Mick Cronin needs some help

[bearcat jeff]

Sanders is 23 of 52 for the year nevermind the season. 44% is something just about anyone would take.

Also, Caupain is sitting at 42% and Thomas is at 38%. Johnson and Guyn are who bring the percentage down overall. SK is at 33% but we know he is capable of 5-6 in a game.

But you need that guy that's feared. That demands a shadow be on him and if nothing else it opens the floor and removes a guy from double teaming off him.

 

[JasonS]

Also, Caupain is sitting at 42% and Thomas is at 38%. Johnson and Guyn are who bring the percentage down overall. SK is at 33% but we know he is capable of 5-6 in a game.

But you need that guy that's feared. That demands a shadow be on him and if nothing else it opens the floor and removes a guy from double teaming off him.

You could argue that is SK. He opens the post up for Justin to do work and we have seen how that has worked out this year so far. I don't know who that person is next year but I am sure someone will step up.

 

[Bearcat22]

Also, Caupain is sitting at 42% and Thomas is at 38%. Johnson and Guyn are who bring the percentage down overall. SK is at 33% but we know he is capable of 5-6 in a game.

Guyn has taken 53 3's (made 15) for the second most attempts on the team:

Sk: 46 out of 139 (33%)
Guyn: 15 out 53 (28%)
Sanders: 23 out 52 (44%)
Caupain: 15 out of 35 (43%)
Johnson: 7 out of 34 (21%)
Thomas: 5 out of 13 (38%)

Guyn hit some big ones against USF, but I'd like to see Sanders and Caupain as 2 & 3 in attempts.

 

[JasonS]

Guyn has taken 53 3's (made 15) for the second most attempts on the team:

Sk: 46 out of 139 (33%)
Guyn: 15 out 53 (28%)
Sanders: 23 out 52 (44%)
Caupain: 15 out of 35 (43%)
Johnson: 7 out of 34 (21%)
Thomas: 5 out of 13 (38%)

Guyn hit some big ones against USF, but I'd like to see Sanders and Caupain as 2 & 3 in attempts.

You know what kills me about these stats? I watch each of these guys shoot and most of them match what I see in the shooting techniques. Then I get to the last two and just shake my head. KJ might have the best looking jump shot on the team. How he is only hitting 21% is beyond me. I am sure there is something inconsistent on his jumper but damn, it looks pretty. I have to imagine it improves drastically over the next 3 years.

And then I watch Shaq shoot and can't believe he is hitting 38%! Granted it is a smaller sample size but still. He appears to shoot on the way down, shoots line drives, and I always find myself saying, "NO, NO, NO, YES!!" when he shoots a lot of the time. His shot defies logic but numbers don't lie.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

You know what kills me about these stats? I watch each of these guys shoot and most of them match what I see in the shooting techniques. Then I get to the last two and just shake my head. KJ might have the best looking jump shot on the team. How he is only hitting 21% is beyond me. I am sure there is something inconsistent on his jumper but damn, it looks pretty. I have to imagine it improves drastically over the next 3 years.

And then I watch Shaq shoot and can't believe he is hitting 38%! Granted it is a smaller sample size but still. He appears to shoot on the way down, shoots line drives, and I always find myself saying, "NO, NO, NO, YES!!" when he shoots a lot of the time. His shot defies logic but numbers don't lie.

i think KJ will improve as well. Think he will be one of the most improved players next year.

 

[#BearcatNation]

i think KJ will improve as well. Think he will be one of the most improved players next year.

Agreed. Didn't Cronin say KJ was his best shooter of the incoming guards? I believe he missed his first 12 shots of the season (correct me if I'm wrong), so that would mean since then he's 7/22 (32%) since. Nothing to write home about, but it seems like he's starting to get more comfortable.

 

[Scheids21]

Agreed. Didn't Cronin say KJ was his best shooter of the incoming guards? I believe he missed his first 12 shots of the season (correct me if I'm wrong), so that would mean since then he's 7/22 (32%) since. Nothing to write home about, but it seems like he's starting to get more comfortable.

I was just going to say that. I can't remember a freshman looking as nervous as he did his first few games. He is really coming around as the season progresses.

 

[waterhead]

3 straight tournaments is fine, but you know that Mick will never gain acceptance until he takes the next steps. The next step is getting the program consistently in the Top 25 and getting higher seeds in the NCAA, winning some league and league tourney championships, and then taking the next step in the tourney...elite 8 or Final 4. Not many have been impressed with his recruiting, and outside of the one sweet 16, his NCAAs haven't been nothing to write home about. Lack of player development has also been a concern.

Now, having said all of this, we are starting to see the improvements I talked about. We're in the Top 20....which will hopefully lead to a high seed. We're in first place, which will hopefully lead to a league championship. Our recruiting is on the upswing. Justin Jackson and Sanders have shown some impressive improvement. Even the offense has improved in the last month. It's this kind of season that will gain Mick the credibility with the doubters, but he needs to sustain it and make this the norm and not the exception. There are far worse doubters than me in this city. I still support the team with my attendance and my money and in every other way that I can. I'll complain on this forum about him at times, but I'm really liking where he has us today, and I'm certainly liking the recruits I'm seeing, so he should be able to sustain this success. Obviously, next year could be a challenge after losing SK, JJ and Rubles. He really needs an overachieving year and then hopefully this program really takes off as these recruits get some experience under their belts.

This is probably just me...but to be honest with you I don't care nearly as much about conference titles as I do high rankings and NCAA tourney success. If we finished 2nd every year in conference but had a top 15 rank and got to a final 4 here and there I would care less about the conference titles. In football it's another story because a conference title can be the difference in a BCS game. In BB it gets you a banner.

 

[waterhead]

Mo Egger was discussing this very subject last week on his radio show....as to what Mick has to do to start winning back the fans. His number one item.....upgrade the schedule! He said that is a must!. I've advocated that on here many times. I know many fans who have left because they refuse to pay these ridiculously high prices to go watch half or more of the games against teams with names that are hyphenated, or end in Upstate or Downriver. I really believe a lot of the way he is viewed in this town has to do with these hideous teams he brings in here to play. I know....I'm a huge fan and it's all I can do to drag my own butt off the couch to drive 20 miles to watch some of these teams he brings in. There's not one thing appealing about those teams at all. I don't need the lecture on our budget at this point either...so save it.

I really don't know all the inner workings of how to get a good schedule. I certainly think we can improve without a lot of extra dollars just by looking locally. But beyond that I think our budget is not Cronin's fault. If we aren't offering the money other teams are offering we are going to get slim pickings of what is left. It's time for the AD to step up and get a bigger budget for Cronin to work with. I could be wrong...but isn't that part of the problem here?

 

[waterhead]

You know what kills me about these stats? I watch each of these guys shoot and most of them match what I see in the shooting techniques. Then I get to the last two and just shake my head. KJ might have the best looking jump shot on the team. How he is only hitting 21% is beyond me. I am sure there is something inconsistent on his jumper but damn, it looks pretty. I have to imagine it improves drastically over the next 3 years.

And then I watch Shaq shoot and can't believe he is hitting 38%! Granted it is a smaller sample size but still. He appears to shoot on the way down, shoots line drives, and I always find myself saying, "NO, NO, NO, YES!!" when he shoots a lot of the time. His shot defies logic but numbers don't lie.

KJ started off 0-11 and 1-15 from the 3. Since that point he is shooting around 32%. Not great by any means...but most of the rational fans knew that early season shooting was going to be an anomaly. There were one or two that thought he was going to be the second coming of Rubles. Facepalm.

 

[bearcat jeff]

Renew the Dayton series. Renew the Miami series. Play NKU and Wright State. All better options then some of the teams we've faced.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Renew the Dayton series. Renew the Miami series. Play NKU and Wright State. All better options then some of the teams we've faced.

was just on 700 wlw. Lance has spent the hour on UC BB. Get on the phone. Didn't have to wait 5 minutes until I was on the air.

 

[waterhead]

KJ started off 0-11 and 1-15 from the 3. Since that point he is shooting around 32%. Not great by any means...but most of the rational fans knew that early season shooting was going to be an anomaly. There were one or two that thought he was going to be the second coming of Rubles. Facepalm.

I reall don't get the love affair with KJ. He is not ready at all. So far this season he is 6-7 on layups and 0fer everything else. Last night he airballed a 3 and missed a free throw. Last year people moaned every time that Titus shot a 3, KJ misses regularly, and badly, and gets love. Well this year they have made the same amouont of 3's, the only difference is Rubles is yet to shoot one this year. At this time last year Rubles was 1-9 from 3, Johnson is 0-10 this year. Sure he can run a pick and roll against a team that is going through its first year in D-1 and he can make a few layups. I have yet to see a scorer in him, the ball looks funny coming out of his hand. Everyone keeps saying his shot will fall....When?? And when it does I don't see him shooting over 30% from the floor.

Here is one post from early on when KJ was missing everything. I don't care to call anyone out...it's just an example of a bit of irrational impatience IMO. Not only that but I have heard at least one other fan praising how good his shot looks...rather than how funny it looks. Anyhow, he has shot over 30% since about 7 games in.

Not to mention even though KJ missed a FT in that early game his is now 83%...and he has made some nice mid range jumpers.

 

[waterhead]

was just on 700 wlw. Lance has spent the hour on UC BB. Get on the phone. Didn't have to wait 5 minutes until I was on the air.

Thanks for doing that Waite...you are doing your part to help.

 

[waterhead]

Renew the Dayton series. Renew the Miami series. Play NKU and Wright State. All better options then some of the teams we've faced.

I agree here 100%

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Thanks for doing that Waite...you are doing your part to help.

thanks WH. If people aren't tuned in to his show they are missing some very nice things concerning our Cats.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

He referenced the article Jack put up the other day. He is talking about style. His question, is winning enough or do you have to play a particular style. Interviewed national broadcaster Steve wolf who said X and UC get much more love nationally then they do in their own city. That is sad. Commented that Huggs is 42-41 in last 2 plus years at Morgantown.

 

[Bearcat Rob]

Cronin deserve all the praise in the world, and I honestly love him and think he a one of best coaches around. His players play hard and you have to respect that, also they are good guys as well. He deserves a huge crowd Thursday even tho it's a real late game. No doubt uconn, Memphis, and Louisville will be pretty much sell out. I believe people are starting to buy into this team

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

Renew the Dayton series. Renew the Miami series. Play NKU and Wright State. All better options then some of the teams we've faced.

NKU- 262 RPI
Miami (OH)- 167 RPI
Wright St- 218 RPI
Dayton- 52 RPI

I am for renewing home-and-home with Dayton, Miami should be a 2-for-1, and Wright State should be 3-for-1. NKU should be home game only.

If Cincinnati played in a pre-season tournament, they would drop 3 of the bad RPI games and the schedule would have been fine!

 

[JumpinJack5]

Next year will be very interesting as far as bigs go. Replacing JJ and Rubles will be hard, but when you think that we will have Quadri, DeBerry, Strickland, Jermaine Lawrence, and Clark, we could possibly be better with all that depth or at least replace the production of JJ and Rubles. The guards will be interesting also, who will step up and help in replacing SK? I think that Morman and KJ will split minutes, along with Graham if we somehow snag him. Can Shaq finally make the big jump next year and become a consistent contributor? Will Caupain get more minutes next year, considering Guyn will still be around? It will be very interesting, I just thought I would bring it up, even though I know most of us (including myself) are very focused on this year right now. What do you guys think?