacing the Duke game UC was suppose to play worse. The Xavier win looks better. Realistically, if Dayton had lived up to expectations and the Duke game didn't get nixed that would have given us three solid games in non conference. As it stands Dayton, Xavier and Miami are all top 100 non conf games at 62, 22, and 100 respectfully.Wright State sits just outside the top 100 at 102 and Oklahoma is at 121. It's the other games that have drug them down. St. Johns now has 4 top 25 wins and yes it is a huge game.

Agreed.

It's not the lack of playing a "Duke" or "Kansas" that is hurting us....it's the fact that we have so many games against RPI 200 and 250+ teams. That kills our numbers and makes them look much worse than they really are, IMO. There is not much difference between an team with RPI of 165 and a team with 265........besides the #s. And, the #s make a big deal in our RPI and SOS "right now."

It's not that our OOC was so easy, but that it should have been "slightly" harder. We would still be overwhelming teams, but our #s would look better.

 

[psax889906]

Agreed.

It's not the lack of playing a "Duke" or "Kansas" that is hurting us....it's the fact that we have so many games against RPI 200 and 250+ teams. That kills our numbers and makes them look much worse than they really are, IMO. There is not much difference between an team with RPI of 165 and a team with 265........besides the #s. And, the #s make a big deal in our RPI and SOS "right now."

It's not that our OOC was so easy, but that it should have been "slightly" harder. We would still be overwhelming teams, but our #s would look better.

Hopefully things are being done to make sure this issue doesn't happen in the future. We need to load up on MAC and Horizon league teams and leave the SWAC teams at the door.

I'd love to see them schedule a 2 for 1 with Butler. Don't know that it would ever happen but it would be a fun series.

 

[ralph1950]

I will have a talk with Mick and explain RPI math to him. 50% of the RPI is your opponent's won loss record. Non conference you want to schedule the best team in the SWAC, the best team in MEAC, the best team in the Atlantic Sun, etc., etc., etc. When these type teams complete their conference seasons they end up being about 20-10 for a winning 66.6%. Really helps your RPI. You want to avoid the best team in the MAC, Horizon, etc. the better non BCS Conferences because they may be good enough to beat you.

 

[psax889906]

I will have a talk with Mick and explain RPI math to him. 50% of the RPI is your opponent's won loss record. Non conference you want to schedule the best team in the SWAC, the best team in MEAC, the best team in the Atlantic Sun, etc., etc., etc. When these type teams complete their conference seasons they end up being about 20-10 for a winning 66.6%. Really helps your RPI. You want to avoid the best team in the MAC, Horizon, etc. the better non BCS Conferences because they may be good enough to beat you.

Problem is scheduling in the future it's near impossible to tell which teams from those conferences will be the best. Teams like Miami from the MAC are always a safe bet because they'll pick up a dozen or more wins and they'll always play an extremely challenging schedule.

 

[cincycpaw]

Buddy the schedule is the schedule. The players can't help that. Everyone thought Dayton would be better. Oklahoma's program issues made them replacing the Duke game UC was suppose to play worse. The Xavier win looks better. Realistically, if Dayton had lived up to expectations and the Duke game didn't get nixed that would have given us three solid games in non conference. As it stands Dayton, Xavier and Miami are all top 100 non conf games at 62, 22, and 100 respectfully.Wright State sits just outside the top 100 at 102 and Oklahoma is at 121. It's the other games that have drug them down. St. Johns now has 4 top 25 wins and yes it is a huge game.

Realistically, they can't beat the top teams in the Big East.

 

[Juliepitzer]

I am so tired of the OOC debate. RPI, rankings, whatever. The OOC must prepare your team for the grind of the Big East and scheduling such horrid teams early on hurt this team in a very obvious way. Xavier I will agree with. Quality team. But Dayton NIT last season and Oklahoma were expected to have average years at best. The OOC DID NOT prepare this team for Big East play. Plain and simple.

 

[bearcat jeff]

I am so tired of the OOC debate. RPI, rankings, whatever. The OOC must prepare your team for the grind of the Big East and scheduling such horrid teams early on hurt this team in a very obvious way. Xavier I will agree with. Quality team. But Dayton NIT last season and Oklahoma were expected to have average years at best. The OOC DID NOT prepare this team for Big East play. Plain and simple.

One thing I've seen with consistency from you is that you bash the program and Cronin in particular and you support the past and defend it at every opportunity. You remind me of some posters that say they are UC fans but hope that Mick Cronin fails. You may not be that person, but that is certainly the image you project to me.

There IS no OOC debate. It is what it is. I'm tired of it too. They played the games and they won them. Last season they played a good OOC and what did that do for them in conference? Some second guess everything this coach does. I'm curious how many D1 college games they've won? Wonder if they've ever taken a team to the NCAA? If he said he ate eggs for breakfast some would say they'd win if he had toast. Let's remember, they beat Xavier by the same margin of victory they beat everyone else by. One more time let's not forget that the Big East as a whole ate the OOC alive and yet there are a total of 7 teams with 5 or 6 losses. Can we for once act like knowledgeable basketball fans and recognize the depth and strength of this conference and leave all the other BS out of it?