Mick Cronin's victory a milestone

Written by
Tom Groeschen

Coach Mick Cronin achieved a career milestone Sunday, as UC opened the season with an 80-57 win over Tennessee-Martin.

Cronin, now 114-88 in his seventh year at UC, passed Ed Jucker for fifth place on the Bearcats’ career coaching wins list. Jucker (113-28 at UC) coached the Bearcats’ back-to-back NCAA champions in 1961 and ’62.

Cronin smiled when asked about passing Jucker.

“The difference is he’s got two that I don’t have … championships,” Cronin said. “Let’s not put me in that class. His name’s on the court.”

The court at Fifth Third Arena is named for Jucker.

“For me it’s an honor to be the coach here,” Cronin said. “If there’s any way you can make up a sentence to put my name in the same sentence as Ed Jucker’s, I appreciate it.”

The UC career wins leaders are Bob Huggins (399), George Smith (154), Gale Catlett (126), Tay Baker (125), Cronin (114) and Jucker (113).

GAINES OUT

Sophomore center Kelvin Gaines (shoulder ailment) dressed but did not play Sunday.

“There’s no need for him to get hurt in a game like this,” Cronin said. “I’m not going to lose him for the season, popping a shoulder out with a 30-point lead.”

900 CLUB

Senior guard Cashmere Wright led UC with 16 points, which pushed his career total to 915.

Junior guard Sean Kilpatrick, who had 14 points, also is knocking on the 900 door. Kilpatrick now has 881 career points.

There are 47 players in UC history who have scored 1,000 career points.

FAST STARTS

UC now has won 47 of its last 48 home openers. The only home opening loss in that span was Nov. 9, 2007 to Belmont (86-75).

UC also has won 30 of its last 32 season openers overall.

TWYMAN REMEMBERED

UC jerseys this season include a No. 27 remembrance patch to honor Jack Twyman, the former Bearcats star who died in May at age 78. Twyman is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Twyman’s No. 27 jersey is one of three retired by the UC men’s basketball program, along with Oscar Robertson (12) and Kenyon Martin (4).

UP NEXT

UC next plays again Tuesday, at home (7 p.m.) against Mississippi Valley State.

Congratulations to Mick. I also thought he was appropriately humble in his response. He's had a tough road and is enjoying renewed support but will need to "hang some banners" of his own to be mentioned in the same breath with Jucker and Huggins. Let's hope he stays and does that.

(11-12-2012 01:54 PM)indycat Wrote:  Congratulations to Mick. I also thought he was appropriately humble in his response. He's had a tough road and is enjoying renewed support but will need to "hang some banners" of his own to be mentioned in the same breath with Jucker and Huggins. Let's hope he stays and does that.

but that's mick. he learned from the best and proudly wears cincinnati on his sleeve. at least big east basketball is stable enough to stave off the poaching. college basketball's a different animal when it comes to stepping stones. well maybe it isn't, but not as rampant. i'd like to see mick branch off a little coaching tree of his own one day