Huskies next team up. Gampel Pavilion. Saturday. High noon. ESP2. Should be a good one. You know UConn will give us their best shot and they will try to play physical basketball. Curious if the refs come into play on this one. Love how our team has responded with the "target on their backs" during conference play. Credit also to Coach and his staff for keeping the guys focused and hungry. Here are Cincinnati's head-to-head records against Connecticut:

11-13 All Time
4-1 L5
6-4 L10
11-9 L20
3-0 Current Streak

Here's a breakdown comparison between the two teams:

Cincinnati
20-2 (9-0)
5-0 L5
10-0 L10
#8 AP
15 Live RPI
6 BPI
5 Kenpom (54 AdjO/2 AdjD)
7 Sagarin (0-1 vs. Top 25/3-2 vs. Top 50)
Evans 13.9 PPG
Clark 13.3
Washington 11.1
Cumberland 10.9
Broome 8.1

Connecticut
11-11 (4-5)
1-4 L5
4-6 L10
Unranked
87 Live RPI
172 BPI
166 Kenpom (217 AdjO/121 AdjD)
121 Sagarin (0-5 vs. Top 25/2-7 vs. Top 50)
Adams 17.6 PPG
Larrier 14.8
Vital 14.0
Gilbert 9.0
Anderson 6.6

From the Hartford Courant:

Quote:Everything You Need To Know About No. 8 Cincinnati At UConn Men

No. 8 Cincinnati At UConn Men
Site: Gampel Pavilion.

Time: Noon, Saturday

TV: ESPN2 (Kevin Brown, John Thompson III)

Radio: WTIC AM-1080, WILI-AM 1400, WELI-AM 960, WGCH-AM 1490. (Joe D’Ambrosio, Wayne Norman)

Series History: UConn, 13-11

Last Meeting: Cincinnati, 81-71, March 11, 2017 at XL Center (AAC semfinal)

Cincinnati (20-2, 9-0 in AAC)
3 JUSTIN JENNIFER, G, 5-10, Jr., 5.0 ppg – Has 59 assists, 17 TOs, 11 steals.

34 JARRON CUMBERLAND., G, 6-5, Jr., 10.9 – Has scored in double digits 14 times.

1 JACOB EVANS III, G, 6-6, Jr., 13.9 – AAC player of week twice earlier this season.

11 GARY CLARK, F, 6-8, Sr., 13.3 – AAC player of the week last two weeks.

24 KYLE WASHINGTON, F, 6-9, Sr., 11.1 – Scored 27 against UConn, Feb. 4, 2017.

5 CANE BROOME, G, 6-5, Jr., 8.3 – From East Hartford, transfer from Sacred Heart.

UConn (11-11, 4-5)
0 ANTWOINE ANDERSON, G, 6-2, Gr., 6.6 ppg – Scored double figures last two games.

4 JALEN ADAMS, G, 6-3, Jr., 17.6 – Is 30-for-96 on 3-point attempts.

1 CHRISTIAN VITAL, G, 6-2, So. 14.0 – Is 47-for-146 on 3-point attempts.

22 TERRY LARRIER, F, 6-7, Jr., 14.8 – Back from injury, scored 15 at UCF.

25 JOSH CARLTON, F, 6-9, Fr., 4.6 – Averaging 4.0 rebounds, 15 minutes.

5 ISAIAH WHALEY, F, 6-9, Fr., 3.5 – Shooting 62.8 percent from floor.

What To Watch
Top Bearcats: Mick Cronin has had many solid teams since taking over at Cincinnati, but this appears to be his best yet, with impressive nonconference wins and an undefeated first half of conference play. This Cincinnati team has the talent to go with the program’s trademark physical nature. Last game, they came from 18 points down to beat Houston.

Home Fires: The Huskies have not lost this season at Gampel Pavilion, but they have not played a ranked team such as the Bearcats on campus. A Saturday noon game against a ranked opponent, well known (especially the coach) to Huskies fans, should bring out the best in the student section and the Gampel crowd, despite the various problems enveloping the UConn program. So it could be a fun afternoon … at least at the start.

Broome Time: Cane Broome, an East Hartford kid who transferred from Sacred Heart, has had friends rounding up tickets for a while and will have a pretty big cheering section at Gampel. He’s an exciting, energetic player, and he’s adjusting to a major step up in competition, but he is a key part of the Bearcats’ rotation.

Terry’s Take: Now the Huskies have Terry Larrier back from his injury, they can start what is basically their best lineup. But as coach Kevin Ollie noted after the last game, Larrier needs to be more of a catch-and-shoot scorer with limited dribbling. If he does that, cutting down on turnovers, he could be a much more effective player.

Physical Play: UConn’s experienced big men last season had trouble with this Cincinnati frontcourt, so it will be a brutally tough task for the freshmen the Huskies are playing up front. It will be a learning experience for them. For the Huskies to avoid another blowout, their big men will have to hold their own.

UConn Ready

From the Enquirer:

Quote:Bearcats coach Cronin: UConn still dangerous despite won-lost record

These are not the best of times for the storied University of Connecticut men's basketball program, but University of Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin expects the Huskies to give his No. 8-ranked team all it wants here Saturday.

UC (20-2, 9-0 American Athletic Conference) is a clear favorite over the struggling Huskies (11-11, 4-5 AAC), with a noon tipoff Saturday at Gampel Pavilion. The Bearcats enter with a 13-game winning streak, while UConn is just 27-28 since the 2016-17 season began.

"A lot of these guys on this team last year know how hard UConn played in the conference tournament," Cronin said. "Gary Clark had his teeth knocked out. You'd better expect them to play with a lot of pride."

UC beat UConn 81-71 in the teams' last meeting, in the AAC tournament semifinals March 11, 2017, at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut. UC forward Clark had a tooth chipped while fighting for a rebound, in a typically bruising UC-UConn donnybrook.

These days, UConn's problems run far deeper than its won-lost record. The school recently confirmed that the program is under NCAA investigation, with the Hartford Courant reporting that three recruits are at the center of the probe.

Fifth-year UConn coach Kevin Ollie won the NCAA title in 2014 in his first year in charge, following the Jim Calhoun era that produced NCAA titles in 1999, 2004 and 2011. Ollie has come under increasing fire as UConn has missed two of the last three NCAA Tournaments, and the NCAA investigation has only made things worse.

Cronin was asked if the UConn brand name should still cause some trepidation for Bearcats players.

"I hope so," Cronin said. "It's less motivating I have to do. I hope they have the respect."

SCOUTING UCONN: The Huskies have lost four of their last five games, including 70-61 to Central Florida on Wednesday. UCF had last beaten UConn in 2011, another indicator of how far the Huskies have fallen.

UConn does have productive guards in Jalen Adams, Terry Larrier and Christian Vital, who combine to average 46.4 points per game. Larrier just returned Wednesday to score 15 points against UCF, after missing three games with a fractured sinus wall (took an elbow to the face). Larrier will be wearing a mask during games.

Alterique Gilbert, UConn's best point guard, was lost for the season with a shoulder injury in the sixth game.

"They've had every possible weird injury you could have," Cronin said. "All I know is, they've got good guard play and we've got to get ready to play."

UConn also is without Eric Cobb, a backup center suspended indefinitely six games ago after a verbal exchange with Ollie. Cobb has not played since Jan. 6.

UConn does not have much of an inside game, meaning that UC forwards Clark and Kyle Washington could have big days. UConn starting forwards Josh Carlton and Isaiah Whaley combine to average only 8.1 points per game.

The Huskies rank ninth in the AAC in scoring offense (67.3 per game), scoring defense (71.6) and three-point shooting (.311). UConn ranks in the bottom AAC tier in most categories, but the Huskies do lead the league in free-throw percentage (.757).

"As long as Kevin (Ollie) is standing over there, they may not make shots or whatever but they're going to play with a lot of pride," Cronin said. "We have great coaching in this league, A to Z, which means teams are prepared and they're going to play hard."

The game

No. 8 Cincinnati at Connecticut

Tipoff: Noon Saturday at Gampel Pavilion (10,167), Storrs, Conn.

TV/Radio: ESPN2/WLW-AM (700)


Scouting report

Connecticut

Record: 11-11 (4-5 AAC)

Offense: 67.3 ppg (No. 9 in AAC)

Defense: 71.6 ppg (No. 9 in AAC)

Projected lineup

Player, Pos, Ht, Ppg

Josh Carlton, F, 6-9, 4.6 ppg

Isaiah Whaley, F, 6-8, 3.5 ppg

Terry Larrier, G, 6-8, 14.8 ppg

Christian Vital, G, 6-2, 14.0 ppg

Jalen Adams, G, 6-3, 17.6 ppg

Player to watch

Jalen Adams

The junior guard ranks No. 4 in the AAC with a 17.6 scoring average, and No. 6 in assists at 4.1 per game. Adams also is a standout free throw shooter at 83.3 percent. UConn has handed Adams a big workload, as he leads the league by playing 38.3 minutes per game.

No. 8 Cincinnati

Record: 20-2 (9-0 AAC)

Offense: 77.0 ppg (No. 3 in AAC)

Defense: 56.8 ppg (No. 1 in AAC)

Projected lineup

Player, Pos, Ht, Ppg

Justin Jenifer, G, 5-10, 5.0 ppg

Jarron Cumberland, G, 6-5, 10.9 ppg

Jacob Evans III, G, 6-6, 13.9 ppg

Gary Clark, F, 6-8, 13.3 ppg

Kyle Washington, F, 6-9, 11.1 ppg

Noteworthy

Magic number: 5 – Number of wins UC has over UConn in the last six meetings between the teams, including three victories last season. The one exception was a 104-97 win by UConn (four overtimes) in the 2016 AAC tournament.

UC is No. 15 and UConn is No. 88 in the NCAA RPI (Ratings Percentage Index). In the Pomeroy Ratings, UC is No. 5 and UConn is No. 166.

Preview

Article on the current win streak:

Quote:Where does UC's 13-game winning streak stand in Bearcats' record book?

Tom Groeschen, tgroeschen@enquirer.com Published 1:54 p.m. ET Feb. 1, 2018 | Updated 2:00 p.m. ET Feb. 1, 2018

The University of Cincinnati's 13-game winning streak is moving up the charts in the Bearcats' men's basketball record book.

No. 8-ranked UC (20-2 overall, 9-0 American Athletic Conference this season) beat Houston 80-70 on Wednesday night, the Bearcats' 13th straight victory. UC's longest winning streak in the 12-year Mick Cronin coaching era is 15 games, on three occasions (most recently in the 2016-17 season).

The school record for consecutive wins is 37, spanning the 1961-62 and 1962-63 seasons. UC won its final 18 games in winning the 1962 NCAA title, then won its first 19 games in the 1962-63 season. In the latter season, UC finished as NCAA runner-up.

The school record for consecutive wins in one season is 22, set in the 1960-61 season. The Bearcats won their final 22 games that season, in winning their first of two consecutive NCAA championships.

Other points of note:

• The Bearcats on Wednesday won their 38th straight home game, the longest active streak in America. That includes a 12-0 mark this season at Northern Kentucky University's BB&T Arena, the Bearcats' temporary home while Fifth Third Arena is being renovated.

• UC's longest home winning streak since Fifth Third Arena opened (November 1989) is 41 games, from Nov. 30, 1997, to Feb. 13, 2000. The current 38-game run is the second-longest streak of the Fifth Third/NKU era.

• UC won 72 consecutive games in its on-campus Armory Fieldhouse between the 1957-58 season and 1963-64. The Bearcats won 18 straight at Cincinnati Gardens in that span, giving them an overall home win streak of 90 games. Along the way, UC won two NCAA titles (1961 and 1962) and appeared in five straight Final Fours (1959-63).

• From the mid-point of the 1972-73 season until midway 1977-78, UC won 80 consecutive home games. That included 53 straight wins in the Armory Fieldhouse, four in Cincinnati Gardens and 23 in Riverfront Coliseum (now US Bank Arena).

• UC has reached the 20-win plateau for the eighth straight year, with an eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance virtually assured.

• UC's 20-2 start matches that of last season, when the Bearcats began the season 26-2. UC finished 30-6, losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to UCLA (79-67). The 30 wins were second-most in UC history.

• UC rallied from 18 points down to win Wednesday, as the Bearcats trailed 33-15 in the first half. It was the largest winning comeback for UC under Cronin. The previous biggest comeback was from 17 points down to West Virginia (won 96-83 in overtime) on Jan. 20, 2007. That was the final West Virginia season for coach John Beilein, with former UC coach Bob Huggins taking over the Mountaineers in the next season.

The Streak

Just curious why it's ok to post articles from the enquirer but not the paid subscription bearcat sites?

UC won 90 straight home games from the late '50s through the early '60s?!? That's ridiculous. No wonder the Red Sweater crowd is jaded.

(02-02-2018 09:55 PM)zdiddy513 Wrote:  Just curious why it's ok to post articles from the enquirer but not the paid subscription bearcat sites?

Probably because anyone can read the cage liner for free....a certain number each month and then just clear your cookies to reset it if you wish. Very high tech.
.

(02-02-2018 11:03 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 09:55 PM)zdiddy513 Wrote:  Just curious why it's ok to post articles from the enquirer but not the paid subscription bearcat sites?

Probably because anyone can read the cage liner for free....a certain number each month and then just clear your cookies to reset it if you wish. Very high tech.
.

Or just use Private/Incognito mode. I'm assuming that shouldn't be a problem for many people here...

(02-02-2018 11:22 PM)TubaCat Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 11:03 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 09:55 PM)zdiddy513 Wrote:  Just curious why it's ok to post articles from the enquirer but not the paid subscription bearcat sites?

Probably because anyone can read the cage liner for free....a certain number each month and then just clear your cookies to reset it if you wish. Very high tech.
.

Or just use Private/Incognito mode. I'm assuming that shouldn't be a problem for many people here...

Ook thanks. I haven't been on that site in about a decade but that makes sense.

I think UConn is going to struggle mightily against UC's defense. Unless the Huskies come out hot they'll have a tough time scoring.

The only scary thing about uconn is they have talented kits capable of making difficult shots. They just never run good offense so if they aren't making difficult shots they will get run.

About the only redeeming thing about a Noon start on the road is that you don't have to worry about missing the start due to a preceding game running over.

(02-03-2018 08:44 AM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  About the only redeeming thing about a Noon start on the road is that you don't have to worry about missing the start due to a preceding game running over.

Running over is bad luck. I sit pissed until about the 12 minute mark when they finally get us to the broadcast after a barrage of commercials. It also seems like these games result in losses.

On a related note, I am so pleased that the Ncaa tournament has gone to putting all the games on different channels. The business of switching from game to game used to make my eyes bleed. I saw very little of the Uc/Gonzaga game because of the switching. I did see Machok get booted.

What do we know about UCONN. Jalen Adams is good and I feel like he has been there since the Calhoun days. Every time I watch them, they just look undisciplined, but they probably have enough talent to pull off the upset especially at home.

Gampel can be a tough place to play.

(02-03-2018 11:33 AM)rtaylor Wrote:  Gampel can be a tough place to play.

Why, because pieces of the ceiling are falling?

This shouldn’t even be a close game, right?

JC needs to spend a little more time practicing his FTs

Well there goes the shutout. Washington is in beast mode on the boards.

Cane...