The unofficial online home for fans of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(03-24-2019 09:38 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 09:37 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 09:30 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 06:40 PM)crex043 Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 06:27 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  Nate Oats

You guys need to get that out of your system. He ain't coming to UC.

Sow your Royal Nate Oats, if you will.

lol eh, Nate Oats got rolled today too haha

He called SMU last month looking for a new gig

why in the world would you keep Jank and not give him a shot?

Freaking Jank just might luck into two high 4* kids

Nobody can fall upward like him

(03-24-2019 12:05 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Another solid season ended early in the tournament with a disappointing performance against Iowa. I’ve given it 48 hours to try to gather my thoughts on the 2018-2019 Bearcats. I’ve heard some describe this team as having overachieved. I find that take to be absurd. The Bearcats were picked second in the AAC and finished second in the AAC. Prior to the season the Bearcats were consistently picked to make the tournament by the prognosticators and they did. Going into the season I thought the worst-case scenario for this team was to be a bubble team and the best case scenario was to be a top 15 caliber team. The most likely scenario was always something in between and that’s what the Bearcats became. They were a borderline top 25 type team most the year, one that was unlikely to get past the first weekend and that’s ultimately where they ended up. As of today they are 32 kenpom, with an adjusted offense of 47 and an uncharacteristically low adjusted defense of 30. This team probably fits squarely in the middle of the good, not great, Cronin teams that have made the tournament.
There is plenty to be proud of for this team. Their ability to get wins in close games (and luck) allowed them to finish second in a much deeper American conference. Winning the AAC tournament by beating a top 10 Houston team is a very big deal. The Bearcats dominated the crosstown shootout, something fans should always feel good about. Jarron Cumberland was a deserving American Conference player of the year and likely will be a preseason All American next season. Justin Jenifer and Cane Broome gave solid contributions their final year and often made huge shots late in games. I think the team played close to its full potential offensively this year where other than Cumberland they really had a lot of role players who contributed well. If this kind of season can be the floor going forward it’s an incredibly successful season. The big issue is we need to see more seasons like last year, where they are a legitimate top 10-15 team. There was enough this year and enough coming back that next year’s team has the chance to get to that level.
As I said previously, I really do think this team played to its potential offensively. Cumberland was great and the Bearcats used him intelligently as a facilitator and scorer. Jenifer finished the season with the 12th best kenpom offensive rating in the country. Both Brooks and Scott had great offensive efficiency numbers, kenpom has Brooks 247 nationally in offensive rating and Scott 407. We watch and know all of these guys liabilities, but their efficiency tells me that the Bearcats really maximized their skillsets on offense. The Bearcats were great at protecting the basketball (26th nationally) and rebounded a ton of their misses (4th nationally in offensive rebound percentage). They had 2 big weaknesses that bit them on offense and prevented them from being better than they were: 1. Other than Broome they had no offensive threats off their bench and 2. Nobody besides Cumberland and Jenifer could consistently hit an outside shot. The six other guys who took at least 10 threes all shot between 23% and 30% (only Tre Scott broke 30%).
However, for this team to reach its full potential it needed to have a top 10 caliber defense. They just never got there. Defensively they had two glaring weakness, 1. They were poor defending three-point shooters and 2. They gave up too many offensive rebounds. In 3 of their 7 losses their opponent shot at least 50% and in 2 others they shot over 40%. In 5 of their 7 losses they allowed teams to rebound at least 33% of their misses. The matchup zone did its job of making it difficult to score in the paint against them, but they often overhelped off the wrong player and their recovery to shooters often seemed slow and discombobulated. Additionally, their guards lacked size and athleticism to really contest on closeouts. Last season someone like Jacob Evans was spectacular at recovery close outs and would block shots that shooters thought they had a clean look. This year opposing offensive players shot over UC guards so even if they closed out well, offensive players could confidently take the shot. Gary Clark was the best all around inside defender of the Cronin era and Evans was the best perimeter/wing defender I’ve seen at UC. Losing those two extraordinary defenders was always going to be difficult. They erased so many mistakes with their intelligence and abilities. Lastly, Brooks couldn’t seem to stay on the floor. He averaged 5.7 fouls for every 40 minutes on the floor. When he was on the floor his impact was evident, but he has to figure out how to avoid fouls next year.
The good news for Cincinnati is they have a ton of experience coming back next year. Jarron Cumberland will likely be a preseason All-American. I expect Brooks and Scott to be all-conference caliber players. Scott in particular was playing confidently and effectively on the offensive end at the end of the year. They desperately need to find another ball handler to ease the pressure off Cumberland and they need to find more wing scoring. Can Logan Johnson make a big leap? Can Williams build on the promising offense he showed early before fading down the stretch? Can Moore finally become a good spot up jump shooter? Can Curtis give next year’s UC team what Cumberland gave UC his freshman year? If those things happen they’ll be a protected seed next year. That should be the goal for them.
I think next year they will be a 3-5 seed type team. Their ability to be a true contender will come down finding scoring/ball handling to take the place of Broome/Jenifer, improving their three-point defense and finding a way to keep Brooks on the floor. I have absolute confidence Cumberland will be a force again. I have a ton of confidence that Scott will have a really good senior season. Jenifer and Broome are nice role players, but they are the kind of guys you can replace if a couple others step up. This team should be better next season. Other than last years’ team and the team following the Sweet 16 team (which ended up being a bit disappointing), next year will be as confident as I have been in an incoming Mick Cronin team. There are a lot of knowns and the unknowns aren’t huge holes that need filled.
For the Bearcats to be a true threat they need to get back to being a top 10 defense. If they can be top 10 kenpom adjusted defense and top 25 in kenpom adjusted offense, they can be a title contender. The offense was better than I expected this season and should be better next season. A drop in defense was inevitable this year as last year’s team had the best UC defense of my lifetime. However, I did not expect to fall as far as they did. Hopefully another year and some added length from their wings will get the defense back to an elite level. I’m optimistic because defense has been the great constant for most of the Mick Cronin era. If those things happen, next year could be special and UC will have a great chance at a run in March.

https://bearcatmark.blogspot.com/2019/03...eview.html

I didn't read all of this, but just stepping back and looking at it - I marvel at this TodgeRodgian wall-o-text. It's a work of art really.

(03-24-2019 09:39 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 09:38 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 09:37 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 09:30 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 06:40 PM)crex043 Wrote:  You guys need to get that out of your system. He ain't coming to UC.

Sow your Royal Nate Oats, if you will.

lol eh, Nate Oats got rolled today too haha

He called SMU last month looking for a new gig

why in the world would you keep Jank and not give him a shot?

Freaking Jank just might luck into two high 4* kids

Nobody can fall upward like him

We'll shall see Pony...we shall see.


<Did you like the over dramatic way I said that?>

Just heard on WLW radio that both Cronin and Brannen of NKU may not be back next year, said Mick is ready to move on....we can only hope !!!!!!!!!

I really hope Oats ends up in the AAC. Need as many good coaches as possible in this league to make Mick sweat a little, and think about changing his philosophy

(03-25-2019 06:51 AM)CincyBro Wrote:  Just heard on WLW radio that both Cronin and Brannen of NKU may not be back next year, said Mick is ready to move on....we can only hope !!!!!!!!!

Heard this as well, can't believe this board isn't on fire by now.

Last year was the best shot he'll ever have here. He knows it, we know it. Fans are only gonna get more and more impatient.

(03-25-2019 07:53 AM)cmhcat Wrote:  

(03-25-2019 06:51 AM)CincyBro Wrote:  Just heard on WLW radio that both Cronin and Brannen of NKU may not be back next year, said Mick is ready to move on....we can only hope !!!!!!!!!

Heard this as well, can't believe this board isn't on fire by now.

I find it hard to believe, how reliable was the source? Brannen I can understand, he's been to back to back NCAA tournaments, which generally brings bigger schools calling. Cronin I can't see leaving for many other schools (unless it's something health related), he seems pretty settled in here. Maybe UCLA is coming calling.

(03-25-2019 07:58 AM)DownOnRohs Wrote:  Last year was the best shot he'll ever have here. He knows it, we know it. Fans are only gonna get more and more impatient.

Next year will be a very good shot, perhaps as good or better then last year. That's why I'd think Mick would wait one more year if he is thinking of leaving (unless there's a certain school calling that he wants to go to). Watch his three multi-year starters graduate, win the AAC and AAC tournament and hopefully make some noise as a 2-5 seed. Then leave before the down year the following year.

He knows Cumberland is leaving which will decimate the roster. He also knows the competition is heating up--so he's getting out now while he has peak value.

Very smart.

Next man up.

Oh...for all you Cronin apologists...be sure and write to Nancy so that she can choose our next coach. We wouldn't want to misplace our emphasis on winning in the post-season--our goal should always be high grad rate and no controversy. Please let us know what she says in order to guide our search.

Oh...and just for fun:

Nate Oats

(03-25-2019 06:51 AM)CincyBro Wrote:  Just heard on WLW radio that both Cronin and Brannen of NKU may not be back next year, said Mick is ready to move on....we can only hope !!!!!!!!!

I am curious as to the source. Unless it were Chad Brendel or Dan Hoard, I really put no stock into it. With the exception of Mo Egger, most of the guys on WLW (on-air talent and guests) root for XU, UK or OSU.

(03-25-2019 08:09 AM)converrl Wrote:  He knows Cumberland is leaving which will decimate the roster. He also knows the competition is heating up--so he's getting out now while he has peak value.

Very smart.

Next man up.

Oh...for all you Cronin apologists...be sure and write to Nancy so that she can choose our next coach. We wouldn't want to misplace our emphasis on winning in the post-season--our goal should always be high grad rate and no controversy. Please let us know what she says in order to guide our search.

Oh...and just for fun:

Nate Oats

Good old Nate Oats. Not sure why the Cronin haters love him. Not saying he will be a bad coach, just that he has many similarities to Cronin.

From an article about Nate Oats. During games, the staff charts what it calls blue-collar points -- deflections, hustle plays, charges -- any type of winning play that doesn't register in the box score. The player with the most points earns a construction helmet after the game.

Our fans will surely love the construction helmet. Really that's all Mick needs to add for people to stop complaining about him being focused on deflections.

(03-25-2019 08:02 AM)skyblade Wrote:  

(03-25-2019 07:58 AM)DownOnRohs Wrote:  Last year was the best shot he'll ever have here. He knows it, we know it. Fans are only gonna get more and more impatient.

Next year will be a very good shot, perhaps as good or better then last year. That's why I'd think Mick would wait one more year if he is thinking of leaving (unless there's a certain school calling that he wants to go to). Watch his three multi-year starters graduate, win the AAC and AAC tournament and hopefully make some noise as a 2-5 seed. Then leave before the down year the following year.

I don't see it. Not saying it couldn't happen but there are way to many unknowns for next season to say it can will have as good or better a shot than last years team. The one known factor is Mick and we all know how successful he's been in the tournament regardless of line up.

(03-25-2019 08:20 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(03-25-2019 06:51 AM)CincyBro Wrote:  Just heard on WLW radio that both Cronin and Brannen of NKU may not be back next year, said Mick is ready to move on....we can only hope !!!!!!!!!

I am curious as to the source. Unless it were Chad Brendel or Dan Hoard, I really put no stock into it. With the exception of Mo Egger, most of the guys on WLW (on-air talent and guests) root for XU, UK or OSU.

This may be his best and last chance to sign a big contract outside of UC...roll the dice and retire comfortably if it doesn't work out.

(03-25-2019 08:29 AM)cmhcat Wrote:  

(03-25-2019 08:20 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(03-25-2019 06:51 AM)CincyBro Wrote:  Just heard on WLW radio that both Cronin and Brannen of NKU may not be back next year, said Mick is ready to move on....we can only hope !!!!!!!!!

I am curious as to the source. Unless it were Chad Brendel or Dan Hoard, I really put no stock into it. With the exception of Mo Egger, most of the guys on WLW (on-air talent and guests) root for XU, UK or OSU.

This may be his best and last chance to sign a big contract outside of UC...roll the dice and retire comfortably if it doesn't work out.

Mick can go anytime he wants to a bigger conference school that will pay him more. There are plenty of bad power 5 schools that would gladly take a coach that can rebuild a program and get it to the NCAA tournament every year. Worst case scenario they have Cronin rebuild it then let him go after 5-7 years and bring in a new coach to take them to the next level. Hate Cronin's lack of tournament success all you want, there's no denying he can build a program from the ashes and keep them in the upper level of D1 schools year after year.

(03-24-2019 09:40 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 12:05 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Another solid season ended early in the tournament with a disappointing performance against Iowa. I’ve given it 48 hours to try to gather my thoughts on the 2018-2019 Bearcats. I’ve heard some describe this team as having overachieved. I find that take to be absurd. The Bearcats were picked second in the AAC and finished second in the AAC. Prior to the season the Bearcats were consistently picked to make the tournament by the prognosticators and they did. Going into the season I thought the worst-case scenario for this team was to be a bubble team and the best case scenario was to be a top 15 caliber team. The most likely scenario was always something in between and that’s what the Bearcats became. They were a borderline top 25 type team most the year, one that was unlikely to get past the first weekend and that’s ultimately where they ended up. As of today they are 32 kenpom, with an adjusted offense of 47 and an uncharacteristically low adjusted defense of 30. This team probably fits squarely in the middle of the good, not great, Cronin teams that have made the tournament.
There is plenty to be proud of for this team. Their ability to get wins in close games (and luck) allowed them to finish second in a much deeper American conference. Winning the AAC tournament by beating a top 10 Houston team is a very big deal. The Bearcats dominated the crosstown shootout, something fans should always feel good about. Jarron Cumberland was a deserving American Conference player of the year and likely will be a preseason All American next season. Justin Jenifer and Cane Broome gave solid contributions their final year and often made huge shots late in games. I think the team played close to its full potential offensively this year where other than Cumberland they really had a lot of role players who contributed well. If this kind of season can be the floor going forward it’s an incredibly successful season. The big issue is we need to see more seasons like last year, where they are a legitimate top 10-15 team. There was enough this year and enough coming back that next year’s team has the chance to get to that level.
As I said previously, I really do think this team played to its potential offensively. Cumberland was great and the Bearcats used him intelligently as a facilitator and scorer. Jenifer finished the season with the 12th best kenpom offensive rating in the country. Both Brooks and Scott had great offensive efficiency numbers, kenpom has Brooks 247 nationally in offensive rating and Scott 407. We watch and know all of these guys liabilities, but their efficiency tells me that the Bearcats really maximized their skillsets on offense. The Bearcats were great at protecting the basketball (26th nationally) and rebounded a ton of their misses (4th nationally in offensive rebound percentage). They had 2 big weaknesses that bit them on offense and prevented them from being better than they were: 1. Other than Broome they had no offensive threats off their bench and 2. Nobody besides Cumberland and Jenifer could consistently hit an outside shot. The six other guys who took at least 10 threes all shot between 23% and 30% (only Tre Scott broke 30%).
However, for this team to reach its full potential it needed to have a top 10 caliber defense. They just never got there. Defensively they had two glaring weakness, 1. They were poor defending three-point shooters and 2. They gave up too many offensive rebounds. In 3 of their 7 losses their opponent shot at least 50% and in 2 others they shot over 40%. In 5 of their 7 losses they allowed teams to rebound at least 33% of their misses. The matchup zone did its job of making it difficult to score in the paint against them, but they often overhelped off the wrong player and their recovery to shooters often seemed slow and discombobulated. Additionally, their guards lacked size and athleticism to really contest on closeouts. Last season someone like Jacob Evans was spectacular at recovery close outs and would block shots that shooters thought they had a clean look. This year opposing offensive players shot over UC guards so even if they closed out well, offensive players could confidently take the shot. Gary Clark was the best all around inside defender of the Cronin era and Evans was the best perimeter/wing defender I’ve seen at UC. Losing those two extraordinary defenders was always going to be difficult. They erased so many mistakes with their intelligence and abilities. Lastly, Brooks couldn’t seem to stay on the floor. He averaged 5.7 fouls for every 40 minutes on the floor. When he was on the floor his impact was evident, but he has to figure out how to avoid fouls next year.
The good news for Cincinnati is they have a ton of experience coming back next year. Jarron Cumberland will likely be a preseason All-American. I expect Brooks and Scott to be all-conference caliber players. Scott in particular was playing confidently and effectively on the offensive end at the end of the year. They desperately need to find another ball handler to ease the pressure off Cumberland and they need to find more wing scoring. Can Logan Johnson make a big leap? Can Williams build on the promising offense he showed early before fading down the stretch? Can Moore finally become a good spot up jump shooter? Can Curtis give next year’s UC team what Cumberland gave UC his freshman year? If those things happen they’ll be a protected seed next year. That should be the goal for them.
I think next year they will be a 3-5 seed type team. Their ability to be a true contender will come down finding scoring/ball handling to take the place of Broome/Jenifer, improving their three-point defense and finding a way to keep Brooks on the floor. I have absolute confidence Cumberland will be a force again. I have a ton of confidence that Scott will have a really good senior season. Jenifer and Broome are nice role players, but they are the kind of guys you can replace if a couple others step up. This team should be better next season. Other than last years’ team and the team following the Sweet 16 team (which ended up being a bit disappointing), next year will be as confident as I have been in an incoming Mick Cronin team. There are a lot of knowns and the unknowns aren’t huge holes that need filled.
For the Bearcats to be a true threat they need to get back to being a top 10 defense. If they can be top 10 kenpom adjusted defense and top 25 in kenpom adjusted offense, they can be a title contender. The offense was better than I expected this season and should be better next season. A drop in defense was inevitable this year as last year’s team had the best UC defense of my lifetime. However, I did not expect to fall as far as they did. Hopefully another year and some added length from their wings will get the defense back to an elite level. I’m optimistic because defense has been the great constant for most of the Mick Cronin era. If those things happen, next year could be special and UC will have a great chance at a run in March.

https://bearcatmark.blogspot.com/2019/03...eview.html

I didn't read all of this, but just stepping back and looking at it - I marvel at this TodgeRodgian wall-o-text. It's a work of art really.

This is a solid, solid take by Mark. What UC needs more than anything is an upgrade in conference affiliation.

Huggins was successful in lower tier conference because he got talent that was great but short on character. Mick gets talent that is good as well as good character. It is hard to win recruiting wars against top conferences. The new media deal that will send many games to ESPN (+) will not help.

The drum that Ragpicker has beat about conference affiliation is real. I'm not sure we could get a coach that could get better talent without compromising character.

1st and 2nd round exits will remain the norm and will rightfully show that as a program we will be in the #17-40 range.

(03-25-2019 08:28 AM)skyblade Wrote:  

(03-25-2019 08:09 AM)converrl Wrote:  He knows Cumberland is leaving which will decimate the roster. He also knows the competition is heating up--so he's getting out now while he has peak value.

Very smart.

Next man up.

Oh...for all you Cronin apologists...be sure and write to Nancy so that she can choose our next coach. We wouldn't want to misplace our emphasis on winning in the post-season--our goal should always be high grad rate and no controversy. Please let us know what she says in order to guide our search.

Oh...and just for fun:

Nate Oats

Good old Nate Oats. Not sure why the Cronin haters love him. Not saying he will be a bad coach, just that he has many similarities to Cronin.

From an article about Nate Oats. During games, the staff charts what it calls blue-collar points -- deflections, hustle plays, charges -- any type of winning play that doesn't register in the box score. The player with the most points earns a construction helmet after the game.

Our fans will surely love the construction helmet. Really that's all Mick needs to add for people to stop complaining about him being focused on deflections.

He coaches OFFENSE as well. That's why he beat ranked teams on the regular schedule and UC didn't.

Cronin's not going anywhere.

He makes more than $2 million a year, was born and raised on the west side, his entire family loves UC, and his daughter that he shares custody of is still school-age.

He currently gives UC a near-guaranteed top 25 team each year with a budget that ranks 63rd in nation.

This is WLW trying to rile up a fan base to tune into their programming. It's happened before, and it'll happen again.

(03-25-2019 08:39 AM)Crewdogz Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 09:40 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 12:05 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Another solid season ended early in the tournament with a disappointing performance against Iowa. I’ve given it 48 hours to try to gather my thoughts on the 2018-2019 Bearcats. I’ve heard some describe this team as having overachieved. I find that take to be absurd. The Bearcats were picked second in the AAC and finished second in the AAC. Prior to the season the Bearcats were consistently picked to make the tournament by the prognosticators and they did. Going into the season I thought the worst-case scenario for this team was to be a bubble team and the best case scenario was to be a top 15 caliber team. The most likely scenario was always something in between and that’s what the Bearcats became. They were a borderline top 25 type team most the year, one that was unlikely to get past the first weekend and that’s ultimately where they ended up. As of today they are 32 kenpom, with an adjusted offense of 47 and an uncharacteristically low adjusted defense of 30. This team probably fits squarely in the middle of the good, not great, Cronin teams that have made the tournament.
There is plenty to be proud of for this team. Their ability to get wins in close games (and luck) allowed them to finish second in a much deeper American conference. Winning the AAC tournament by beating a top 10 Houston team is a very big deal. The Bearcats dominated the crosstown shootout, something fans should always feel good about. Jarron Cumberland was a deserving American Conference player of the year and likely will be a preseason All American next season. Justin Jenifer and Cane Broome gave solid contributions their final year and often made huge shots late in games. I think the team played close to its full potential offensively this year where other than Cumberland they really had a lot of role players who contributed well. If this kind of season can be the floor going forward it’s an incredibly successful season. The big issue is we need to see more seasons like last year, where they are a legitimate top 10-15 team. There was enough this year and enough coming back that next year’s team has the chance to get to that level.
As I said previously, I really do think this team played to its potential offensively. Cumberland was great and the Bearcats used him intelligently as a facilitator and scorer. Jenifer finished the season with the 12th best kenpom offensive rating in the country. Both Brooks and Scott had great offensive efficiency numbers, kenpom has Brooks 247 nationally in offensive rating and Scott 407. We watch and know all of these guys liabilities, but their efficiency tells me that the Bearcats really maximized their skillsets on offense. The Bearcats were great at protecting the basketball (26th nationally) and rebounded a ton of their misses (4th nationally in offensive rebound percentage). They had 2 big weaknesses that bit them on offense and prevented them from being better than they were: 1. Other than Broome they had no offensive threats off their bench and 2. Nobody besides Cumberland and Jenifer could consistently hit an outside shot. The six other guys who took at least 10 threes all shot between 23% and 30% (only Tre Scott broke 30%).
However, for this team to reach its full potential it needed to have a top 10 caliber defense. They just never got there. Defensively they had two glaring weakness, 1. They were poor defending three-point shooters and 2. They gave up too many offensive rebounds. In 3 of their 7 losses their opponent shot at least 50% and in 2 others they shot over 40%. In 5 of their 7 losses they allowed teams to rebound at least 33% of their misses. The matchup zone did its job of making it difficult to score in the paint against them, but they often overhelped off the wrong player and their recovery to shooters often seemed slow and discombobulated. Additionally, their guards lacked size and athleticism to really contest on closeouts. Last season someone like Jacob Evans was spectacular at recovery close outs and would block shots that shooters thought they had a clean look. This year opposing offensive players shot over UC guards so even if they closed out well, offensive players could confidently take the shot. Gary Clark was the best all around inside defender of the Cronin era and Evans was the best perimeter/wing defender I’ve seen at UC. Losing those two extraordinary defenders was always going to be difficult. They erased so many mistakes with their intelligence and abilities. Lastly, Brooks couldn’t seem to stay on the floor. He averaged 5.7 fouls for every 40 minutes on the floor. When he was on the floor his impact was evident, but he has to figure out how to avoid fouls next year.
The good news for Cincinnati is they have a ton of experience coming back next year. Jarron Cumberland will likely be a preseason All-American. I expect Brooks and Scott to be all-conference caliber players. Scott in particular was playing confidently and effectively on the offensive end at the end of the year. They desperately need to find another ball handler to ease the pressure off Cumberland and they need to find more wing scoring. Can Logan Johnson make a big leap? Can Williams build on the promising offense he showed early before fading down the stretch? Can Moore finally become a good spot up jump shooter? Can Curtis give next year’s UC team what Cumberland gave UC his freshman year? If those things happen they’ll be a protected seed next year. That should be the goal for them.
I think next year they will be a 3-5 seed type team. Their ability to be a true contender will come down finding scoring/ball handling to take the place of Broome/Jenifer, improving their three-point defense and finding a way to keep Brooks on the floor. I have absolute confidence Cumberland will be a force again. I have a ton of confidence that Scott will have a really good senior season. Jenifer and Broome are nice role players, but they are the kind of guys you can replace if a couple others step up. This team should be better next season. Other than last years’ team and the team following the Sweet 16 team (which ended up being a bit disappointing), next year will be as confident as I have been in an incoming Mick Cronin team. There are a lot of knowns and the unknowns aren’t huge holes that need filled.
For the Bearcats to be a true threat they need to get back to being a top 10 defense. If they can be top 10 kenpom adjusted defense and top 25 in kenpom adjusted offense, they can be a title contender. The offense was better than I expected this season and should be better next season. A drop in defense was inevitable this year as last year’s team had the best UC defense of my lifetime. However, I did not expect to fall as far as they did. Hopefully another year and some added length from their wings will get the defense back to an elite level. I’m optimistic because defense has been the great constant for most of the Mick Cronin era. If those things happen, next year could be special and UC will have a great chance at a run in March.

https://bearcatmark.blogspot.com/2019/03...eview.html

I didn't read all of this, but just stepping back and looking at it - I marvel at this TodgeRodgian wall-o-text. It's a work of art really.

This is a solid, solid take by Mark. What UC needs more than anything is an upgrade in conference affiliation.

Huggins was successful in lower tier conference because he got talent that was great but short on character. Mick gets talent that is good as well as good character. It is hard to win recruiting wars against top conferences. The new media deal that will send many games to ESPN (+) will not help.

The drum that Ragpicker has beat about conference affiliation is real. I'm not sure we could get a coach that could get better talent without compromising character.

1st and 2nd round exits will remain the norm and will rightfully show that as a program we will be in the #17-40 range.

The talent Mick has recruited to the AAC is at least as good as what he recruited to the BE. I'm not saying you're wrong, but it is not as simple as better conference=better recruiting. You can't ignore the coach. Whom to sign with is a business decision for the players. They are thinking about who can get them to the NBA more than conference affiliation.

Mick's record of player development is not great, and that is at least as much a drag on recruiting as conference affiliation.

(03-25-2019 07:58 AM)DownOnRohs Wrote:  Last year was the best shot he'll ever have here. He knows it, we know it. Fans are only gonna get more and more impatient.

Agreed. He'll never have a better shot than last year. I think there are a ton of unknowns still for next season. We still need more ball handling help. Hopefully they use that final scholarship on a combo type guard (although I doubt they will).