Joe Lunardi's 2011 96-Team Bracket

[TheShoeFits]

No. 13 Saint Mary's vs. No. 20 Cincinnati. Winner takes on No. 4 Kentucky.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/bracket?id=5071629

 

[swg]

Nice find.

 

[BearcatAlum1]

20 seed? Ouch.

 

[anbuc88]

Add a shooter (Burton) who can consistently hit a three to the current roster and this team will be better than last year. The key will be chemistry. But the starting 5 (Cash, Parker, Bishop or Wilks, Gates, Thomas) stacks up well with most of the returning squads in the BE, and hence, the country, IMO.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

Add a shooter (Burton) who can consistently hit a three to the current roster and this team will be better than last year. The key will be chemistry. But the starting 5 (Cash, Parker, Bishop or Wilks, Gates, Thomas) stacks up well with most of the returning squads in the BE, and hence, the country, IMO.

wow are you serious? Cashmere and Parker look to be a bit better then average, and Gates has potential. I wouldn't imagine the rest being anything more than a 6th man on bubble teams.

 

[anbuc88]

wow are you serious? Cashmere and Parker look to be a bit better then average, and Gates has potential. I wouldn't imagine the rest being anything more than a 6th man on bubble teams.

Yes. My expectation is that each of them will all improve over the offseason. With added strength and impoved shooting with offseason work in the gym, Cash has a chance at being an upper level point guard. Parker has shown the ability to rebound and hit the outside shot. With more minutes this year and improvement in his overall game in the offseason, he should be in the top half of the BE for his position. Gates has as much talent and potential as anyone in the BE. He just has to play to that ability. Whether this will happen is a question mark, but I think we will see the light bulb go on this year. Thomas is 6'11"-7'0" and was coming on at the end of the season. With added strength he will be a force. Bishop has as much BE experience as anyone returning in the conference, and needs consistency. If we can see the Bishop that played against Villanova then this starting 5 could be something. Chemistry is the key as they have to play as a team, and not individual parts. A Darnell Burton type player coming of the bench (Deonte Burton) and this is a team to be reckoned with. Overly optimistic? Probably so, but that's why I'm a diehard Bearcats fan.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

Yes. My expectation is that each of them will all improve over the offseason. With added strength and impoved shooting with offseason work in the gym, Cash has a chance at being an upper level point guard. Parker has shown the ability to rebound and hit the outside shot. With more minutes this year and improvement in his overall game in the offseason, he should be in the top half of the BE for his position. Gates has as much talent and potential as anyone in the BE. He just has to play to that ability. Whether this will happen is a question mark, but I think we will see the light bulb go on this year. Thomas is 6'11"-7'0" and was coming on at the end of the season. With added strength he will be a force. Bishop has as much BE experience as anyone returning in the conference, and needs consistency. If we can see the Bishop that played against Villanova then this starting 5 could be something. Chemistry is the key as they have to play as a team, and not individual parts. A Darnell Burton type player coming of the bench (Deonte Burton) and this is a team to be reckoned with. Overly optimistic? Probably so, but that's why I'm a diehard Bearcats fan.

It is not that we don't want it to happen, but there is no point in getting your expectations up that we will be any better than last year. Losing the two leading scores on the team, and bringing in decent prospects doesn't bode well. This is what Mick has done for us, just keep lowering the bar fellas!

 

[cincyfan81]

wow are you serious? Cashmere and Parker look to be a bit better then average, and Gates has potential. I wouldn't imagine the rest being anything more than a 6th man on bubble teams.

You have to remember who this is coming from. So positive that on some boards people are convinced he is Mick's brother.

 

[anbuc88]

You have to remember who this is coming from. So positive that on some boards people are convinced he is Mick's brother.

Really? You find what I posted to be SO positive that it is unrealistic? Would life be better for you by remaining pessimistic and negative. Bring something to the table rather than a moronic comment that I must be Mick's brother. Or better yet, go back to BCN with the rest of the negative crowd.

 

[anbuc88]

It is not that we don't want it to happen, but there is no point in getting your expectations up that we will be any better than last year. Losing the two leading scores on the team, and bringing in decent prospects doesn't bode well. This is what Mick has done for us, just keep lowering the bar fellas!

Who is lowering the bar? I expect for them to be improved next year, and if they are not, then I will also support hiring a new coach. The pieces are in place, the players and the coaching staff have to produce. They were not far off last year, and the loss of LS notwithstanding, I expect them to be better this year.

 

[ready2go]

Add a shooter (Burton) who can consistently hit a three to the current roster and this team will be better than last year. The key will be chemistry. But the starting 5 (Cash, Parker, Bishop or Wilks, Gates, Thomas) stacks up well with most of the returning squads in the BE, and hence, the country, IMO.

The knock all year has been the youth of this team. Now we are going to rely on a freshman to hit big shots?

I think Wilks can make those, but again consistancy is the key.

Also, Why is Gates always brought up for next year. From what I have seen the guy has done all he can. His freshman year and this past year, looked identical. Similar stats and same attitude problem. He is not a guy we can count on game in and game out.

 

[cincyfan81]

Add a shooter (Burton) who can consistently hit a three to the current roster and this team will be better than last year. The key will be chemistry. But the starting 5 (Cash, Parker, Bishop or Wilks, Gates, Thomas) stacks up well with most of the returning squads in the BE, and hence, the country, IMO.

I am not being negative. I am being a realist. Yes, I do feel that you saying we have a top 5 that matches up with anyone in the country is very unrealistic, if not crazy. You can't honestly look at our lineup and say that. You just can't. I don't care if you are the most optimisitc person in the world, that is just too much of a reach. So go ahead and say how I am this horrible negative person who lives a teribble life, blah, blah, blah, just because I disagree with you.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

Who is lowering the bar? I expect for them to be improved next year, and if they are not, then I will also support hiring a new coach. The pieces are in place, the players and the coaching staff have to produce. They were not far off last year, and the loss of LS notwithstanding, I expect them to be better this year.

I am lowering the bar because Mick is.

 

[cincycpaw]

Add a shooter (Burton) who can consistently hit a three to the current roster and this team will be better than last year. The key will be chemistry. But the starting 5 (Cash, Parker, Bishop or Wilks, Gates, Thomas) stacks up well with most of the returning squads in the BE, and hence, the country, IMO.

Add Burton and this team probably sky-rockets from a 20 seed all the way into the teens!!!!!

 

[anbuc88]

I am not being negative. I am being a realist. Yes, I do feel that you saying we have a top 5 that matches up with anyone in the country is very unrealistic, if not crazy. You can't honestly look at our lineup and say that. You just can't. I don't care if you are the most optimisitc person in the world, that is just too much of a reach. So go ahead and say how I am this horrible negative person who lives a teribble life, blah, blah, blah, just because I disagree with you.

Then don't discount someone's opinion by labeling them as 'Mick's brother' just because you disagree with it. Let's see how they do at the end of the year and see who is right. Where did I say you are a horrible person or live a terrible life?

 

[bearcat jeff]

I am lowering the bar because Mick is.

It's comments like this that I just don't understand and they serve absolutely no purpose. Mick Cronin is acknowledged by his peers and former players as a guy that is a tireless worker. You may disagree with his style and debate whether he is the right guy for this job, but to say he has lowered the bar is to imply he is not working to make the program better and that is unfounded.

People need to remember that there are other schools chasing recruits, some of which are higher profile programs that annually lose one and done players. There are no "recruiting supermarkets" where you go in and pick a shooter from this aisle and a rebounder from that one. It is competitive and there are many factors that come into play when a young man chooses a school. Sometimes it comes down to getting what you can get in a given year.

it is also very difficult to manage the personalities of 12-15 young men. All are from very diverse backgrounds with different needs and issues. The men who coach D1 basketball are at the top of their profession. There are only just over 300 of these jobs available. All are talented, not all are in situations that best fit their abilities, or allow for them to showcase their ability.

 

[swg]

^

This is why Jeff is our hoops mod.

 

[anbuc88]

It's comments like this that I just don't understand and they serve absolutely no purpose. Mick Cronin is acknowledged by his peers and former players as a guy that is a tireless worker. You may disagree with his style and debate whether he is the right guy for this job, but to say he has lowered the bar is to imply he is not working to make the program better and that is unfounded.

People need to remember that there are other schools chasing recruits, some of which are higher profile programs that annually lose one and done players. There are no "recruiting supermarkets" where you go in and pick a shooter from this aisle and a rebounder from that one. It is competitive and there are many factors that come into play when a young man chooses a school. Sometimes it comes down to getting what you can get in a given year.

it is also very difficult to manage the personalities of 12-15 young men. All are from very diverse backgrounds with different needs and issues. The men who coach D1 basketball are at the top of their profession. There are only just over 300 of these jobs available. All are talented, not all are in situations that best fit their abilities, or allow for them to showcase their ability.

Excellent post and one of the reasons that this site is quickly becoming the best venue for intelligent discourse for diehard Bearcat fans. Thank you Bearcat Jeff.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

It's comments like this that I just don't understand and they serve absolutely no purpose. Mick Cronin is acknowledged by his peers and former players as a guy that is a tireless worker. You may disagree with his style and debate whether he is the right guy for this job, but to say he has lowered the bar is to imply he is not working to make the program better and that is unfounded.

People need to remember that there are other schools chasing recruits, some of which are higher profile programs that annually lose one and done players. There are no "recruiting supermarkets" where you go in and pick a shooter from this aisle and a rebounder from that one. It is competitive and there are many factors that come into play when a young man chooses a school. Sometimes it comes down to getting what you can get in a given year.

it is also very difficult to manage the personalities of 12-15 young men. All are from very diverse backgrounds with different needs and issues. The men who coach D1 basketball are at the top of their profession. There are only just over 300 of these jobs available. All are talented, not all are in situations that best fit their abilities, or allow for them to showcase their ability.

Eye Test does it all, there are 340 something D I teams and I bet not more than 40 look as dysfunction on the court.

And please tell me how he didn't lower the bar with Gates. When he came in Yancy was the best big man we've recruited in a while. After he struggled he is a "project"

Don't get me confused with like Billy Don or something, I'm simply puzzled by how a person can be optimistic about a team that finished the season with 16 losses and lost the two top scorers, while just bringing in marginal talent (although I think Jackson eventually will be good). I don't want you to feel so terrible if they don't make the tournament (assuming its 65) because this is an middle of the pack NIT team talent wise.

 

[swg]

I do think Gates is a self-inflicted wound. He has all the tools (physically), but I did think MC would whip him into shape. I was wrong, and Gates has only himself to look at for not being where he needs to be.