Cronin-less UC now faces SMU, Hall of Fame coach Brown
Tom Groeschen, tgroeschen@enquirer.com 4:35 p.m. EST January 2, 2015


Larry Davis addresses reporters during a press conference Friday.(Photo: The Enquirer/Meg Vogel)

Mick Cronin is out for the year in terms of coaching basketball games, but the University of Cincinnati head coach is determined to see his assistants excel.

"My goal is to make Larry Davis coach of the year," Cronin said Friday, after it was announced Cronin would miss the rest of the season for medical reasons.

If UC associate head coach Davis is to become American Athletic Conference coach of the year, Saturday's game against SMU will play no small role.

UC (9-3) begins the AAC portion of its schedule when SMU (10-3, 1-0 AAC) visits Fifth Third Arena on Saturday at 11 a.m.

SMU, led by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown, was voted by AAC coaches to finish second in the league (behind UConn) this season. UC was picked fourth.

UC announced Friday that Cronin will not coach games or practices for the rest of the season while dealing with, "A non-life threatening vascular condition known as arterial dissection."

Cronin recently had persistent headaches and was advised by doctors to stop coaching. Rest and medication are on the agenda for Cronin, who still plans to work in an advisory role that includes game planning and recruiting.

Davis, who has led UC to a 2-1 record since Cronin stepped away Dec. 20, next faces one of basketball's greatest coaches in SMU's Brown.]

The 74-year-old Brown coached an NCAA champion at Kansas (1988), and his many stops have included 1,098 wins as a National Basketball Association coach.

Brown, 52-30 in his third year at SMU, has made the Mustangs a factor again after many years outside the spotlight. SMU is led by 5-9 junior guard Nic Moore (14.8 ppg), 6-11 junior center Yanick Moreira (12.4 ppg) and 6-5 sophomore guard Keith Frazier (11.4 ppg).

SMU has an eight-game winning streak. The Mustangs' three losses came in November to teams now ranked or receiving votes — No. 7 Gonzaga, Indiana and Arkansas.

"Larry Brown is a Hall of Fame coach," Davis said. "They got their butt beat a few times by some people that they probably weren't expecting to get beat by, and now he's got their attention. They're playing.

"We'll have our hands full. It will be the most physical game we've played all year. We'll have to play our best defensively and our best offensively, to date, to win the game."

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Quote:SMU at Cincinnati

When: 11 a.m. Saturday

Where: Fifth Third Arena, Cincinnati

TV/Radio: ESPN2, 700WLW

Records: UC 9-3 (0-0 AAC), SMU 10-3 (1-0 AAC)

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/c.../21192023/

Question: If Davis takes this squad to the NCAAs, does he get his own HC gig somewhere?

(01-03-2015 12:44 PM)Former Lurker Wrote:  Question: If Davis takes this squad to the NCAAs, does he get his own HC gig somewhere?

I would think.

(01-03-2015 12:59 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  

(01-03-2015 12:44 PM)Former Lurker Wrote:  Question: If Davis takes this squad to the NCAAs, does he get his own HC gig somewhere?

I would think.

Better question is does he want to be HC. Didn't he give up Furman job to come here? I imagine he makes similar salary here as he would as low major HC and his job is stable as long as Mick is healthy.

He is just as intense on the sidelines as MC is, maybe more.

Mick has said in the past that Coach Davis would like to be a head coach again but that it would need to be the right situation. He certainly has upgraded his resume in the last week, good for him.

If he were to become a head coach again I'd bet it'll be at a high major school. He's pushing 60 and a lot of smaller schools rarely look for a guy that old. Not sure Larry would want a job like that anyway.

(01-04-2015 04:51 PM)BearcatShane09 Wrote:  If he were to become a head coach again I'd bet it'll be at a high major school. He's pushing 60 and a lot of smaller schools rarely look for a guy that old. Not sure Larry would want a job like that anyway.

You are right. Larry Davis is 58. BTW, at Furman, he had a losing record: 124-139.

I am not convinced we are ever going to see Mick Cronin coaching again. I just think he would always be too intense for his condition which is probably not going away.

I pray I am wrong.

Per ESPN...quoting sources
"The prognosis is excellent," Dr. Norberto Andaluz, the UC Health director of Neurosurgery, said in the statement. "An important part of Mr. Cronin's treatment and recovery includes rest, medication and keeping a normal blood pressure."

Added Dr. Mario Zuccarello: "We are optimistic in this case. Coach Cronin's career is not jeopardized by this condition and we all look forward to seeing him back on the court next season and enjoying a long successful career thereafter."

(01-03-2015 02:26 PM)apoe Wrote:  Mick has said in the past that Coach Davis would like to be a head coach again but that it would need to be the right situation. He certainly has upgraded his resume in the last week, good for him.

LD would love to give it a go one more time as a head coach, but he isn't going to take any job that comes along just for the hell of it. He had a job that wanted to hire him last year, but the circumstances didn't line up with what he was looking for.

As to his age, there are guys in their 30s and 40s that don't work nearly as hard. The guy is relentless as a coach and recruiter.

For selfish reasons I hope he is at UC for the rest of his career. That said, I would love to see him get another shot running a program. He's a basketball lifer that should get the chance to round out a long and successful career on his terms if that is the route he wants to take...