I have hard time believing that SMU is going to win the league this year. The Mustangs will still be good but without a chance to play in the tournament its hard to stay focused the entire year. Houston is going to challenge for a tournament bid this season, NIT or NCAA. Memphis and Temple will also be in the running as bubble teams most of the season. Recent history will tell me that UC will be regular season champion while UConn will win the conference tournament.

Conference tournament is in Orlando. Recent history has little to do with outcome, esp since it's not a UCONN home game.

(10-27-2015 09:20 AM)BearcatBeta Wrote:  Conference tournament is in Orlando. Recent history has little to do with outcome, esp since it's not a UCONN home game.

UConn has finished ahead of Cincinnati only time in conference play since 2008-2009. Huskies have also won two NCAA tournament titles and a bunch of conference tournament games too. Defense and effort win in conference play while offense, raw talent, and guard play wins in tournament.

(10-27-2015 09:48 AM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  

(10-27-2015 09:20 AM)BearcatBeta Wrote:  Conference tournament is in Orlando. Recent history has little to do with outcome, esp since it's not a UCONN home game.

UConn has finished ahead of Cincinnati only time in conference play since 2008-2009. Huskies have also won two NCAA tournament titles and a bunch of conference tournament games too. Defense and effort win in conference play while offense, raw talent, and guard play wins in tournament.

UConn also have had those guys who continually stuck daggers in UC hearts head to head.... Kemba Walker, Ryan Boatwright, Shabazz Napier.... they just killed. Hopefully that trend dies now that Napier has moved on.

Does anyone know when the AP preseason poll will be released?

If the Bearcats finish third the conference had a great year at the top. UConn and SMU both talented enough to be top 15 caliber like the Bearcats.

Is there anything that Tulane doesn't suck at.

1-6 looks decent enough, but 7-11 looks Sun-Beltish

(10-27-2015 11:00 AM)jarr Wrote:  [i]Is there anything that Tulane doesn't suck at.[/i]

1-6 looks decent enough, but 7-11 looks Sun-Beltish

Baseball! They must also be good at the country club sports....

(10-27-2015 12:01 PM)geef Wrote:  

(10-27-2015 11:00 AM)jarr Wrote:  [i]Is there anything that Tulane doesn't suck at.[/i]

1-6 looks decent enough, but 7-11 looks Sun-Beltish

Baseball! They must also be good at the country club sports....

I believe golf is their best sport. Their women's team won the AAC last year and won C-USA several times.

I am still convinced someone took the Big East presidents to Pat O'Brien's and got them loaded up on Hurricanes when they considered their addition.

(10-27-2015 11:00 AM)jarr Wrote:  Is there anything that Tulane doesn't suck at.

1-6 looks decent enough, but 7-11 looks Sun-Beltish

Interesting picks. I recall that UC beat SMU twice last year.

In Cincy on January 3rd 56 to 50.
In Dallas on February 5th. 62 to 54.
Yet SMU is picked to win the conference. GO Figure![/u]

And went further in NCAA plus brought everyone back plus three valuable newcomers...

Made me decide to up my pledge to make Mick our coach when Larry please

(10-27-2015 08:35 PM)kyucat Wrote:  Interesting picks. I recall that UC beat SMU twice last year.

In Cincy on January 3rd 56 to 50.
In Dallas on February 5th. 62 to 54.
Yet SMU is picked to win the conference. GO Figure![/u]

It seems Cincinnati under Cronin has always been a bit under the radar. To be fair, SMU still won the regular season league title at 15-3. Their third loss was on the road at UConn. Tulsa finished second at 14-4 and we tied for third with Temple at 13-5. Two of our conference losses were to East Carolina on the road and to Tulane (ugh) at home.

(10-27-2015 09:48 AM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  UConn has finished ahead of Cincinnati only time in conference play since 2008-2009. Huskies have also won two NCAA tournament titles and a bunch of conference tournament games too. Defense and effort win in conference play while offense, raw talent, and guard play wins in tournament.

This! Until Mick figures this out, UC will always struggle in March.

(10-27-2015 09:46 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(10-27-2015 08:35 PM)kyucat Wrote:  Interesting picks. I recall that UC beat SMU twice last year.

In Cincy on January 3rd 56 to 50.
In Dallas on February 5th. 62 to 54.
Yet SMU is picked to win the conference. GO Figure![/u]

It seems Cincinnati under Cronin has always been a bit under the radar. To be fair, SMU still won the regular season league title at 15-3. Their third loss was on the road at UConn. Tulsa finished second at 14-4 and we tied for third with Temple at 13-5. Two of our conference losses were to East Carolina on the road and to Tulane (ugh) at home.

Preseason rankings are alot about selling magazine subscriptions and internet clicks. We as UC fans might not agree, but to outsiders our style of play under Mick is not "must see TV". This is why you often see the more "sexy" teams ranked really high and UC under ranked.

Purdue also ranked ahead of UC in the preseason coaches poll, we did beat them in the tourney, did we not ?

(10-28-2015 06:56 AM)nachoman91 Wrote:  

(10-27-2015 09:48 AM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  UConn has finished ahead of Cincinnati only time in conference play since 2008-2009. Huskies have also won two NCAA tournament titles and a bunch of conference tournament games too. Defense and effort win in conference play while offense, raw talent, and guard play wins in tournament.

This! Until Mick figures this out, UC will always struggle in March.

Its not about the coach figuring it out. Without defense UC wouldn't come close to the tournament every season. Its about having an older group that doesn't turn the ball over and good post play.

In the regular season teams that are really good in effort related areas always do really well because the season is a grind. In the tournament everyone brings their "A" game and the ability to score becomes more important.

Since UC is an older team this season that usually translates in two different ways. First it limits the amount bad losses due to inconsistent play, second it raises the overall March expectations too. Realistically this team is going to finish somewhere between 23-8 and 27-4 in the regular season and occupy a spot in the top 25.