Short-handed Bearcats cautious about ranking
Jan. 13, 2014 5:23 PM


UC will get its first chance to show that it can handle being ranked when it faces Temple (5-9, 0-4) at 9 p.m. Tuesday at Fifth Third Arena. / The Enquirer/Joseph Fuqua II

Written by
Bill Koch

The news that they had climbed into the Top 25 for the first time this season was greeted by University of Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin and his players Monday with more caution than joy.

The Bearcats, who have won eight straight games, are No. 19 in the Associated Press media poll and No. 23 in the USA Today coaches’ poll. It’s the first time they’ve been ranked since they were No.17 on Feb. 9 of last year. They fell out of the Top 25 after three straight losses to Georgetown, Connecticut and Notre Dame and did not return the rest of the season.

“Ever since we first hit the rankings when I first got here, it was always like some type of bullseye on us when we were ranked,” said UC guard Sean Kilpatrick. “The attention was on us and we tended to lack a lot when we were ranked. We’ve got to continue to make sure everybody is humble and ready to just keep going every game because the ranked teams are usually the ones that slack when they’ve got that number next to their name.”

UC (15-2 overall, 4-0 in the American Athletic Conference) will get its first chance to show that it can handle being ranked when it faces Temple (5-9, 0-4) at 9 p.m. Tuesday at Fifth Third Arena.

Cronin said being ranked has two advantages: It means that highlights from your games get on ESPN more frequently, which helps recruiting, and it can help sell tickets. But it can also be harmful if the players lose sight of why they’ve been winning.

“It’s a detriment when your players start to think they’re going to win because they’re ranked,” Cronin said. “I’m more concerned about continuing to play at a high level and making sure that our will to win is what it has been since the Xavier loss. That’s the most important thing. The minute you relax, the minute you’re going to start taking losses. It’s a definite concern that your will to win would slip and you start thinking that you’re winning because of your talent.”

The Bearcats have reached this level despite the fact that attrition has reduced their roster to nine scholarship players, four below the full allotment of 13.

This is not the team Cronin believed he would have this season. First he lost 6-foot-10, 270-pound freshman center Jamaree Strickland, who was declared ineligible by the NCAA because it would not accept all of his high school courses.

Then freshman guard Deshaun Morman - who probably would have redshirted anyway – broke his foot. Sophomore guard Jeremiah Davis III quit the team and transferred to Ball State after a fire did extensive damage to his family’s home in Muncie, Ind., followed by a turf toe injury to freshman forward Jermaine Lawrence, who has missed the last two games.

Through it all, the Bearcats have continued to win.

“We’re down to nine but all nine guys can help us,” Cronin said. “The most important thing for this team right now is that David (Nyarsuk) is giving us positive minutes. The second thing is that Titus (Rubles) and Justin (Jackson) have got to make some adjustments with their defense as far as giveaway fouls early in the game. They’ve got to be careful.”

Nyarsuk, UC’s 7-foot-1 backup center, had played sparingly before Lawrence got hurt, but has averaged 12 minutes in each of the last two games during which he has blocked five shots and scored six points.

Cronin also praised the play of junior forward Jermaine Sanders, who averages 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds while providing a defensive versatility that is more crucial now than ever.

“His value to this team cannot be overstated,” Cronin said. “He can play outside on offense but can guard a bigger guy on defense. It allows you to be able to withstand losing Jermaine Lawrence. If Jermaine Sanders couldn’t do that stuff, that would be a problem.”

Lawrence is still wearing a boot on his left foot and is not expected back anytime soon, but the Bearcats are determined to not miss a beat.

“I guess you can say that we have a different team, but it’s still the same mentality,” Jackson said. “It’s still the same kind of team.”

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20140...ck_check=1

Still has a boot on his foot? That's one hell of a turf toe.

Ugh. They need Lawrence back badly.

(01-14-2014 07:10 AM)Marcus Wrote:  Ugh. They need Lawrence back badly.

Eventually, sure. We'll be heavy favorites in the next 4 games with or without him. I would play it extremely safe myself.

Lawrence not only needs to be back, but he needs minutes to get more epxerience and improvement. Missing these games really hurts on his conditioning and development.

Still being in a boot might not be cause for concern - his toe might be much better than it was a week ago, they are just ensuring he doesn't expose it and risk re-injury.

I have never had turf toe - but from what I have heard it is pretty easy to re-injure before it is healed (which is extremely hard to determine) and you essentially start treatment from square one all over again.

Tough for Lawrence, especially considering how his play and confidence were improving, but it is good to learn how to beat teams with players absent.

I hope Mick and the players are serious about approaching a ranking with caution. If they read about all of Temple's woes and believe they can just phone it in tonight, UC's visit to the top 25 will be short lived.

UC has had a history of tough, physical games from Temple and while they're shorthanded I'd expect nothing less. Temple's tradition has been playing a tough pre-conference schedule so they won't be intimidated by our crowd or playing #19. Expect them to make some unbelievable shots tonight from all over the court and make it a close contest.