SMU Round 2

[CaptDale]

Tough loss on Saturday for the Cats. I really didn't mind the loss and kind of expected it going in but I wasn't happy with the final score. We got blown out and bottom line we just walked right into a buzzsaw.

All in all it's not that big of a deal. UC will still have a high ranking and still has a legit shot at a 2 seed or possibly a 1 seed if they finish strong and win the conference tourney.

Hopefully this loss gets the guys refocused and back on track to close the season out strong. I think it will, this is a determined group.

The loss may not be a big deal, but the nature of how we lost raises all kinds of red flags. Maybe we can attribute some of it to being emotionally and physically tired? Stress can be a very negative factor, but we weren't even executing the basics. I can accept a loss, but a beat-down shouldn't happen to this team. The most glaring problem from that game was the non-willingness for the players to shoot the ball when open, preferring instead to dish to SK. The team has become TOO dependent on him - plain and simple! Started with Titus on the first fast break (costing JJ foul#1), and I don't know how many times GG was open, thought about a shot, but then passed it up. ST only took 5 shots, but at least he attempted to penetrate and/or took open looks. Never just accept a loss. Learn from it. Next couple games should be our chance to display what/if we have learned anything from the SMU mistakes. That's what good teams/coaches do. LEARN - from both losses and victories. If you don't learn something every day in life, you've wasted the day.

 

[ervins84]

In the Xu/NM games UC allowed 1.11 and 1.04 PPP, which were two of the highest totals they have allowed all year. In the next two games after those messes, UC held a Pitt team scoring 1.14 PPP to only 0.9 and a midd Tenn team averaging 1.04 to 0.72.

SMU scored 1.19 Saturday. I sure would not want to be Houston on Saturday.

Also we gotta remember the old 5-20-5 cliche.
In a 30 cbb stretch, a team is going to probably have 5 clunkers (4 so far jump out to me in Xu, smu, NM,s fla) where a team underperforms dramatically. They'll also have 5 games they overperform (@memphis, middle Tenn St, @Ville, vs SMU jump out to me). The other 20 will be pretty representative of a teams "true ability."

 

[bearcat jeff]

In the Xu/NM games UC allowed 1.11 and 1.04 PPP, which were two of the highest totals they have allowed all year. In the next two games after those messes, UC held a Pitt team scoring 1.14 PPP to only 0.9 and a midd Tenn team averaging 1.04 to 0.72.

SMU scored 1.19 Saturday. I sure would not want to be Houston on Saturday.

Also we gotta remember the old 5-20-5 cliche.
In a 30 cbb stretch, a team is going to probably have 5 clunkers (4 so far jump out to me in Xu, smu, NM,s fla) where a team underperforms dramatically. They'll also have 5 games they overperform (@memphis, middle Tenn St, @Ville, vs SMU jump out to me). The other 20 will be pretty representative of a teams "true ability."

Really enjoy how you quantify things.

 

[bearcat jeff]

The loss may not be a big deal, but the nature of how we lost raises all kinds of red flags. Maybe we can attribute some of it to being emotionally and physically tired? Stress can be a very negative factor, but we weren't even executing the basics. I can accept a loss, but a beat-down shouldn't happen to this team. The most glaring problem from that game was the non-willingness for the players to shoot the ball when open, preferring instead to dish to SK. The team has become TOO dependent on him - plain and simple! Started with Titus on the first fast break (costing JJ foul#1), and I don't know how many times GG was open, thought about a shot, but then passed it up. ST only took 5 shots, but at least he attempted to penetrate and/or took open looks. Never just accept a loss. Learn from it. Next couple games should be our chance to display what/if we have learned anything from the SMU mistakes. That's what good teams/coaches do. LEARN - from both losses and victories. If you don't learn something every day in life, you've wasted the day.

I agree...The Cats had a stretch where they were sharing the ball and people had become willing to shoot. Seems like since the second half of the Temple game and to the SMU game that had changed. I still think the bigger issue was lack of focus, which plays to your point, and energy. The Bearcats to me never seemed like they were present for the game. They didn't contest entry passes and were way too passive offensively.

You point is why I have been harping on the bench scoring and 3 double digit scorers the past few games. I saw this coming for the same reasons you stated. Again, I think the week off will do them a world of good. I believe you'll see a much more focused team when they take the court again.

 

[Scheids21]

This is the same thing that happened in the New Mexico and Xavier games: The team became rattled and didn't want to make mistakes so they just gave the ball to Sean and prayed he could do something. Sean is fearless, but when he's the only one willing to take a chance, it will lead to bad percentages from him. I'm not sure why we became rattled at SMU, but were confident at Memphis and Louisville. The week off and a confidence booster on Saturday should be just what the doctor ordered.

 

[bearcatz1]

I'm not meaning to bash the team and maybe I came off that way.. I'm a pessimistic person so I seem to focus more on the negatives of the team. I know that press they put on when they made their run was solid. I hope they bounce back and don't lose their confidence!