State of the Program

[TheRealUC]

I understand the great tradition thing but there comes a time when you have to stop hanging your hat on things that happened half a century ago. I know it's different cuz you've been a fan much longer but early exits from the tournament have been the norm since as long as I can remember...and with much higher expectations. Now I'd love to have those expectations again but i think it's foolish to put us in the category of the Duke's, Kentucky's, Kansas', etc. Just a thought from a different perspective[/QUOT

Who cares what happened 55 years ago? I want what we had 11-16 years ago. All the brilliant minds in here continually point to Huggs last 6 years and equate those to virtually the same thing Mick has given us. What a crock. Those 2 coaching comparisons are night and day. Let's examine those underperforming last 6 years of Huggs. His last 2 recruiting classes were Top 25. He had a #1 recruiting class and some other top 20s. 4 MacDonald's All-Americans. 77 of 112 weeks ranked in the Top 25. 32 of 112 weeks in the top 10. 28 of 112 weeks ranked in the Top 5. 12 of 112 weeks ranked #1. 3 Conference USA Regular Season Championships. 2 CUSA Conference Tourney Championships. 8 NBA DRAFT Picks. NCAA Seeds...#1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8. 1 National Player of the Year. One Number 1 NBA Draft Pick. 3 First Round NBA Draft Picks. One Sweet 16. 2 1st Team All Americans.

The above performance, which many in here label as not that great, makes Cronin's 6 tourney years pale in comparison. We can definitely achieve this again. The disappointing MARCH MADNESS results can definitely be surpassed. Anything and everything that Huggs achieved in his last 14 years is possible, and I believe a national championship is possible as well. But, 10+ years of this coach has shown that virtually none of it is possible, except the disappointing March Madness.

Again, these were the years when Huggs was losing his Mojo.

Kudos for going back and finding those stats, and again those are some great things that most of us want to get back to, however 1 sweet 16 with all those accolades screams "choke job" to a majority of the sports world. Living with UConn fans, I am endlessly bombarded with shit talk of early exits come March...and that didn't start with Cronin. I mean how can you say that it would be unacceptable for Cronin not to get to the second weekend with this squad, but its a feather in hugg's cap that he routinely bowed out early with MUCH more talented rosters? I just don't see the logic

 

[L-T]

It's interesting how you can spin stats to make an argument. Yes, in Huggins last 6 years he made one sweet 16. But he also made one sweet 16 in his last 9 years. 9 years and only one sweet 16. Sounds like a similar pace to Mick. And that year they made the sweet 16 they did so by beating a 12 seed and a 13 seed. In 2004 they got absolutely embarrassed by 24 points to a lower seeded team.

It's nice to have some of those other things you mentioned (NBA players, highly ranked recruiting classes) but in reality they don't mean squat if it doesn't parlay onto the court.

If all you live for is the couple weeks in March, then I feel sorry for your fan experience. I live for the whole thing, and I think most fans are with me. When you can enjoy a top rated program for 16 or 17 of 18 weeks every year, then that is getting it parlayed onto the court in most logical fans minds. If we don't get it done in March because the best player in the world breaks his leg, or someone banks in a half court buzzer beater, or the NCAA screws us with the parings, or the team we get beat by in the Final 4 has cheated, or any of the various other reasons that occurred, then oh well. Like Jacob said, it's a crap shoot. We were playing top programs on national TV and our midnight madness' were televised nationally. We weren't on ESPN3, or these other obscure channels like we are today, because we were relevant and we were a national power.

You go ahead and dream on if you think today's teams and fan experience are on pace with then as you state. That is a joke of a statement. Today, we have a top rated program for approximately zero of 18 weeks pretty much every year. We may have lost by 24 to the #13 rated program, but we sure as hell weren't losing to freaking Harvard in the first round with a 1st team all-american, and to powerhouses like St. Joes and Creighton. Great post!

 

[L-T]

Kudos for going back and finding those stats, and again those are some great things that most of us want to get back to, however 1 sweet 16 with all those accolades screams "choke job" to a majority of the sports world. Living with UConn fans, I am endlessly bombarded with shit talk of early exits come March...and that didn't start with Cronin. I mean how can you say that it would be unacceptable for Cronin not to get to the second weekend with this squad, but its a feather in hugg's cap that he routinely bowed out early with MUCH more talented rosters? I just don't see the logic

Lol. With Cronin you can get laughed at by your UCONN buddies endlessly....for the regular season, for the postseason league tourney, and for March Madness, for recruiting, for no NBA players, for playing on ESPN3 , you name it. You get it all year long! If that is what you want, then you're already wallowing in it. Enjoy it while you can! That's called "choke season"!

 

[L-T]

And if we lose to a higher ranked opponent on the road? Do you consider that another point against Cronin?

So, we're pretty much giving Cronin a free pass on the few decent teams that he schedules every year? We shouldn't expect a Top 20 paid coach to win some big games occasionally? Ok, I promise to not to take a point off of Mick's performance review if he loses. Lol! We wouldn't want him to.possibly overachieve for once would we?

 

[TheRealUC]

So, we're pretty much giving Cronin a free pass on the few decent teams that he schedules every year? We shouldn't expect a Top 20 paid coach to win some big games occasionally? Ok, I promise to not to take a point off of Mick's performance review if he loses. Lol! We wouldn't want him to.possibly overachieve for once would we?

Of course I want him to win, but if you think I'm gonna use a loss to Iowa St. on the road as a rock to throw in the "Fire Mick Cronin" basket, then think again.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Of course I want him to win, but if you think I'm gonna use a loss to Iowa St. on the road as a rock to throw in the "Fire Mick Cronin" basket, then think again.

At some point, we're going to have to win a big game again.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

At some point, we're going to have to win a big game again.

Lets hope its Thursday night.

 

[TheRealUC]

We may have lost by 24 to the #13 rated program, but we sure as hell weren't losing to freaking Harvard in the first round with a 1st team all-american, and to powerhouses like St. Joes and Creighton. Great post!

Wait, so Cincy shouldn't lose to Harvard because we had an all-american but you knock them for losing to the team that had the National Player of the year? Cant have it both ways dude. Not to mention that St. Joes also had an honorable mention all-american and a first round NBA draft pick. And are you seriously using illinois' basketball program ranking (which is 110% subjective) as a justification to getting blown out by a worse and lower seeded team? You seem awfully hung up on the perceived historical greatness of a program rather than the team that actually steps on the court.

 

[TheRealUC]

At some point, we're going to have to win a big game again.

Absolutely, would never argue against that

 

[#BearcatNation]

At some point, we're going to have to win a big game again.

We did just beat a ranked SMU team 9 games ago, but I see your point. I really hope we're able to capitalize on getting leads against good teams more this year. Rhode Island wasn't a good sign; at least towards the end. Cannot get conservative.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

We did just beat a ranked SMU team 9 games ago, but I see your point. I really hope we're able to capitalize on getting leads against good teams more this year. Rhode Island wasn't a good sign; at least towards the end. Cannot get conservative.

Yeah I'm not going to be nearly as upset if we lose a true road game at Iowa State (unless we get blown out) as I was about losing a semi-road game against Rhode Island. But if we want to be ranked, and want a good seed/favorable path in March, were going to need some marquee wins. The AAC isn't looking so hot, so who knows what kind of opportunities we'll get in conference play.

 

[JasonS]

Yeah I'm not going to be nearly as upset if we lose a true road game at Iowa State (unless we get blown out) as I was about losing a semi-road game against Rhode Island. But if we want to be ranked, and want a good seed/favorable path in March, were going to need some marquee wins. The AAC isn't looking so hot, so who knows what kind of opportunities we'll get in conference play.

It may not have been a "true" road game but it was basically the equivalent of UC playing a game in Mason so yeah, it was a road game. It's the reason that both Mick and coach K requested to not play them first. Coach K won that one. I have a good feeling about the game tomorrow.

 

[waterhead]

If we want to be a great team we have to start winning more games like this. Troy needs to step up his game.

 

[TheRealUC]

It may not have been a "true" road game but it was basically the equivalent of UC playing a game in Mason so yeah, it was a road game. It's the reason that both Mick and coach K requested to not play them first. Coach K won that one. I have a good feeling about the game tomorrow.

No doubt, that place was rockin. Attendance was 9k+ when URI's home court holds 7k. Might have been worse then a road game...

 

[#BearcatNation]

If we want to be a great team we have to start winning more games like this. Troy needs to step up his game.

So far, I don't see anything close to the SK-senior year leap we were hoping for. That's a lot to ask, and Troy is relied on a lot less than SK ever was, but I want him to still be our true leader. He doesn't have to average 15/game, but be smart, efficient, and be sure the team is getting good looks. It's on you as the leader of the offense. With the talent around him, there's no reason he can't average at least 10/5/5. And just as important, he's got to get his FG% over 40%. Preferably in the 43-44% area.

 

[waterhead]

So far, I don't see anything close to the SK-senior year leap we were hoping for. That's a lot to ask, and Troy is relied on a lot less than SK ever was, but I want him to still be our true leader. He doesn't have to average 15/game, but be smart, efficient, and be sure the team is getting good looks. It's on you as the leader of the offense. With the talent around him, there's no reason he can't average at least 10/5/5. And just as important, he's got to get his FG% over 40%. Preferably in the 43-44% area.

Troy had some of his best games last year against tougher opponents and close games. I hope we see more of that. His % probably still wasn't great but it did help. Today he's got other options on the team to score so I hope he can just improve his efficiency. I'm not confident this will happen but I hope it does.

On a side note I think Cumberland seems more like a guy who can shoot himself out of a cold start. He just needs to keep shooting. I hope his confidence builds from last game and his defense improves. I would prefer him in the game as first off the bench at the wing position over Jenifer at this point.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

Cincinnati is 5-16 in last 2+ seasons in Tier "A" games. That's pathetic. KenPom defines Tier A as games against top 50 opponents adjusted for locations (so beating #90 on the road is roughly equivalent to beating #50 on a neutral floor or #20 on your home floor).

 

[waterhead]

Cincinnati is 5-16 in last 2+ seasons in Tier "A" games. That's pathetic. KenPom defines Tier A as games against top 50 opponents adjusted for locations (so beating #90 on the road is roughly equivalent to beating #50 on a neutral floor or #20 on your home floor).

It's hard to do when you have a low % volume shooter as your main option and your second option is content to let other players do the scoring.

Hopefully Washington and Evans will change some of this but we don't have many opportunities. It's going to be tough going on the road to a ranked senior laden team...but we have to find a way to dig deep and get these wins.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Cincinnati is 5-16 in last 2+ seasons in Tier "A" games. That's pathetic. KenPom defines Tier A as games against top 50 opponents adjusted for locations (so beating #90 on the road is roughly equivalent to beating #50 on a neutral floor or #20 on your home floor).

Nice Stat NTS

 

[#BearcatNation]

Cincinnati is 5-16 in last 2+ seasons in Tier "A" games. That's pathetic. KenPom defines Tier A as games against top 50 opponents adjusted for locations (so beating #90 on the road is roughly equivalent to beating #50 on a neutral floor or #20 on your home floor).

Really not shocking. 2014-15 was a very inconsistent season considering we had 7 new guys, and 2015-16 was the ultimate letdown. I don't think this trend continues.