#57 Cincinnati Bearcats

Big East
2004-05: 25-8, 12-4, 2nd CUSA
2004-05 postseason: NCAA


By Joel Welser


Andy Kennedy is the interim head coach after the ‘resignation’ of Bob Huggins. Kennedy has a decade of coaching experience. The recruiting specialist should provide as good of a transition as possible at this stage since he’s been on staff at Cincinnati since 2001. There is a lot of turnover this year on the floor and sidelines and the Bearcats will be contending in a much tougher Big East conference. The mental game will be the most important. Cincy can’t fold after a few knocks, or it could be devastating.

Who’s Out: Jason Maxiell is the big loss at Cincinnati. The forward led the squad with 15.3 points and provided the main defensive force under the basket with 2.7 blocks per game. Nick Williams started 18 contests averaging 8.9 points and 2.4 boards. The bench loses just about all of its depth with the departure of Roy Bright, Jamaal Lucas, John Meeker, Chadd Moore and Asrangue Souleymane. Bright, Moore and Lucas all earned five starts and will be missed coming off the bench.

Who’s In: Devan Downey will be the point guard of the future at UC. He can score and handle the ball and despite his small stature at 5-10 and 165 pounds, Downey is a solid, tough defender. Domonick Tilford will add more depth at the point. The 5-11 Louisville native earned ‘Mr. Basketball’ accolades in the state of Kentucky as a senior at Jeffersontown High. Forwards DeAndre Coleman and Cedric McGowan will add some depth on the wings. McGowan has the experience after playing two years at Kilgore (TX) College, where he averaged 15.1 points and 5.9 boards. Ivan Johnson will vie for a starting role in the frontcourt. At 6-8 and 255 pounds, Johnson is a much needed presence under the basket. The San Antonio native averaged 22.3 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks last year as a sophomore at Los Angeles Southwest Community College. Abdul Herrera can score with his back to the basket as well as anybody in the recruiting class. The 6-10 center has well developed skills for a young big man and will be a big time player before his career is over. Shooting guard Tyree Evans would make a good class even better if he is eligible. An announcement isn’t expected until mid-October regarding his status.

Who to Watch: The senior leadership in the front line will fall to Eric Hicks. The 6-6, 240 pounder averaged 13.7 points and 9.0 rebounds a year ago and will be shooting for a double-double this year. He may be undersized for battling under the basket, but Hicks plays bigger than his 6-6 frame. On the defensive end, the Greensboro, North Carolina product can outrebound much taller competition and averaged 2.2 blocks per game.

Projected Conference Rank: Say what you will about the timing and manner of the coaching change, but this squad would have had a fair share of knocks in the Big East either way. An 8th place finish in the conference won’t make anybody happy in Bearcat land but it will get Coach Kennedy a job somewhere else. Jihad Muhammad is a decent point guard and will be pressured by Devan Downey. Armein Kirkland is a solid wing who can hit the outside shot. Eric Hicks and James White have plenty of starting experience and are dependable seniors. As long as the newcomers can step up and at least provide a solid bench, the Bearcats will be competitive.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

Projected Starting Five:

Jihad Muhammad, Senior, Guard, 10.4 points per game
Armein Kirkland, Senior, Guard, 10.3 points per game
Eric Hicks, Senior, Forward, 13.7 points per game
James White, Senior, Forward, 10.2 points per game
Ivan Johnson, Junior, Forward, DNP last season


<a href='http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/preview/2005/57.htm' target='_blank'>#57 - Cincinnati</a>

This is already out-dated. Ivan Johnson announced earlier that he was not going to UC due to Huggins being kicked out. Today Oregon announced he will play for the Ducks. <a href='http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=4297&SPID=235&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=189592' target='_blank'>Johnson playing for OU</a>

Obviously that will hurt their depth even more so in the front. I think if everyone was still in CUSA this year they might still be in the NCAA. In the BE, I think the final projection of NIT will be right, but I wouldn't count them out yet.

CollegeCard Wrote:This is already out-dated. Ivan Johnson announced earlier that he was not going to UC due to Huggins being kicked out. Today Oregon announced he will play for the Ducks. <a href='http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=4297&SPID=235&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=189592' target='_blank'>Johnson playing for OU</a>

Obviously that will hurt their depth even more so in the front. I think if everyone was still in CUSA this year they might still be in the NCAA. In the BE, I think the final projection of NIT will be right, but I wouldn't count them out yet.

That story came out on the Sept 20th and this was posted on CHN today. I don't think they had time to go back and do a rewrite so is it really outdated? Not really. Up to the moment updated? No.

And does it really matter if UC was still in CUSA they would probably make the tourney? Don't know why you felted the need to mention that but OK.

But since you did mentioned it, they probably would have still been picked for the NIT on this site. Why? Well Houston is at 58 and projected to go to the NIT. On the flipside of the statement, I do feel that UH will make the Dance.

Yes actually it is outdated considering Johnson announced he was NOT going to UC over a week ago.

No ifs, ands, or buts about it, that is called shoddy editing. If they are going to write stuff in advance, a decent group would revise when there is a MAJOR change prior to publication.

By my comments, I meant that if they were in a CUSA of last year's makeup, I think they would have enough good games in conference (but not too many) and yet also would get enough wins to make the NCAA. Just threw it out there.

This year:

I think they'll get too many BE losses and so won't make the NCAA