News Flash: UC is not in C-USA

[MDW79]

Fwiw, here's McAllister's thoughts:

UC observations
*I said they really needed to get 1 of 3 on this road stretch (Syr,ND, St John's)....one more shot
*Top 10 teams in Big East now 29-2 at home.....ND now 81-6 at home in last 87 games
*3 losses...all on road to #3 Syracuse, #7 Villanova, #16 Notre Dame
*At some point UC is going to have to break serve and win on the road against a good team
*They are part of a 7 team scrum fighting for 3-4-5 spots int he tournament
*Uncle....I give...start Kilpatrick. I don't think he got in til 12 minutes were left in half....he played 25 minutes and scored 16 points. Can't afford to keep falling into deep holes early.Yet, there is a +/- things to SK...based on points his man is scoring and boards his man is getting. Who does he replace?
*Wow...do they allow some runs...10-0 last night, 18-3 and 16-0 vs Syracuse
*Down 17 they rallied to 5 with 1:12 to go
*Maddening how many shots they miss at and around the rim.....and don't even draw fouls on most.
*Funny...early this year I said Cash is much better at finishing....not now..not in Big East...he gets engulfed in the lane.
*Can't you just close your eyes and hear Huggs from years ago telling Chuck, "we've just gotta make shots"?
*It makes my head hurt to watch this team walk the ball up the court. What good is depth if you don't put it to good use? Anything this is a good half court team? Anyone think they have athletes more suited to push it? And the same goes for pressing and trapping...more....til their tongues hang out...then send in the next wave.
*Outscored at line 19 to 5? I swear UC got into the bonus with about 11 minutes left in game and I don't think they shot a 1&1 the rest of the game.
*Ibrahima Thomas would be getting into the opposite of Senior Mode. He's killing them. 0 for 5 in 20 minutes and I don't think a shot was outside of 5 feet. Who replaces him? Jackson doesn't know what he doesn't know.
*Gates played harder........but how does a guy his size get just 5 rebounds in 32 minutes and opt to fadeaway on so many shots?
*I appreciate his defense..but how does Bishop get just 3 rebounds in 26 minutes? And where has his offense gone?
*They blew defense on two in bounds plays and I though my head would explode
*How many times did UC have a possession they did nothing with in final couple minutes?
*How many possessions did ND have in final couple minutes they squeezed the clock down to :02 or :04 and still got something? Killer.
*Hey...Wilks 5 fouls in 9 minutes
*Sorry...but Parker is a dud

 

[MDW79]

And here's Egger's:

YES ME, WORRY.
I drove to South Bend tonight and I did not like what I saw.

No, it wasn't the typical gloomy weather, or the antiquated "downtown." It wasn't Touchdown Jesus either.
(Irish fan or no, there's always something cool about walking past both her and Notre Dame Stadium)

It was what I saw from my favorite basketball team.

I saw a bunch of missed easy shots. I saw players disappear. I saw important components look listless. I saw an offense that came to a standstill. I saw a team play dumb.

I saw a team lose. And it wasn't one of those "hey they chipped away and didn't blown out on the road against a good team" loss.

It was a "for the first time this season, I'm worried about these guys" loss.

Yes, Notre Dame is a nationally ranked team, and the Irish are always good at home (now 81 Ws in 87 games at the always spectacular Joyce Center), but we weren't seeing them at their best tonight, and we're not talking about a Final Four-caliber squad the Cats were playing tonight.

Frankly, I don't think Notre Dame is that good.

The problem is, right now, neither are the Bearcats.

Through the cream puff-heavy non conference schedule, and during the three wins against lower-level Big East teams, we knew what this team wasn't: overflowing with talent, a band of sharpshooters, massively-sized, overflowing with future NBA draft picks....we knew this team had to get by as the schedule grew tougher by playing defense, out hustling opponents, playing smart, and by making the few easy shots that came their way.

That's the problem with tonight. UC was beaten in transition repeatedly and the Irish got to nearly every loose ball despite lacking Cincinnati's athleticism. The Bearcats missed more easy opportunities than a college athlete walking home alone from a sorority party. They made dumb mistakes like not finding 40% three-point shooters standing behind the arc and committed silly fouls. They miscommunicated on defense all night, giving up baskets easier than the ones they were missing on the other end.

They didn't look the part tonight.

They didn't look like a team who took the floor knowing what tonight would've meant...a road win against a quality opponent, a 17-2 record, and a large step toward the NCAAs. They took the floor looking like a team just introduced to each other, and the sport, and who was informed just before the game that they'd be busing back to Cincinnati while being forced to sit on each other's laps.

Maybe it was just one of those nights. A bad game. Those happen. But it's hard to ignore, despite the opposition, how poorly the Cats have begun their three toughest games since Big East play began, by burying themselves, falling behind by double-digits against teams too good and too talented to give up big leads.

And at some point, despite all the good things that have happened this season, despite the buffer of the 17-3 mark, despite having a handful of games left against inferior teams, the Bearcats still have not earned enough benefit of the doubt for us to simply assume that what I witnessed in person tonight won't be repeated.

If it is, the losses will mount, as will the unlikelihood of this team seeing its name get called on Selection Sunday.

And that worries me.

 

[ready2go]

I would agree with the first 2 but this team plays hard and gives effort for 40 minutes. Desire is not an issue. Additionally, what evidence do you have that this team doesn't believe it can win on the road. If that were the case they would have given up in the second half of each of their losses when they were down by 17-20 points. They cut the deficit to single digits in each game, and were down by 5 with 1:20 to go last night.

Exactly my point. Its takes them to get down by 17-20 for them to develop a sense of urgency.

Therefor a lack of desire

 

[Little Danny]

I'm with Mo on this one.

As far Lance, I like how he is passionate about UC basketball. But seriously, did he ever mention in the fall we also had a football team? Heard a lot of Reds, Bengals and OSU conversation.

 

[swg]

After last nite, I'm sure of only several things.

1) Our bigs will not carry us in BE.
2) UC still has no true leader
3) Mo had one very boring drive to ND

 

[BearcatAlum1]

Personally, I thought Cash played well.

He is not an overly athletic, stout guard that is going to create constant +1s.

However, Cash did have 7pts, 6asts, 3rebs and 1 turnover. Very solid stat line for a PG.


We'll see how Bishop plays at the 4, because it looks as if the move is coming.

PG - Cash
SG - Dion
SF - Killa
PF - Bishop
PF - Gates

I'd think that Larry Davis is 1st off bench for Cash, then Dion moves to PG. Thomas will be first off bench for either Gates or Bishop.

 

[MDW79]

For me personally, Cash has been a huge disappointment. I mean that NOT because I think he is a bad player by any means, but I thought he would have a breakout year. It just doesn't seem that he creates enough on offense. Many of his shots come from outside, and when he does get to the hoop he seems to always waits too long and gets hung up. I wasn't the biggest Satt fan, but maybe Satt could teach Cash that little pull up, one hand floater.

He's a decent of player that I think will be fairly good come his Sr. year. But right now he is simply average, and for me almost resembles a SG who is extremely fast, rather than a PG.

I guess it was how he was billed coming in. I already knew that he was a 4 star, top 100 recruit, ridiculous scorer, and then Cronin said he was the fastest PG we've ever had. When I heard that, considering Downey just left, there was the NY legend in Satt, and we just happened to have this guy that's nickname had the word "Quick" in it back in the day, I thought Cash would be a can't miss player. Maybe it's the knee, I don't know, but I'm just not that impressed.