SMU

[Patrick Bateman]

Smu could be a top 20 team if they had a PG. shake Milton is having to the run the point but he isn't a true point guard.

This will be a battle. But if we win big it's because of our pg play and their lack of any

Hmmm, I am told on here that UC's starting PG is not a PG

 

[justinhub2003]

Hmmm, I am told on here that UC's starting PG is not a PG

People on here lie a lot though.

 

[justinhub2003]

Man I got bored and watched a bunch of SMU's last few games.


They never get back on defense after a missed shot because they expect to get an offensive rebound.

Like probably the best offensive rebounding team I've seen all year.

Need to get rebounding from the guards as SMU does a lot of tip out offensive rebounds

 

[LaxCat31]

Cronin just tweeted out student tickets are free....

I don't understand why it's gotten to that point..

Which part? Student tickets, especially for basketball, have always been free. The only issue with this game is that students just got back to campus today and are now starting to claim tickets.

 

[Emperor Snapper]

Man I got bored and watched a bunch of SMU's last few games.


They never get back on defense after a missed shot because they expect to get an offensive rebound.

Like probably the best offensive rebounding team I've seen all year.

Need to get rebounding from the guards as SMU does a lot of tip out offensive rebounds

42.2%OREB rate. That is insane. USC was pretty much the only team all year that could keep them off the offensive glass.

This may not be Justin Jenifer's night. He will be giving up 8 inches or so to any SMU player on the floor. Caupain is going to need to play well, and play heavy minutes.

For my money, Ojeleye is the best player in the conference. He is going to attack relentlessly. Defenders need to move their feet and not go for too many blocks, lest we be sending him to the line all night.

 

[waterhead]

42.2%OREB rate. That is insane. USC was pretty much the only team all year that could keep them off the offensive glass.

This may not be Justin Jenifer's night. He will be giving up 8 inches or so to any SMU player on the floor. Caupain is going to need to play well, and play heavy minutes.

For my money, Ojeleye is the best player in the conference. He is going to attack relentlessly. Defenders need to move their feet and not go for too many blocks, lest we be sending him to the line all night.

I would agree about Jenifer. Not his matchup. He is better suited for the high tempo games. This should be more of a rock fight half court game. He is already less effective in the half court games...add to that the size and reach disadvantage could be brutal.

Outside of him we match up in size pretty well. Maybe his quickness could help a little but the PG is going to have to do a lot of perimeter passing and those long arms of SMU are going to make it difficult.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I would agree about Jenifer. Not his matchup. He is better suited for the high tempo games. This should be more of a rock fight half court game. He is already less effective in the half court games...add to that the size and reach disadvantage could be brutal.

Outside of him we match up in size pretty well. Maybe his quickness could help a little but the PG is going to have to do a lot of perimeter passing and those long arms of SMU are going to make it difficult.

Doesn't have to be a rock fight at all imo. If we defensive rebound we'll have our chances to speed things up if we want.

 

[#BearcatNation]

Doesn't have to be a rock fight at all imo. If we defensive rebound we'll have our chances to speed things up if we want.

There will be some fast-break occurrences, but when the 338th pace (SMU) takes on the 313th pace (UC), you have to figure it'll be a slow, low-scoring game.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

There will be some fast-break occurrences, but when the 338th pace (SMU) takes on the 313th pace (UC), you have to figure it'll be a slow, low-scoring game.

"Rock fight" is usually in the 50s. We should score close to 70 easily.

 

[#BearcatNation]

"Rock fight" is usually in the 50s. We should score close to 70 easily.

I wouldn't say "easily", as SMU's defense is 35th in the country, but I expect us to win by around 10. I think 68-58 is fair.

 

[2bearcatdad]

I wouldn't say "easily", as SMU's defense is 35th in the country, but I expect us to win by around 10. I think 68-58 is fair.

I hope the margin is that comfortable. I think SMU will try to make it a low scoring game, which generally leads to tighter margins.

I definitely think we'll push it where we can, but I see this one as being played in the low 60's.

I'll venture a guess at:

UC - 64
SMU - 59

Go Cats!

 

[jacobkdoyle]

https://youtu.be/NmzitY33GY8

 

[jacobkdoyle]

https://youtu.be/NmzitY33GY8

Coach Cronin

 

[prancer]

https://youtu.be/NmzitY33GY8

Lol. Cash in a hoodie fooling around in the background the whole time. Love it.

 

[waterhead]

Coach Cronin

Sounds like rebounding is going to be a big key. Interesting he talked about how he shows video on how KJ boxes out to the rest of the team. KJ is second last in rebounds per 40 minutes... Only Jenifer is lower. The rest of the players are well ahead of him... Troy pulls down over twice as many. I guess KJ boxes out so the rest of the team can grab the ball...Lol!

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Sounds like rebounding is going to be a big key. Interesting he talked about how he shows video on how KJ boxes out to the rest of the team. KJ is second last in rebounds per 40 minutes... Only Jenifer is lower. The rest of the players are well ahead of him... Troy pulls down over twice as many. I guess KJ boxes out so the rest of the team can grab the ball...Lol!

Not really his job to rebound. Stats won't tell the story there.

 

[Basketball.com]

Sounds like rebounding is going to be a big key. Interesting he talked about how he shows video on how KJ boxes out to the rest of the team. KJ is second last in rebounds per 40 minutes... Only Jenifer is lower. The rest of the players are well ahead of him... Troy pulls down over twice as many. I guess KJ boxes out so the rest of the team can grab the ball...Lol!

That's what he meant, KJ seals his man, KJ does a lot of things that stats don't show! I Love what KJ brings!

 

[jacobkdoyle]

That's what he meant, KJ seals his man, KJ does a lot of things that stats don't show! I Love what KJ brings!

His improvement from the beginning of the year is remarkable. He looks so much more comfortable on the floor. I was, as UCBearcats put it, on a crusade to get him out of the starting lineup at the beginning of the year. Lately I feel like he can't play enough. That topic has been completely shut down. Tough kid. True Bearcat. I hope he keeps up the tenacity.

 

[#BearcatNation]

I'm all for giving KJ props, but geez, he's not suddenly a savior. He still commits all kinds of silly turnovers and is shooting 27% from three on the year. I'm glad he's improved (he was statistically bound to -- law of averages), and I'm really not trying to bash on him, as I've loved seeing him play better lately...but at the same time, it's hard for me to believe he's suddenly this great player now. A couple nice weeks doesn't make up for a very "meh" 3+ years here. He deserves to start and deserves minutes. But will he keep playing this well? I guess we'll see. I sure hope the light has turned on, but I remain a little skeptical.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I'm all for giving KJ props, but geez, he's not suddenly a savior. He still commits all kinds of silly turnovers and is shooting 27% from three on the year. I'm glad he's improved (he was statistically bound to -- law of averages), and I'm really not trying to bash on him, as I've loved seeing him play better lately...but at the same time, it's hard for me to believe he's suddenly this great player now. A couple nice weeks doesn't make up for a very "meh" 3+ years here. He deserves to start and deserves minutes. But will he keep playing this well? I guess we'll see. I sure hope the light has turned on, but I remain a little skeptical.

This is going to be a wildly unpopular take...But I'm going on the eye test. He's been so much more assertive. For 3+ years he was just another dude out there on the floor. These past handful of games he's looked like I've never seen him look on both ends of the floor. He always moved his feet well but now he's actually being a ballhawk on defense and creating opportunities with strips. There has also only been 1 game lately (Temple) where he wasn't keeping the ball flowing. He's scored in double figures 5 of the last 6 games while shooting 60% FG 42.3% 3FG and 91.6% FT. He's also had at least 1 STL in 11 of the last 12 games (averaging 1.5 in that span), after getting 0 in 2 of the first 3 games. Something is different. I think he has found a way to stop thinking so much. I mean he had a give n go in a 2 man game with Washington for a layup a couple game ago bc he fed him immediately instead of holding the ball. I mean when have we ever seen that from him? He's also finished on fastbreaks that he has created himself. He's actively making plays. All while providing (even more so now that we're in man defense) very important on the ball defense.