Xavier loses again

[kramer1]

UC hasn't lost since....

 

[bengaldoug]

This is getting funnier by the day.....

 

[kramer1]

UC plays PITT at 7 tonight.

Alcohol poisoning may be a possibility today. Stay tuned.

 

[bengaldoug]

Definite possibility.....I have the scotch ready for a rematch......

 

[kramer1]

Fell asleep around 8:15 last night. Damn neighbors and their damn fireworks woke me up around 11:30. Fell back asleep around 2. I'm good to go now. The only decision I have is do I start drinking at noon or 1?

 

[bengaldoug]

We had a nice dinner at home (filet, shrimp cocktail, twice baked potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, chocolate lava cake) last night, with champagne and scotch.....it has become a New Year's eve habit......crashed around 1 am and got up at 7 am....ready for round two tonight if there's anything to celebrate.....

 

[icehole3]

anyone remember Tu's comments about Zipping it up

[YOUTUBE]hm-JKmCB2dA[/YOUTUBE]

 

[bengaldoug]

Bearcats win at Pittsburgh, 6-0 now since the suspensions......

 

[redbengal1000]

Big win against Pitt, UC's playing with a chip on their shoulder.

 

[kramer1]

Xavier is playing like bitches.

 

[cincyreds45212]

amazing how differently each program handled the situation. Xavier let their kids come out and talk shit afterwards and Cronin was obviously livid.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Haven't watched any college games yet, but Xavier losing is good I.

 

[Cincyfan78]

The thing about X was...they had a lot of holes before the UC game. They should have had 2 or 3 losses, if not for some out of this world play by TU to get them back into those games, and win in the end. Those very problems are what caused those deficits in the first place. The brawl is just bringing more focus to the team while they are losing. It's easy to point out that X hasn't handled the adversity as well as UC, and it's easy to say that this is the reason for X's problems. However, in reality, X had a lot of these problems to start with. This is nothing new.

X was simply over-rated. There was no way they were the 8th best team in the country. I think they are a top 25 team...but not a top 20 team, and surely not ever were they as good as their ranking.

UC returning their players will be interesting. They've been allowed to practice, so the 4-guard won't be anything "new". There are reports that Cronin is now considering Red-shirting either Ellis or Mbodj. Both have had injury issues, and there is going to be a sudden glut of Forwards/Centers with this new offense when they return. Gaines red-shirted last year, so he's not eligible, and Jackson is clearly the #2 guy behind Gates once Gates gets his starting job back.

 

[jwil007]

Gates should ride the bench the rest of the season...As long as they keep winning dont change anything...Let them come off the bench

 

[bengaldoug]

I want to see how Gates will fit in, and if they will change anything for him....it ain't broke, Mick, so don't try and fix it.....

 

[Cincyfan78]

They've all been practicing while suspended, so this offense wont' be "new" it will just be "game" speed now.

I think everything that happened will help Gates.

1. UC found a leader willing to take that role on in Wright. Yancy never wanted that roll and it was given to him by default. The guy is simply not a leader, and I think it wore him down mentally.

2. The offense will spread the inside out more giving Gates more room to opperate for rebounds, putbacks, and easier layups as they can't simply double down on Gates leaving a shooter open.

3. The offense no longer revolves around Gates, living and dying with him. The less pressure there is on Gates, the better it will be for him.

4. Worst case is that he gives UC exactly what Jackson gives them now...4 fouls, 5-8 points and 5-8 rebounds. Depth. If nothing else, he will provide depth.


No doubt Mick will be subbing the Center position liberally with the plans to press and continue with the up tempo style of offense.

 

[bengaldoug]

Hope so .... I love the four guard attack....

 

[Cincyfan78]

Hope so .... I love the four guard attack....

It's great to watch, and it's great to recruit with.


I mean, when you are 18 and are scoring 20-30 a game in H.S. do you want to go to an offense that plays low-post ball, scores 55 a game, and plays at a pace that a snail laughs at? No. You want to go where your scoring can be an asset to a team. A highlight. Maybe even, the centerpiece. It's much easier to find a guard than a true scoring low-post Forward/Center.


I think one big reason that some fans have stayed away from UC games (attendance) is because...who the heck wants to watch paint dry? They were scoring 90 a clip against the scrubs, and I took my kids to see them play against Chicago state because I knew it would be a fun game for them to watch. Lots of action, lots of points, and a chase to 100 points for the 3rd game in a row. My kids loved it. They would have HATED me for taking them to see the other offense this team was running, and would have not wanted to follow UC otherwise.


UC is built for this offense right now, and for at least the next few years. The team has a guard Red-shirting, and was targeting at least 1 guard for the 2013 class. UC only loses Dixon, and he would be replaced either by Sanders, Davis III, or Thomas (who was supposed to be the best scorer in the freshman class, but had to red-shirt).


It will be interesting to see how this changes up the recruiting.

 

[cincygrad]

It's great to watch, and it's great to recruit with.


I mean, when you are 18 and are scoring 20-30 a game in H.S. do you want to go to an offense that plays low-post ball, scores 55 a game, and plays at a pace that a snail laughs at? No. You want to go where your scoring can be an asset to a team. A highlight. Maybe even, the centerpiece. It's much easier to find a guard than a true scoring low-post Forward/Center.


I think one big reason that some fans have stayed away from UC games (attendance) is because...who the heck wants to watch paint dry? They were scoring 90 a clip against the scrubs, and I took my kids to see them play against Chicago state because I knew it would be a fun game for them to watch. Lots of action, lots of points, and a chase to 100 points for the 3rd game in a row. My kids loved it. They would have HATED me for taking them to see the other offense this team was running, and would have not wanted to follow UC otherwise.


UC is built for this offense right now, and for at least the next few years. The team has a guard Red-shirting, and was targeting at least 1 guard for the 2013 class. UC only loses Dixon, and he would be replaced either by Sanders, Davis III, or Thomas (who was supposed to be the best scorer in the freshman class, but had to red-shirt).


It will be interesting to see how this changes up the recruiting.

Good point. I think it's also notable that when the Bearcats were the most popular was early in Huggins tenure when we often played full-court. Tons of traps, steals, and dunks. When we recruited Fortson we remained popular, but we developed that ugly style of forcing it into the middle or bricking jump shots.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Good point. I think it's also notable that when the Bearcats were the most popular was early in Huggins tenure when we often played full-court. Tons of traps, steals, and dunks. When we recruited Fortson we remained popular, but we developed that ugly style of forcing it into the middle or bricking jump shots.

Exactly. I think people forget that early on, UC really did rely on guards.

Van Excel.

Durden

Burton


to a much lesser extent, Levit was a cross-over he could shoot, but his forte was his hops and slashing. Field Williams was a solid 3-pt shooter. The thing that Huggins never truly got was a real point-guard. Statterfield left too early, and of course, so did Dermarr Johnson.

Also agreed with the traps and full-court pressure. With those guards, UC was running the half-court, as you said, and living off that pressure defense. Running teams into the ground by exhausting them through the numerous traps.

With Fortson you saw a change...and then it was the same with Kenyon, though kenyon hit jumpers at a very nice clip, and allowed the team to spread it back out some. Logan was focused after Martin, and Forwards Maxiell and Hicks were not as featured as Fortson or Martin was, but then the dark ages came...and everything got blown up. Mick knew his best recourse was to slow the game to a crawl, and hope he could keep the score close enough to steal wins in the end. Landing Gates was a major coup that simply didn't work out the way it was planned for one reason or another (I personally thing he isn't mentally tough to be "that" guy and why I think he'll thrive in this new offense). However, landing him pushed Cronin into that Same mold that Huggins fell into when he landed Fortson and started really focusing on Forwards/Centers and just being bigger and badder than everyone else.

It's also one big reason why Huggins' teams struggled so badly in NCAA's year after year. You have to score. Eventually, you'll find a team that can score on your defense no matter how good it is, if you fall behind, and if you can't shoot it...you're toast.

*Side note to Kenyons senior year...if he doesn't break his leg, that team is final 4 bound. Period.