Doc: UC, Xavier head in different directions
The Morning Line
Paul Daugherty , pdaugherty@enquirer.com Published 9:17 a.m. ET Feb. 16, 2017 | Updated 6 hours ago


UC PLAYING AGAINST ITS OWN ASPIRATIONS in Tampa, easing past South Florida (279 in the RPI). Only concern was T. Caupain. The Enquirer’s UC guy, Tom Groeschen, went a whole story without typing the senior point guard’s name.

In the past three games, Caupain has scored 15 points on 5-for-26 shooting. Last night, backup J. Jenifer had five assists in 15 minutes. Caupain had three in 30.

FRACTURING XAVIER. . . No one should expect a team that is playing without its top 3 guards (M Davis included) to go on the road and beat a hungry Bubble team. But the way Xavier lost at Providence was troubling. No Sumner and Bluiett demands the Musketeers play smart and focused. For 34 minutes, they were neither. Injuries don’t account for shoddy ballhandling and occasionally lax defense. Chris Mack to the Enquirer’s Pat Brennan:

"We have to grow up. I feel like I'm doing a lousy job as a head coach influencing our team to fight through adversity. Really feel like I am doing a poor job. Tellin' ain't teaching, and until we can survive other teams' runs and other teams' just willingness to take over a game, we're fracturing.’’

The Selex Committee will take X’s injuries into account, assuming the Musketeers make the tournament. But unless Bluiett makes a miracle recovery and X starts winning down the stretch, their seed will be a disadvantage. Damned shame.

AND ABOUT UC’S HOME COURT ISSUES. . . Mobster AJ chimes in with this:

I doubt if I would be attending any UC basketball games at any venue. The comfort of my chair in the den is better than one in any arena. You could have mentioned the price gouging for parking downtown and that nobody is likely to get hit by a street car in Highland Heights.

Having remembered how UC was stuck with Alabama A&M for its inaugural game opponent at renovated Nippert, I think UC should be working on its home opener foe for the 2018-19 season. Top suggestions, in order:

l. West Virginia.....because Bob Huggins is the coach.

2. Minnesota.....because that was the inaugural opponent for Shoemaker Center.

3. Xavier.....because UC is gonna play at home that season anyway, so why not in the opener?

4. Northern Kentucky......the gratuity for even considering renting their place to UC for the 2017-18 season.

5. Miami (Ohio)......nearby familiar opponent that hasn't played UC for awhile but seems to be willing to play anyone anywhere.

I don't think Mike Bohn's wildest dreams would include Ohio State, Kentucky or Louisville consenting to play here.

I like 1 and 3.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/b.../97987368/