UC’s goal: win them all at home
01/11/14 at 9:28pm by
Bill Koch
The UC Bearcats are happy to be 4-0 during their first year in the American Athletic Conference but they’re more focused on the number seven. That’s the number of home games they have remaining as they seek to fulfill Mick Cronin’s goal of going unbeaten at home.
Mick Cronin won his 150th game as UC’s head coach Saturday.
UC’s 71-51 win over Rutgers on Saturday extended their home winning streak to 14. They’re 12-0 this season at Fifth Third Arena. And for a change, there was a good crowd, with a season-high 10,872 on hand.
“You’ve got to go undefeated at home,” Cronin said. “The key to winning a conference championship in the regular season is don’t lose at home. I thought this team had a chance to do it. I’ve talked to them about it all season I told them we’re not losing games at home. We’re not coming out flat. I hate that.
“I just tried to challenge them. I don’t care who we’re playing. We will not lose at home. I don’t care if we’ve got to hold a team to 30.”
UC scored 71 points despite the fact that Justin Jackson was limited to 20 minutes because of foul trouble and Sean Kilpatrick continues to struggle with his 3-point shot. Kilpatrick was 1-for-10 Saturday and is four for his last 33. He compensated at the free throw line where he went 9-for-10 as the Bearcats made 31 of 40 overall, the most made free throws by a UC team since Cronin became head coach in 2006.
The game was a milestone win for Cronin, who is now 150-102 in eight years at UC.
“I hope to have a whole lot more of those here,” Cronin said.
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