Once again, in a game to return to the NCAA tournament radar, the Cincinnati Bearcats had their shot.
Once again, it missed.
In the Big East conference, where the difference between the Villanovas and the Cincinnatis is as thin as Ibrahima Thomas, the 2009-'10 Bearcats can write the book on how to be good but not good enough.
In the box score on Tuesday, the difference was 77-73 in favor of the Wildcats. But, in reality, it was as clear as the stark contrast between the UC red and Villanova white jerseys on the court.
"We could take a little advice, tips from Villanova, they got players that have been there," said Rashad Bishop, who led UC with 19 points. "No matter what happens, they stick together for 40 minutes, they play hard for 40 minutes. Sometimes for us, when shots don't fall, we get down on ourselves and everybody kind of argues a little bit. Once we get that out of our system, we be good."
The time appears to be up for it to get out of their system this year. In the last three games against NCAA tournament-bound opponents the Bearcats lost by three in overtime to Marquette, by six at West Virginia after holding a double-digit lead and now by two against Villanova.
In each game, the Bearcats proved they belonged. In each game, they had their shots.
http://cnati.com/college/good-but-not-good-enough-001414/
Once again, it missed.
In the Big East conference, where the difference between the Villanovas and the Cincinnatis is as thin as Ibrahima Thomas, the 2009-'10 Bearcats can write the book on how to be good but not good enough.
In the box score on Tuesday, the difference was 77-73 in favor of the Wildcats. But, in reality, it was as clear as the stark contrast between the UC red and Villanova white jerseys on the court.
"We could take a little advice, tips from Villanova, they got players that have been there," said Rashad Bishop, who led UC with 19 points. "No matter what happens, they stick together for 40 minutes, they play hard for 40 minutes. Sometimes for us, when shots don't fall, we get down on ourselves and everybody kind of argues a little bit. Once we get that out of our system, we be good."
The time appears to be up for it to get out of their system this year. In the last three games against NCAA tournament-bound opponents the Bearcats lost by three in overtime to Marquette, by six at West Virginia after holding a double-digit lead and now by two against Villanova.
In each game, the Bearcats proved they belonged. In each game, they had their shots.
http://cnati.com/college/good-but-not-good-enough-001414/