Hoard On WVU Loss

[bearcat jeff]

Those are okay wins. I couldn't care less what the rpi says about them right now. SJU will most likely will be on the bubble come March and XU will be in because the A10 is so pathetic. Xavier is nothing special. So as of right now UC has 18 wins with possibly two being NCAA tournament teams. So you can all talk about how they have a great record and have more wins than last year but you know as well as I do that it is just smoke and mirrors.

UC still has a great chance to prove themselves with their upcoming games. I just hope they don't fall flat on their face. Is anyone really 100% optimistic that they will make the tournament? I'm not.

Nothing is 100% but yes I'm optimistic. 7-4 against the top 100 rpi isn't too bad LongHaul. Since it is a tool used on Selection Sunday it is relevant. Their record is what it is. What you fail to accept is this is a year of parity. That will help this team. I would much rather err on the side of optimism than the side of pessimism. Nobody knows what a month will bring but the reality is as of right now they are in position to play in the NT with an rpi of 41 and a 7-4 record against top 100 teams. You may not like it but that is the reality. If I remember right you were one that thought that they wouldn't be very good this season. Fact is they are 18-4 with 3 road losses. Again, you may not like it but all losses are to top 20 rpi teams and that WILL be considered. Not much chance of a win Saturday but with key games at home they are in great position. Again, like it or not.

 

[TheLongHaul]

Nothing is 100% but yes I'm optimistic. 7-4 against the top 100 rpi isn't too bad LongHaul. Since it is a tool used on Selection Sunday it is relevant. Their record is what it is. What you fail to accept is this is a year of parity. That will help this team. I would much rather err on the side of optimism than the side of pessimism. Nobody knows what a month will bring but the reality is as of right now they are in position to play in the NT with an rpi of 41 and a 7-4 record against top 100 teams. You may not like it but that is the reality. If I remember right you were one that thought that they wouldn't be very good this season. Fact is they are 18-4 with 3 road losses. Again, you may not like it but all losses are to top 20 rpi teams and that WILL be considered. Not much chance of a win Saturday but with key games at home they are in great position. Again, like it or not.

The problem is all you have to go on which is obvious in your post is the rpi. Sure the selection committee looks at that but it isn't their highest priority. They also look at your OOC schedule which is horrendous. They also look at tournament teams that you've beaten. Right now UC has at most 2.

You can keep saying the fact is they are 18-4, but it's almost like you completely ignore the fact that they've gotten all but two wins playing extremely weak competition.

I still hope they prove me wrong. Luckily SJU couldn't hit a FT or I think UC would surely be in the NIT this year but I'll take luck any day of the weak. But after how they have played of late, especially against WVU at home, I don't have confidence that they can beat Pitt, Georgetown, UL, Marquette, etc.

ps - I thought they'd be good this year, not very good. I believe it was you that thought they'd be very good this year and Kilpatrick would be starting by now. Don't think either of those are true. I actually think they are underachieving for my expectations, but I also didn't buy into the argument that this team would be so much better w/o it's top two scorers leaving.

 

[MDW79]

Personally, this team just doesn't pass the eye ball test. I don't think they've looked good since Xavier. I have no problems with those 4 losses, but only with how they looked in doing so. They looked outmatched in all of those games, and none of them were really all that close going into the final stretch.

Take them for what they're worth (probably nothing) but here's my biggest concerns.

-No go to player
-Poor FT shooting team
-Low post play has been week. We have little depth/other options here.
-Team does not get to the line enough
-Lack of halfcourt offense produces a lot of 3's and 15 ft and out jumpers. This leaves you at the mercy of if you're "on" or not. We lack shooters.
-Long scoring droughts
-Rebounding out of the post has been lacking as of late
-5 of last 9 games are against ranked teams
-5 of last 9 games are on the road
-For whatever reason, team has struggled in years past come Feb. I'm not sure history will repeat, but it is a concern

We definitely have a chance to get in, no doubt. But I do think people being skeptical is valid. As much as 18-4 is great, and that we won all the games we should, we really only have 2 quality wins. And neither of those are actually that great. (I'll take them, don't confuse the two. But neither are ranked is all I'm saying)

We'll see, I really hope I'm wrong about this group...

 

[JasonS]

From Lance McAlister's Blog:

Random look at Top 25 RPI wins
4-UConn, Pitt, Notre Dame, St John's
3-Marquette, Ohio State, Kentucky, Louisville, Texas, Minnesota
2- Cincinnati, BYU, Georgetown, West Virginia, Syracuse, Villanova, Michigan St
1-Kansas, Purdue
0-Duke, San Diego St, Xavier, Arizona

People can complain about UC's schedule all they want but UC has two more Top 25 RPI wins than Duke and one more than Kansas. Does that mean they are better than Duke or Kansas? Of course not but it is interesting nonetheless.

 

[bearcat jeff]

First of all I said they will be much better than most people think and they are. I believe I also said they have a shot at 22 wins which they do. I also said they'd be better than last year. Imo they are.

I know all the criteria it takes to get in the tournament. Every projection I've seen has them currently in. Say what you want but there are little to no teams ever left out sitting at 41 or better.

SOS means a lot if you play in the A10 and can't get quality in league wins. In this conference you have that opportunity. If UC finishes with wins over SJU, Xavier, Louisville and G'town with no bad loses they are in. Your assumption is they won't get these wins. Mine is they can.

You say if St. Johns had made free throws they wouldn't have won. That is lame. In any loss you can say if this or that didn't happen. Fact is sh!t does happen. It's part of the game.

This is very typical glass half empty Cincinnati sports fan speak. They can't appreciate where they sit if it isn't perfect. They may not make it. Time will tell. The fact is they have a legitimate shot and are sitting good at this point in time. That my friends is a stone cold fact!

 

[bearcat jeff]

Personally, this team just doesn't pass the eye ball test. I don't
think they've looked good since Xavier. I have no problems with those 4 losses, but only with how they looked in doing so. They looked outmatched in all of those games, and none of them were really all that close going into the final stretch.

Take them for what they're worth (probably nothing) but here's my biggest concerns.

-No go to player
-Poor FT shooting team
-Low post play has been week. We have little depth/other options here.
-Team does not get to the line enough
-Lack of halfcourt offense produces a lot of 3's and 15 ft and out jumpers. This leaves you at the mercy of if you're "on" or not. We lack shooters.
-Long scoring droughts
-Rebounding out of the post has been lacking as of late
-5 of last 9 games are against ranked teams
-5 of last 9 games are on the road
-For whatever reason, team has struggled in years past come Feb. I'm not sure history will repeat, but it is a concern

We definitely have a chance to get in, no doubt. But I do think people being skeptical is valid. As much as 18-4 is great, and that we won all the games we should, we really only have 2 quality wins. And neither of those are actually that great. (I'll take them, don't confuse the two. But neither are ranked is all I'm saying)

We'll see, I really hope I'm wrong about this group...

Did Syracuse pass your eye test in their 4 straight losses? Every team goes thru it. How about Villanova losing 2 of 3? How'd they look shooting in the upper 30%s?

 

[bearcat jeff]

The problem is all you have to go on which is obvious in your post is the rpi. Sure the selection committee looks at that but it isn't their highest priority. They also look at your OOC schedule which is horrendous. They also look at tournament teams that you've beaten. Right now UC has at most 2.

You can keep saying the fact is they are 18-4, but it's almost like you completely ignore the fact that they've gotten all but two wins playing extremely weak competition.

I still hope they prove me wrong. Luckily SJU couldn't hit a FT or I think UC would surely be in the NIT this year but I'll take luck any day of the weak. But after how they have played of late, especially against WVU at home, I don't have confidence that they can beat Pitt, Georgetown, UL, Marquette, etc.

ps - I thought they'd be good this year, not very good. I believe it was you that thought they'd be very good this year and Kilpatrick would be starting by now. Don't think either of those are true. I actually think they are underachieving for my expectations, but I also didn't buy into the argument that this team would be so much better w/o it's top two scorers leaving.

Undreachieving to you? You thought they'd be better than 18-4? I'm calling bullshit!!

 

[MDW79]

I'm not sure what the harm is in someone bringing to attention that if St. Johns hadn't shot so poor from the line that they would have most likely won.

I heard not only our own coach, but just about all of us, say the same thing about our team last year. (That if we would have shot better from the line we could have won 3 or so more games)

If it's a vaild point, it's vaild point. And I think it is. St. Johns sent a 90% shooter to line to seal the game, and he uncharistically missed. This was on top of already horrible team FT performance. That's what I happened. We got the win, but they gave it away. And I think we probably all breathed a sigh of relief afterwards.

Again, I don't get how one can say we may have won more last year, had we made more FT's but dispute the fact another team would have won had they made more FT's. Isn't it the same argument?

I guess it really doesn't matter. Like I said the other day, IMO this is anywhere from the 7th to 12th best BE team. I really hope they can finish strong enough where that number is closer to 7 than 12. We have to beat Depaul, St. Johns and Providence, and steal a couple more. (Will be the underdog in the other 6 games.) It can be done, just need our defense and rebounding to be stronger and hope we hit some open shots. It's that simple.

 

[MDW79]

Did Syracuse pass your eye test in their 4 straight losses? Every team goes thru it. How about Villanova losing 2 of 3? How'd they look shooting in the upper 30%s?

Acually, yes. They both look like much better teams to me. (I did not see all of their losses but have seen them play numerous times) Also, please do not assume I am forming my opinion only on a "stretch of games" I would give you the benefit of the doubt in weighing everything, would you please give me the same?

Jeff, why are you taking this so personally? I simply stated my opinion, and the only person who ever quoted you was LongHaul. I'm not being rude, but you sound very upset.

I stand by what I wrote, or i wouldn't have said it. I'm not picking fights, and I'm not being negative. I just don't see a very good team right now. And I haven't since Xavier. Prior to that, I hadn't seen the competition to really gauge where we were in terms of potential BE success. Now that I've seen 9 games, I think the likelyhood of finishing with a winning record is a long shot.

Just my opinion as of today. And my opinion could change. Heck, this team could come out on Sat and make me do a 180.

 

[TheLongHaul]

First of all I said they will be much better than most people think and they are. I believe I also said they have a shot at 22 wins which they do. I also said they'd be better than last year. Imo they are.

Oh there is a brilliant prediction. Find me what "most people" thought will you?

So far I haven't seen much that has them better than last year.

I know all the criteria it takes to get in the tournament. Every projection I've seen has them currently in. Say what you want but there are little to no teams ever left out sitting at 41 or better.

They do have them in as of NOW. UC still has a lot of games left against good teams. So far they have underperformed against good teams. They've gotten beat pretty badly by SU, Villanova, and ND in addition to double digits loss to WVU. They haven't proven they can beat any really good teams. They've beaten two average teams so far.

SOS means a lot if you play in the A10 and can't get quality in league wins. In this conference you have that opportunity. If UC finishes with wins over SJU, Xavier, Louisville and G'town with no bad loses they are in. Your assumption is they won't get these wins. Mine is they can.

And that's fine you assume that. I can't after watching them play recently.

You say if St. Johns had made free throws they wouldn't have won. That is lame. In any loss you can say if this or that didn't happen. Fact is sh!t does happen. It's part of the game.

Call it lame if you want but it's the truth and I'm damn sure you supported UC in years past where they would have won if they would have just made clutch FT's. Even so, it isn't lame considering how they played. They won that game but I don't expect SJU or any other team for that matter, to miss that many FT's the next time they play UC.

This is very typical glass half empty Cincinnati sports fan speak. They can't appreciate where they sit if it isn't perfect. They may not make it. Time will tell. The fact is they have a legitimate shot and are sitting good at this point in time. That my friends is a stone cold fact!

Actually I'm a half full type of guy and I've been supporting Cronin this whole time and still do but I can at least take my rose colored glasses off every now and then. They are sitting good right now because they haven't played anyone yet. Or at least the good teams they have played they have gotten smacked by them.

Stone cold fact? Ha, that's a good one.

 

[TheLongHaul]

Undreachieving to you? You thought they'd be better than 18-4? I'm calling bullshit!!

You can call it whatever you'd like. The only decent OOC game I thought they might lose is is Xavier. I thought they would take at least one from Syracuse, Villanova, or ND. They lost all three. I thought they should sweep SJU and I thought they should have crushed WVU. They lost. So yes, not only are they underachieving in the results, they are underachieving in how I thought they would actually play. Their offense is pathetic, their defense is too slow to pressure anyone without fouling and their rebounding against good teams has been very suspect.

 

[bearcat jeff]

I agree about the rebounding. I'd like you to show me where you ever said you thought they'd be 20-2 after 22 games. Sorry I just don't believe that.

 

[MDW79]

The one thing I'll really be looking for is if any one player seems to step up more than the others these next few games. I think some of the hot/cold performances we've had, and not having a go to player, is what causes this team to go on long scoring droughts. IMO, this has been a problem for quite some time.

I also think the shot selection in the 2nd half put on full display, that we need a player that can get you a score in crunch time, but more importantly calm the troops. Someone that they know they can get the ball too. Instead, what you're seeing is our 4 headed monster all just heaving 3's when times get tough. It seems to me, they just settle for 3's rather than getting the ball in the right hands.

Dixon, Wright, Kilpatrick, Bishop can all have big games, but they can all put up some turds too. I really think the key to this final stretch is one of these guys stepping up. Personally, I think it has to be Wright too. And his shot falling Sat was encouraging.

 

[lumberjack]

Does anyone else get tired of hearing these types of things from Mick? It always seems like there is some sort of an excuse or comment made to try to rationalize a loss. Who cares if three other teams in the league lost? What does that have to do with us losing to WVU??

Yes , it's been going on since he has been here. That is why he is a failure as a coach. His players do not get the message. The team is soft. Never fear, his time is soon coming to an end. Two years too late. A good coach will get more out of this talent. You saw it on Saturday night by the other coach.

 

[lumberjack]

7-11 8-10 at best. prove me wrong

 

[TheLongHaul]

I agree about the rebounding. I'd like you to show me where you ever said you thought they'd be 20-2 after 22 games. Sorry I just don't believe that.

So you disagree about the offense? Because I do believe you were pretty sure their offense would be good this year.

Don't believe I gave a win/loss prediction, especially for 22 games in. But you can look if you feel like it. More importantly, I thought they'd be playing much better than they are. I didn't expect them to be down by somewhere around 20 points to Syracuse, ND, and Villanova. Doesn't give me much confidence that they can beat good teams. But you can keep pointing to SJU and Xavier as proof that this team is very good if you want. I'll believe it when they beat UConn, Georgetown, or some other good teams. I really, really hope they do.

 

[BoKnows]

7-11 8-10 at best. prove me wrong

Well since the Bearcats have only played half of their conference games, it might be difficult to "prove you wrong" at this time.

 

[TheLongHaul]

Well since the Bearcats have only played half of their conference games, it might be difficult to "prove you wrong" at this time.

Apparently Bo don't Know that he was saying to UC to prove him wrong. Not asking other BCT members to prove him wrong.

ps - just having fun with your name.

 

[bearcat jeff]

Yes I thought the offense would be better. Especially when I learned of the work Yancy was putting in. The lack of a consistent low post game has stifled the offense.

I don't think they are a very good team. I think they are a good team. I think they can beat the Georgetowns and Louisvilles of the world. They aren't going to beat Pitt or similiar teams unless everything is clicking. They haven't shown they can put it together against those teams. I think they are equal to the 5-10 teams with enough talent to make the tournament. Anything less is a failure to me.

 

[BearcatAlum1]

Things that need to happen for this team to win, besides the obvious (defense, rebounding):

1. Our "shooters" need to make their wide-open shots. Davis was 1-5 against WVU and missed 1-2 wide-open 3s. Killa was 3-9 and missed some wide-open shots too. For a team that struggles to score, we need our best shooters to hit when they have uncontested shots. 4-14 between those two is unacceptable.

2. We need players to take better shots. I do not like Bishop shooting 3s. He needs to slash, get to the rim and shoot FTs. They guy is on fire from the charity stripe this year, but he doesn't shoot enough of them! Stop taking the 3s. Instead, how about a few dribbles and a pull-up 12 footer? Maybe attack the rim and even get a few charges called...???

3. Ibrahima Thomas needs to do somethin OTHER THAN DEFENSIVE REBOUND. He is almost a liability on offense...but we need him to consistently chip in with 6-8 points, whether this is a simple finish around the rim or an offensive put back.

4. Yancy is Yancy. If he gives us 12-8, so be it. However, we need him to step up in back games, or in crunch time (i.e. answer a 8-0, stop the bleeding, etc.).

5. Cash. Do not commit fouls 70 feet away from our basket. Stay on the floor for 30 minutes a game. Be aggressive!!!! If you're open, shoot! We need you to score! We CANNOT WIN if you do not score! If you need 14-18 shots, take them!!!!