Rhode Island

[ZCat]

Cronin making excuses. Drives me nuts.

"Rhode Island has been prepping for this game for 3 years" "This is a home game for them"

Ugh.

Still reading thru the thread so this may be old info:
I know it is very frustrating after a loss so things sound different. In fairness, Mick was not making excuses. It was part of a rant about how he told his team all summer that RI was gonna be a difficult game, and that UC was NOT tough enough. He mentioned more than once that he was accountable or it was his fault.

That said, that was a very impt game. We needed to play Duke for our RPI. We must win today, bc I don't feel confident we can take 2/3 out of Eggzavier, Butler and Iowa St. Not that Penn St is a great team, but it is possible it may be a decent RPI help if BigX is any good.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Regardless of what excuse gets used it falls on coach. Specifically toughness. I don't see that as blaming players really

I feel like blaming "toughness" implies that there was nothing wrong with the scheme/game plan/adjustments. If only the players would've been tougher. It's just such a cop out to me. "Toughness" is such a vague, all encompassing term. It's avoiding the idea that there's more to the game than straight grit.

 

[ZCat]

One last thing- Gary Clark appears to be a great kid, but PT is a great motivator. No way he should start today. Simple as that. Rebounding was horrid- every player should take the Rebounding deficit personal. I am sure Ckark will start, but I will be very, very disappointed! This is a chance to give him a serious wake up call. He can't keep disappearing for us to do anything this year. NTS is right. All the games in March will be like yesterday. We did not rebound at all. You can bring Gary in at the 18 min mark, but no way him and KJ start today. Mick needs to coach like his job depends on it. This is his chance for a deep run, which can hopefully get us some better recruits ( make up for his lack of Offensive coaching and our supposed built-in recruiting disadvantages). Rant over.

 

[CHEER CINCY]

Its very simple. Our coach has reached his ceiling. There are many players on this team who have NOT reached their ceiling. Every year we have this discussion. Its unfortunate because most programs can rely on their coach improving each and every year along with the players. Cincinnati basketball has to rely on the players improving ON THEIR OWN.

 

[ZCat]

i hopped into the car to pick my wife up some panera bread after the game. The radio was on 700 and i heard cronin say "the team needs more toughness" so sick of the cure all for cronins teams being "toughness". No , maybe sound basketball skill and understanding.

Toughness us right. You see it in every Walk of Life. At work and on the Court. Mental toughness is huge. They had the ball out of bounds with 6 seconds left on shot clock. You cannot let your guy get free and make a 3. Even if the defense they're in is wrong D/t bad coaching. Period end of story. in addition Mick said when they have them in the bonus they told them to drive during a timeout or a dead ball. as soon as they went on the court someone shot at 3. That is not being mentally tough. Period End of story. now it's up to the coach to change Behavior. He should have immediately yanked the person that shot that 3. And point it out to everybody in film session that I just told you guys to drive the ball and you did not listen and you took at 3. Not sure if that happens in film sessions or not. This is just becoming too much.

 

[TheRealUC]

The nerve of this A10 team competing with Duke...

 

[Mcginnjw]

Duke will be great when they are healthy. This is basically their bench beating up on URI.

 

[TheRealUC]

Same guy who knocked in the game clinching 3 for URI air balled and hit the side of the backboard in the same possession today...smh

 

[Mcginnjw]

Same guy who knocked in the game clinching 3 for URI air balled and hit the side of the backboard in the same possession today...smh

Yeah I saw the same thing. URI has been missing some easy shots.

 

[Bcatfollower]

The nerve of this A10 team competing with Duke...

I guess that's what you call competing...

 

[TheRealUC]

I guess that's what you call competing...

Way to wait an hour until Duke built a lead before commenting...

 

[Bcatfollower]

Way to wait an hour until Duke built a lead before commenting...

Uh huh...

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

Rhode Island is a 7-9 seed just like UC.

 

[L-T]

Way to wait an hour until Duke built a lead before commenting...

Way to post your ridiculous comment early enough in the game when it wasn't even relevant. Plus, they should have beat Duke since they're missing about three or four of their best players. In addition to that, even if Rhode Island had blown Duke out, it wouldn't have changed the fact that Cronin sucks.

 

[UCBearcats]

Next year !!!

The Mick Cronin theme. Next year baby!!

 

[waterhead]

I would find it hard to keep Martin, Mathews, and Terrell out of our starting lineup.

 

[Bearcatboy]

I would find it hard to keep Martin, Mathews, and Terrell out of our starting lineup.

Terrell should be on our team right now

 

[mdchick]

I would find it hard to keep Martin, Mathews, and Terrell out of our starting lineup.

Terrell And Matthews over kj obviously but Hassan Martin isn't better than Clark or Washington

 

[waterhead]

Terrell And Matthews over kj obviously but Hassan Martin isn't better than Clark or Washington

I would not take Martin over Washington. But he's averaging 5 blocks and 13.5 points. You could make a case over Clark. KJ is not an argument. Matthews and Terrell averaging 16 and 17.5 PPG and 47.5% from 3 would be an argument over Caupain if either were a PG.

Just saying they have 3 players that are very good come March we would find a way to play them.

 

[Bearcat513]

I would not take Martin over Washington. But he's averaging 5 blocks and 13.5 points. You could make a case over Clark. KJ is not an argument. Matthews and Terrell averaging 16 and 17.5 PPG and 47.5% from 3 would be an argument over Caupain if either were a PG.

Just saying they have 3 players that are very good come March we would find a way to play them.

March is all about guard play and URI certainly has that and a more than serviceable big in Martin. They will be a tough out in the tourney.