This team will improve by laps and bounds defensively as the year goes on. Coach will see to that. So much potential here, I'm really excited.

Can't recall ever saying the following in the preseason save a rare loaded Huggs team: we've got plenty of scorers but need to improve on defense. Usually come in saying, we are gonna struggle to score but we will be solid on D. D will be fine with mick as coach. We've got some scorers on this roster. Feels really nice to say that. A little raw but with lots of new faces that's to be expected.

Liked what I saw, overall. And the crowd wasn't terrible for a scrimmage in November; the student turnout was higher than I would have expected.

Loved the hustle. This roster has several guys that grab their lunch pail and just go to work on every possession. They'll come around on the cerebral part of the game with experience, and it's going to be fun to watch.

On one hand, I see Sanders as nothing more than a spot up 3-point shooter on this year's team. On the other hand, his experience and rebounding should get him playing time. He's just so slow - especially compared to a lot of the new guys like Cobb, Morman, etc. It's hard to watch sometimes - but if he can knock down 3's within the inside-out game, he'll be a much-needed weapon this year.

I was worried about the defense and despite the terrible showing I see potential. Ellis and Clark are very long and athletic so we should be good at protecting the rim. Perimeter defense should be fine, especially when Mormon and Guyn are in.

I don't know if it's just because it's preseason but I like that Troy and Cobb were running point, our offense has never really run smoothly with G at point.

Didnt see any of the game but I love what i am hearing from everybody,Defense is 90% effort and you can teach that.You cant teach guys how to score no matter how hard you try if you cant shoot you cant shoot.I do have confidence in Mick to get guys to play hard and coach guys on the defensive end so very excited about this team going forward.

For a first game I will take it! Holy smokes Bellarmine can really shoot the ball.

Deberry is impossibly large and strong. When he got it near the bucket the Bellarmine players were understandably reluctant to go up with him. When he pushed their players to get position their guys reacted like someone dropped a safe on them from the rafters. He picked up a couple fouls where you could argue that it was even contact, it was just the a lopsided physics equation.

Cobb, KJ and Troy could have pulled up on threes all night. Something tells me they didn't do this on purpose.

One thing that had me grinning the entire game - every single one of these guys can shoot a FT. Amazing stat of the night? We shot a higher percentage at the stripe 77% than Bellarmine 76%. Who here would have taken that bet before the game?

Our big guys were 7-10 at the line. With Octavius a perfect 4-4 as was DeBerry 1-1. Moore was 2-5 but I have no worries - he looked like a shooter whose normal percentage is very high.

My nickname for Mormon is "mayhem" - his hand speed and first step explosiveness are ridiculous. You could tell their guards were very solid and experienced and they figured out how dangerous he was quickly and avoided him whenever possible. He is so damn quick and such a natural ballhawk - but he will have to learn how to use those gifts wisely. Picking a guys pocket, even if done cleanly often LOOKS like a foul. Mormon is going to be fun to watch.

Mormon reminds me of a guard sized version of Ruben Patterson - both had that quick-strike first gear. You had to know where they were on the court at all times because their closing speed was just that fast. Ruben was in the house last night along with Corie Blount, Terry Nelson and several other notable alums hanging out together in the JTM suite. Great to see.

Defense will get better. UC under Cronin has struggled to contain teams that pass the ball well. Bellarmine, Notre Dame, and Harvard have picked apart UC over the last handful of years.

I would like to see Mick play both Sanders and Thomas at the same time in certain situations because I am not sure if Clark or Moore are ready yet on the defensive end.

UC has talent but finding a rotation for everyone isn't going to be easy. I am sticking with a regular season win total range from 22 to 25 wins. The ability to close out games might be my biggest concern.

Gary Clarke has me a little nervous. Watching him last night I couldn't help but think about Lawrence. He had that same look all night, that he was stuck in first gear the whole time he was on the floor. The rest of the newbies looked mostly what everyone expected. Mormon sure played like a guy that's been waiting for this moment for awhile, there was no mistaking who the most aggressive guy on the floor was. He will be a big time spark plug coming off the bench this year.

There was one play that made me actually yell out loud, it was when Moore got the ball on the perimeter and took a couple dribbles into the lane and got it to Deberry for an easy bucket down low. I am really looking forward to seeing Moore around the free throw line just abusing teams. It was really fun to see some legit big men for the Bearcats.

(11-04-2014 09:38 AM)bearcatlawjd Wrote:  Defense will get better. UC under Cronin has struggled to contain teams that pass the ball well. Bellarmine, Notre Dame, and Harvard have picked apart UC over the last handful of years.

I would like to see Mick play both Sanders and Thomas at the same time in certain situations because I am not sure if Clark or Moore are ready yet on the defensive end.

UC has talent but finding a rotation for everyone isn't going to be easy. I am sticking with a regular season win total range from 22 to 25 wins. The ability to close out games might be my biggest concern.

Lost 61-57 to harvard dont think defense was the problem,you score 80 points a night and that takes a lot of pressure off the defense!!!

Undefeated last year when we scored 60. 60! If this team can score, Mick will get the defense going and we could be really good by tournament time.