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

(03-24-2019 11:01 AM)skyblade Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 10:51 AM)CincyBro Wrote:  

(11-07-2018 08:29 PM)CincyBro Wrote:  No reason to think next year will be any different than this year: Due to 7 or 8 gimme OOC wins at home, normally weak OOC schedule ( Kenpom last two years at 243 and 294 ) and atrociously mid major conf. schedule they will contend for league and tourney titles, win 25-28 games and go out in the first weekend. Will be no difference than last year or this year. On to football...….

Things we no longer need to concern ourselves about this year:

NCAA tourney bid
Top recruits
Free pizza
Mick hiring an offensive coach
Conf. Championship
Conf. tourney Championship
Top 25
KenPom projections
Any player breaking scoring records

Welcome back#BC1

Considering your prediction after the OSU game. I'd say 30 wins is almost guaranteed if your predicting 25 and a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Things change and they over achieved, congrats to Bearcats, not you. If you have to go in search on this board to contradict what people have said 5 months ago after one game, you sir have a severe problem. And you do it to everybody that doesn't love Cronin, dude get a life.....

(03-24-2019 11:09 AM)skyblade Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 10:56 AM)eroc Wrote:  Everything i've seen shows Hardnett as a SF. Just curious as to where you saw him as a PG?

I worded the poorly. He was a PG at times, but he wasn't listed as PG. I believe he was more of an Evans/Cumberland type PG, where he was the guy with the ball running point in late game situations.

"I love LaQuill's versatility," Cronin added. "I've seen him play point guard and I've seen him block shots. I've seen him steal the ball in the press for a tournament win and I've seen him bust open zones with scoring and passing. LaQuill knows the game and has a great outgoing personality. He is going to be a very good player for us."

We'll see. He held offers from WKU and St. Bonaventure and obviously wasn't ready to contribute this year, so I'm skeptical until we see him on the floor. If he pans out, it will be nice to have a player at the 3 with some length.

(03-24-2019 08:31 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  I was really encouraged by Scott's play down the stretch. He should be all conference next year.

I'm expecting Scott to be second or third team all conference, with a shot at first team if he has a major breakout year (shoots 40% from 3 for example). I'm expecting Brooks to be first or second team all conference and to have a shot at defensive player of the year if he has a great year. I'm expecting Cumberland to repeat as both First team and conference player of the year. They will be the main three who carry this team. I'm expecting Williams to improve and maybe have a shot at third team all conference.

(03-24-2019 11:28 AM)robertfoshizzle Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 11:09 AM)skyblade Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 10:56 AM)eroc Wrote:  Everything i've seen shows Hardnett as a SF. Just curious as to where you saw him as a PG?

I worded the poorly. He was a PG at times, but he wasn't listed as PG. I believe he was more of an Evans/Cumberland type PG, where he was the guy with the ball running point in late game situations.

"I love LaQuill's versatility," Cronin added. "I've seen him play point guard and I've seen him block shots. I've seen him steal the ball in the press for a tournament win and I've seen him bust open zones with scoring and passing. LaQuill knows the game and has a great outgoing personality. He is going to be a very good player for us."

We'll see. He held offers from WKU and St. Bonaventure and obviously wasn't ready to contribute this year, so I'm skeptical until we see him on the floor. If he pans out, it will be nice to have a player at the 3 with some length.

He also was offered by Buffalo and ranked as a high 3 star. He scored 31 of his teams 56 to win their title game. He wasn't ready mostly because of his build, 6'8 210 lbs, but looks more like he's 200 lbs. Tre Scott (who's not exactly a tank) has 15 lbs on him according to what is listed (and it may be more like 20 to 25lbs).

Hopefully he will have put on 15-20lbs by next fall and be ready to play some minutes.

Buffalo, St. Bonnie's and WKU are not the schools UC should be competing against for recruits.

(03-24-2019 12:14 PM)Former Lurker Wrote:  Buffalo, St. Bonnie's and WKU are not the schools UC should be competing against for recruits.

True that. ^
Not that I expect to go after and get guys that the top programs are getting but UC should at least compete with the bottom-mid P6 not low mid majors like Buffalo Bonnie and Western KY.

(03-24-2019 12:19 PM)mptnstr@44 Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 12:14 PM)Former Lurker Wrote:  Buffalo, St. Bonnie's and WKU are not the schools UC should be competing against for recruits.

True that. ^
Not that I expect to go after and get guys that the top programs are getting but UC should at least compete with the bottom-mid P6 not low mid majors like Buffalo Bonnie and Western KY.

We used to expect that, within the last 20 years.

It's a pro town. People expect to see big time players, or they will just tune out. This is not the right place for a system coach.

(03-24-2019 12:23 PM)Former Lurker Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 12:19 PM)mptnstr@44 Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 12:14 PM)Former Lurker Wrote:  Buffalo, St. Bonnie's and WKU are not the schools UC should be competing against for recruits.

True that. ^
Not that I expect to go after and get guys that the top programs are getting but UC should at least compete with the bottom-mid P6 not low mid majors like Buffalo Bonnie and Western KY.

We used to expect that, within the last 20 years.

It's a pro town. People expect to see big time players, or they will just tune out. This is not the right place for a system coach.

That system has gotten multiple players to the pros in the last few years and is going to give us another pro next year. Not every player is going to be a star, especially not as a freshman. We've got a big time player in Cumberland (and possibly Brooks/Scott) next year.

Mick's recruiting is soooooo underwhelming (sorry Hepblade).

I think last season’s disappointment has really fractured this program/fanbase. So much that we haven’t even fully realized it yet. If/when we go out in the first weekend again next season then look out. Season tix will take a hit in 2020-21 and then Mick will be given one final chance. That is my prediction.

Last year was much more painful, everyone had high expectations. This year was to be a rebuilding year and the team did overachieve, but losing first round still hurts. All those games we won by 5 points or less could have easily gone the other way.

(03-24-2019 11:16 AM)CincyBro Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 11:01 AM)skyblade Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 10:51 AM)CincyBro Wrote:  

(11-07-2018 08:29 PM)CincyBro Wrote:  No reason to think next year will be any different than this year: Due to 7 or 8 gimme OOC wins at home, normally weak OOC schedule ( Kenpom last two years at 243 and 294 ) and atrociously mid major conf. schedule they will contend for league and tourney titles, win 25-28 games and go out in the first weekend. Will be no difference than last year or this year. On to football...….

Things we no longer need to concern ourselves about this year:

NCAA tourney bid
Top recruits
Free pizza
Mick hiring an offensive coach
Conf. Championship
Conf. tourney Championship
Top 25
KenPom projections
Any player breaking scoring records

Welcome back#BC1

Considering your prediction after the OSU game. I'd say 30 wins is almost guaranteed if your predicting 25 and a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Things change and they over achieved, congrats to Bearcats, not you. If you have to go in search on this board to contradict what people have said 5 months ago after one game, you sir have a severe problem. And you do it to everybody that doesn't love Cronin, dude get a life.....

now now...don't be too hard on Hepblade. He's gotta stand up for his boy.

(03-24-2019 10:34 PM)OregonBearcat Wrote:  Last year was much more painful, everyone had high expectations. This year was to be a rebuilding year and the team did overachieve, but losing first round still hurts. All those games we won by 5 points or less could have easily gone the other way.

no...both times mostly sucked. In fact, most of the last 10 marches have sucked.

Yeah, we lose one starter. But WHO is going to assume the staring role?

Moore (12 min, 32% FG)
Fredericks (10 min, 36% FG, played PF about 100% of the time)
Lo (7 min, but better upside than the other two)

It scares me quite a bit when I am favoring someone, who Mick only trusted 7 minutes worth (and not at all in a lot of the more important games), as a starter. I have a sinking feeling that we will again be non-participants in the transfer market, and, probably Moore starts.

(03-25-2019 05:37 AM)Ring of Black Wrote:  Yeah, we lose one starter. But WHO is going to assume the staring role?

Moore (12 min, 32% FG)
Fredericks (10 min, 36% FG, played PF about 100% of the time)
Lo (7 min, but better upside than the other two)

It scares me quite a bit when I am favoring someone, who Mick only trusted 7 minutes worth (and not at all in a lot of the more important games), as a starter. I have a sinking feeling that we will again be non-participants in the transfer market, and, probably Moore starts.

I think it will be lojo. Need another ball handler to compliment Cumberland. I think his issue finding the floor was largely driven by playing the one position where uc had any depth. I expect him to make a nice leap next year.

(03-25-2019 06:00 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(03-25-2019 05:37 AM)Ring of Black Wrote:  Yeah, we lose one starter. But WHO is going to assume the staring role?

Moore (12 min, 32% FG)
Fredericks (10 min, 36% FG, played PF about 100% of the time)
Lo (7 min, but better upside than the other two)

It scares me quite a bit when I am favoring someone, who Mick only trusted 7 minutes worth (and not at all in a lot of the more important games), as a starter. I have a sinking feeling that we will again be non-participants in the transfer market, and, probably Moore starts.

I think it will be lojo. Need another ball handler to compliment Cumberland. I think his issue finding the floor was largely driven by playing the one position where uc had any depth. I expect him to make a nice leap next year.

Logan probably could have played off the ball this year but I think they decided to let him sit and take over pg duties next year.

I'm excited about Logan starting for a couple reasons. 1. we were horrific by our standards defensively and rebounding this year and he's immediately our best perimeter defender and one of our best rebounders. 2. For a PG I'm a little concerned about his ball handling and playing a year with JC to take pressure off is a good was to work him in.

We're obviously never going to be an uptempo team but I hope they do allow him to use his athleticism to run more than we have in recent years.

My opening thoughts are that next year's team should be good, but maybe just good enough to frustrate us. (25 wins when we lust for 30 wins.)

My first concern was what we saw against Iowa. When Brooks went out with fouls, our defense opened up a lot for a team with both size and good outside shooting. So the improvement of Nsossme and Diarra will be a key.

My second concern is the loss of the two point guards. They did not turn over the ball very much, and that is a big advantage. I am less concerned with Johnson's defense - as we gain a lot of reach with his long arms. His ability to get us into our offense will be a key.

I am not really surprised that the freshman Johnson sat the bench as JJ and Broome generally played well. That is a secondary concern for me.

(03-24-2019 10:29 PM)DownOnRohs Wrote:  I think last season’s disappointment has really fractured this program/fanbase.

I think this is right. Cronin had several years with teams that were between the 20th and 40th best in the country. Last year was his first that was a top 10 title contender. Had they just played to their seed, the program would look much better. To implode with a huge lead in round 2 was a massive step backwards. That was particularly so after Evans went pro, which blew any chance that this year's team could be a real contender.

I don't think it's actually a thing that a coach can't win in March. Pretty much every one of the he-can't-win-in-the-tournament guys end up winning in the tournament, because the more you get back there with good teams the more likely it is both that you'll play to your seed and that you'll get an unlikely run. It's just super frustrating that Cronin has failed in the tournament, and that UC hasn't gotten it done in March in nearly 25 years.

I thought before the season started that the situation had become so toxic that it might be good for everyone if Cronin moved on. I think it's much, much, much more likely that his replacement would not be as good as he is, but maybe it's time for a high risk/high reward play. It would be an emotional and not a rational decision, but maybe it would work out, and at least it'd be something different, which would be exciting in itself.

I had fun this year fighting with all the Bearcats depressives around here. Cheers to you.

(03-25-2019 09:43 AM)levydl Wrote:  

(03-24-2019 10:29 PM)DownOnRohs Wrote:  I think last season’s disappointment has really fractured this program/fanbase.

I think this is right. Cronin had several years with teams that were between the 20th and 40th best in the country. Last year was his first that was a top 10 title contender. Had they just played to their seed, the program would look much better. To implode with a huge lead in round 2 was a massive step backwards. That was particularly so after Evans went pro, which blew any chance that this year's team could be a real contender.

I don't think it's actually a thing that a coach can't win in March. Pretty much every one of the he-can't-win-in-the-tournament guys end up winning in the tournament, because the more you get back there with good teams the more likely it is both that you'll play to your seed and that you'll get an unlikely run. It's just super frustrating that Cronin has failed in the tournament, and that UC hasn't gotten it done in March in nearly 25 years.

I thought before the season started that the situation had become so toxic that it might be good for everyone if Cronin moved on. I think it's much, much, much more likely that his replacement would not be as good as he is, but maybe it's time for a high risk/high reward play. It would be an emotional and not a rational decision, but maybe it would work out, and at least it'd be something different, which would be exciting in itself.

I had fun this year fighting with all the Bearcats depressives around here. Cheers to you.

I think you're exactly right on the there's no such thing as a coach that can't win in March. But then you advocate firing Cronin to please the mob.

Look the program is really on stable ground. We've got a brand new arena and the conference is improving yet we've finished 2, 1, 2 in the regular season and won 2 tournament titles. Cronin is a good coach who's vastly outperformed being the 49th highest paid coach in the country. If we try to replace him the odds of getting someone as good good or better is small; maybe 10-15%. If you factor in the current salary it's closer to 0. I'm not sacrificing 4 months every year of good entertaining basketball for a low percentage play.

I wish we had taken advantage of our opportunity last year and unified around the program but that didn't happen. If people want to dream big and play the coaching lottery that's their choice; but I'll never be on board.