UC Bearcats ride wave of senior success
Tom Groeschen, tgroeschen@enquirer.com 5:02 p.m. EST January 26, 2016


The seniors are stepping up, which is a big reason why the University of Cincinnati basketball team is enjoying one of its best stretches of the season.

UC has won four of its past five games, most recently a 97-75 win over Tulane on Sunday that was not as close as the score indicates. Senior forward Shaq Thomas and sophomore forward Gary Clark scored 17 points against Tulane, with senior guard Farad Cobb scoring 16.

UC’s other two seniors, center Coreontae DeBerry (11 points) and forward Octavius Ellis (8 points) were among other key contributors against Tulane.

“I think our seniors are starting to give us more leadership and more production," Cronin said. "That’s making us a better team. ... Whoever plays better is going to win. That's it. That’s the talk I’m trying to have with my seniors. You have to play well now, because you don’t get to play next year.”

Thomas was named to the weekly American Athletic Conference honor roll after totaling 35 points in two games.

UC (15-6, 5-3 American Athletic Conference) next plays Connecticut (14-5, 4-2 AAC) on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Hartford.

NOTEWORTHY:

UConn has won three straight games. The Huskies are led by senior forward Shonn Miller (Euclid, Ohio/13.6 ppg), junior guard Rodney Purvis (13.5 ppg), senior guard Sterling Gibbs (13.1) and sophomore swingman Daniel Hamilton (12.1).
Huskies coach Kevin Ollie is in his fourth season (86-38 record). The Huskies were national champions in the 2013-14 season, Ollie's second year after replacing Nasimith Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun. Last season, UConn went 20-15 and wound up in the NIT (National Invitation Tournament).
Expect a low-scoring game. UConn ranks No. 6 nationally in field goal percentage defense (37.3) and UC is No. 25 (39.3).
UConn is No. 58 and UC is No. 69 in the NCAA RPI standings. ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi sees UC as a No. 11 NCAA Tournament seed. CBS Sports analyst Jerry Palm projects UC as one of the “First four out.”
UConn is 10-1 at home this season, including 5-0 on campus in Storrs and 5-1 at the XL Center in Hartford. UC is 3-3 in true road games.
UConn was voted second and UC third in the preseason AAC coaches poll. SMU was picked to win the league.
AAC standings entering Tuesday: SMU 7-1, Tulsa 5-2, Temple 5-2, UConn 4-2, UCF 4-2, Cincinnati 5-3, Memphis 3-3, Houston 3-4, East Carolina 1-6, Tulane 1-7, USF 1-7.
UConn is receiving votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls.
UC lost two of three meetings with UConn last season, winning at home and losing twice at the XL Center. One of last season’s losses was in the AAC tournament in Hartford. The last UC road win over UConn was Jan. 18, 2012 at Gampel Pavilion.

QUOTABLE: Cronin, on the challenges faced by younger players: “Every freshman and sophomore that’s not playing great is being told to transfer right now, by either his high school coach, his Uncle Smitty or his AAU coach. The seniors, right now … It’s now or never for them.”

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Quote:Cincinnati vs. Connecticut

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Where: XL Center (15,564), Hartford

TV/Radio: ESPNU/700 WLW-AM

Records: UC 15-6 (5-3 AAC), UConn 14-5 (4-2 AAC)

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/c.../79339214/

Nice coverage and the very best may be ahead for the uptempo Bearcats.

OK, a little off topic here but looking at that picture of DeBerry's uniform I've noticed there and in recent games, the Cincinnati stripe is gone from the waistbands of the shorts. This appears to be the case on the black uniforms too--it looks more like the waistband on compression shorts and of course it's another shameless plug for Under Armour.

So uniform experts, does anyone know; did they modify the uniform shorts during the season?

(01-26-2016 09:54 PM)OKIcat Wrote:  Nice coverage and the very best may be ahead for the uptempo Bearcats.

OK, a little off topic here but looking at that picture of DeBerry's uniform I've noticed there and in recent games, the Cincinnati stripe is gone from the waistbands of the shorts. This appears to be the case on the black uniforms too--it looks more like the waistband on compression shorts and of course it's another shameless plug for Under Armour.

So uniform experts, does anyone know; did they modify the uniform shorts during the season?

I could be wrong, but I just thought that the players were folding that part of the shorts down, as you can see the string hanging out. Don't think every player does it.

Quote:QUOTABLE: Cronin, on the challenges faced by younger players: “Every freshman and sophomore that’s not playing great is being told to transfer right now, by either his high school coach, his Uncle Smitty or his AAU coach.

I found this comment to be kind of telling. I wonder if he is referring to Jennifer and/or Moore.

(01-26-2016 10:31 PM)ctipton Wrote:  

Quote:QUOTABLE: Cronin, on the challenges faced by younger players: “Every freshman and sophomore that’s not playing great is being told to transfer right now, by either his high school coach, his Uncle Smitty or his AAU coach.

I found this comment to be kind of telling. I wonder if he is referring to Jennifer and/or Moore.

DeShaun Moorman left last year and I would not be surprised if Quadri Moore or Justin Jenifer left. Moore will not be missed, as he has never demonstrated that he is a Division I talent (think Jermaine Lawrence, but with fewer skills). Jenifer needs to stay, as he will be in the rotation next year with Farad Cobb gone and will be a likely starter as a junior after Caupain and Kevin Johnson graduate.

(01-26-2016 11:37 PM)vabearcat Wrote:  

(01-26-2016 10:31 PM)ctipton Wrote:  

Quote:QUOTABLE: Cronin, on the challenges faced by younger players: “Every freshman and sophomore that’s not playing great is being told to transfer right now, by either his high school coach, his Uncle Smitty or his AAU coach.

I found this comment to be kind of telling. I wonder if he is referring to Jennifer and/or Moore.

DeShaun Moorman left last year and I would not be surprised if Quadri Moore or Justin Jenifer left. Moore will not be missed, as he has never demonstrated that he is a Division I talent (think Jermaine Lawrence, but with fewer skills). Jenifer needs to stay, as he will be in the rotation next year with Farad Cobb gone and will be a likely starter as a junior after Caupain and Kevin Johnson graduate.

I completely agree with this. Jennifer is the only guard we have who can push the ball, drive and dish. He is a little over the moon right now, but he will grow into the role and become a very good PG for us.

Jenifer need to be patient, listen and learn and let the game come to him.

Moore prob needs to exit stage left. Although I prefer something click for the kid and he start contributing. Experience is so valuable.

I hope both stick around but I wouldn't be heartbroken if either left. I don't see either ever being a high level starter; at best they become a Sanders like borderline starter.

(01-27-2016 08:55 AM)RealDeal Wrote:  I hope both stick around but I wouldn't be heartbroken if either left. I don't see either ever being a high level starter; at best they become a Sanders like borderline starter.

I could easily see Jennifer becoming a high level starter. He has shown flashes of brilliance this year. I think he has a really good feel for the game, but just isn't there yet. He's a freshman it can take time. I think Jennifer will improve his jump shot and eventually learn to minimize his mistakes.

I kind of think the opposite of Moore. I think he actually has decent basketball skills (good jumper, decent enough handle, a couple moves), but has absolutely no feel for the game. To me that is a big red flag. I think he gets lost on defensive rotations, doesn't know when he should look for his offense (when it's there based on what the defense is doing) and when he should get rid of the ball, and simply doesn't adjust well to what defenders (or his own offensive players) are doing around him. I think his size makes him good enough to buy some minutes sometimes, but I think that's about his ceiling.

I think Moore can be effective inside if he learns to not lunge at the basket and jump straight up. When you lunge you get no height on your jump and a guard can block your shot.

He also needs to slow his game down, He gets in and goes 100 MPH.

Both these are teachable problems and I expect that he will learn as he goes.