Post Game Reflection

[bearcat jeff]

Hopefully, we will have an offense that, at least as far as production, will resemble Harvard a bit more. I'd much rather have 5 double figure scorers, with a 6th at 9.3/gm than one SK at 20.7 and only one other double figure scorer. I don't care how good the "D" is, if you can't score, you aren't going to win in March. It's scary that we lose the only double figure scores we have, not to mention our top 3 rebounders. I have no idea why Mick thinks Lawrence will be so good next year...he's shown nothing to suggest that this year. Moorman better arrive with a blast...that goes for the frosh as well. It will need to become the team of Caupain, KJ et al. that may be a good thing. As pivotal as the seniors were this year, that held back the development of the younger players. At least we know one thing for sure...if we make the dance, there's nowhere to go but up.

What do u want him to say? That he thinks he'll suck? LOL Lawrence played out of position by necessity this season. I don't think we got a good read on what he'll be.

 

[IDC]

Watching Payne hit 17-17 FT's. How long would JJ have to shoot from the line to do that?

It's clear the talent level is the difference between the top notch programs and UC. Hopefully Mick continues to improve the quality BB players he brings in to the program.

 

[TheLivingLegend]

9th ranked defense cant continually bail out 109th ranked offense.

Bottom line is this... UC needs to adjust their recruiting strategy. Getting all athletes and no basketball is not good enough to win tournament games.

As for JL... not puting much stock in.

 

[bearcat jeff]

Watching Payne hit 17-17 FT's. How long would JJ have to shoot from the line to do that?

It's clear the talent level is the difference between the top notch programs and UC. Hopefully Mick continues to improve the quality BB players he brings in to the program.

Yes, I would add depth of talent. One reason why I appreciate what this coach has done.

 

[anbuc88]

Hopefully, we will have an offense that, at least as far as production, will resemble Harvard a bit more. I'd much rather have 5 double figure scorers, with a 6th at 9.3/gm than one SK at 20.7 and only one other double figure scorer. I don't care how good the "D" is, if you can't score, you aren't going to win in March. It's scary that we lose the only double figure scores we have, not to mention our top 3 rebounders. I have no idea why Mick thinks Lawrence will be so good next year...he's shown nothing to suggest that this year. Moorman better arrive with a blast...that goes for the frosh as well. It will need to become the team of Caupain, KJ et al. that may be a good thing. As pivotal as the seniors were this year, that held back the development of the younger players. At least we know one thing for sure...if we make the dance, there's nowhere to go but up.

He see's Lawrence in practice every day and knows his potential. Lawrence was asked this year to play a position that his body was not ready for. Additionally, he missed all of last year with a hand injury, and a part of this year with a turf toe. His development has been hampered because of this. He will have a full offseason to gain strength and improve his game. He will also play his natural position. Because of all of the above, Cronin has said that it is a matter of when, not if, he becomes the best player on the team.

 

[UCBearcats]

Considering the expectations for this team I have to say this year was a huge success. As someone who was firmly in the "Fire Mick" camp the last few years what I saw this year made me take a step back from the ledge. Not just from the team this year but also in the promise I see in guys like KJ and Caupain.

That being said, this team needs to make a huge leap forward in offense if we ever want to have a shot at being great. I'm not sure if it's Mick's recruiting or his coaching or what it is but he needs to get it figured out. There's absolutely zero reason why UC should have lost that game today. We got Harvard in foul trouble early on yet we simply refused to take the ball to the hoop and draw any additional fouls. In Killas final game of his college career he played what I thought was one of his most passive games ever. I think Mick needs to put his stubbornness aside and come to the realization that he needs help on offense. I hope he does and he goes out and gets someone who can coach that side of the ball because he's got one of the best defensive minds in basketball.

Congrats to Mick and the team on a good season. I'm excited for the future for the first time in a long time. I just hope that future includes a revamped offense but I think Caupain will be a key to that going forward.

 

[JackBauer151]

Considering the expectations for this team I have to say this year was a huge success. As someone who was firmly in the "Fire Mick" camp the last few years what I saw this year made me take a step back from the ledge. Not just from the team this year but also in the promise I see in guys like KJ and Caupain.

That being said, this team needs to make a huge leap forward in offense if we ever want to have a shot at being great. I'm not sure if it's Mick's recruiting or his coaching or what it is but he needs to get it figured out. There's absolutely zero reason why UC should have lost that game today. We got Harvard in foul trouble early on yet we simply refused to take the ball to the hoop and draw any additional fouls. In Killas final game of his college career he played what I thought was one of his most passive games ever. I think Mick needs to put his stubbornness aside and come to the realization that he needs help on offense. I hope he does and he goes out and gets someone who can coach that side of the ball because he's got one of the best defensive minds in basketball.

Congrats to Mick and the team on a good season. I'm excited for the future for the first time in a long time. I just hope that future includes a revamped offense but I think Caupain will be a key to that going forward.

This post is a good description of how I feel. I never was in the fire mick camp. I dont know that some sort of "Offensive Coordinator" would make that much of a difference. I mean we fucking missed 16 layups today. Have to execute at some point. However the point still stands that the offensive side needs to be fixed for us to ever actually do something great. I dont know what the exact answer is, that's what they pay Mick for. Probably a combination of type of recruit and change of scheme. Frustrating end but one hell of a year based on the expectations that I had at the beginning of it.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

This post is a good description of how I feel. I never was in the fire mick camp. I dont know that some sort of "Offensive Coordinator" would make that much of a difference. I mean we fucking missed 16 layups today. Have to execute at some point. However the point still stands that the offensive side needs to be fixed for us to ever actually do something great. I dont know what the exact answer is, that's what they pay Mick for. Probably a combination of type of recruit and change of scheme. Frustrating end but one hell of a year based on the expectations that I had at the beginning of it.

Systematically there is nothing wrong with what UC runs, it all comes down to the players and today Jackson reverted to old Jackson where he just flipped up shots with no balance around the rim.

Thomas and Lawrence have to become double figure scorers for this team to be good next year. Moving Lawrence back to his natural spot and given a full offseason should help.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

Also, hopefully Mick learns to slow his roll in what he says to the media. I heard way too much about how "heroes are made in March" and "this team has big plans." However, UC only beat one meaningful team (Memphis on Senior night) in the past month. He has talked a lot about how it is a process of building a team throughout a season but I do not know if he did a great job of actually implementing it...

TBH he comes off as too whiny too frequently....

 

[westsidecat]

Folks who want and try to look at this as a glass half full situation...feel free.

Reality is another UC team peek in the middle of the season and feel off towards the end. UC went 5-5 in it's last 10. UC just went one and done two years in a row. In 8 years, UC has 3 freakin tourney wins. We watched another team struggle to score in the 50's....and that was with a first team All-American. UC couldn't even break 60 against an Ivy league school. Sad, just sad.

Why would anyone think this will be better next year?

I'm sick of hearing about D with this staff. Can't even break 60 against Harvard and they want to talk about defense.

The situation isn't good. It's that simple.

Let it sink in for a minute...UC just lost to HARVARD!

 

[anbuc88]

Also, hopefully Mick learns to slow his roll in what he says to the media. I heard way too much about how "heroes are made in March" and "this team has big plans." However, UC only beat one meaningful team (Memphis on Senior night) in the past month. He has talked a lot about how it is a process of building a team throughout a season but I do not know if he did a great job of actually implementing it...

TBH he comes off as too whiny too frequently....

Can't disagree. Cronin is honest to a fault at times, and it can come off as whining. I do think that he got as much as he could from this team, given their offensive limitations. Rubles especially was an offensive horror, and was especially bad today. The number of easy shots he missed today was mind boggling. There was a pick and roll in the 1st half that SK hit him perfectly with and he blew an easy layup. Along with point blank shots within 6 feet, unable to score for and 1 chances right at the basket, and the missed layup at the end, his offensive struggles really caught up with the team. He provided a lot of toughness and played good defense, but long droughts on the offensive end were many times attributable to getting him the ball in scoring position, and him not being able to convert. Same with JJ, but not to that extent. I am hoping that next year when they get the ball inside, they will score, and if they get fouled will be consistently be able to hit free throws. DeBerry is a 77% FT shooter. The defense will always be there with Mick Cronin coached teams, but next year we may finally have 5 players on the court at the same time with some offensive prowess.

 

[bearcat jeff]

“They played pretty good D and we were missing opportunities,” - SK

“Our Achilles Heel is teams took away the perimeter at all costs and dare us to score inside,” Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said. “When we couldn’t do it we struggle. When we could do it, like against Memphis both times, we looked great… that would be the common denominator with us.”

 

[Bulldog01]

Mick taking out JJ after he picked up his first foul hurt us big time. Should've kept him in game and told him stay aggressive. Taking him out made him try play smart which he couldn't and too tentative. He avoided contact going to rim entire game and was out of position entire game on defense.

 

[bearcat jeff]

Mick taking out JJ after he picked up his first foul hurt us big time. Should've kept him in game and told him stay aggressive. Taking him out made him try play smart which he couldn't and too tentative. He avoided contact going to rim entire game and was out of position entire game on defense.

Nonsense. Justin Jackson has not played well in a month. I think he got a little full of himself.

 

[Bulldog01]

Nonsense. Justin Jackson has not played well in a month. I think he got a little full of himself.

JJ was scoring or getting fouled in first half. Started pressing and doing too much in 2nd half. We win if we played through him and Shaq more.

 

[UCalum08]

Does anyone think SK played his way off the first team AA?

 

[bearcat jeff]

JJ was scoring or getting fouled in first half. Started pressing and doing too much in 2nd half. We win if we played through him and Shaq more.

Dude they gave up 50% shooting in the first half and JJ missed many dead on lay ups. Not sure what game you were watching but it wasn't the same as me. He scored some points, but he left the lane open repeatedly and could have easily scored 20 plus points.

 

[the_one_32]

We win if we defend the 3 point line with some passion. Too many open jumpers to a Harvard team that prides themselves on that. Granted they got a couple of breaks fall there way and we didn't but we flat out got outplayed.

 

[UCalum08]

We win if we defend the 3 point line with some passion. Too many open jumpers to a Harvard team that prides themselves on that. Granted they got a couple of breaks fall there way and we didn't but we flat out got outplayed.

Yup. And we missed 16 layups...16!!! Unacceptable.

 

[Bulldog01]

Dude they gave up 50% shooting in the first half and JJ missed many dead on lay ups. Not sure what game you were watching but it wasn't the same as me. He scored some points, but he left the lane open repeatedly and could have easily scored 20 plus points.

Harvard was smart and made sure JJ had to come out to perimeter on most possessions. Your right he should've scored at least 25 though. JJ didn't miss that many in 1st half was going hard getting fouled.